Paul Lewis/BEIJING
CHINA'S AIR FORCE has finished taking delivery of a second batch of Sukhoi Su-27 fighters and is now believed to be discussing a third follow-on purchase with the Russian company.
According to local defence sources, a further 24 fighters have now entered service with a second air force regiment at Wuhu AB in Anhui Province. These latest deliveries have increased China's Su-27 inventory to a total of 50 aircraft.
The latest aircraft, ordered in 1995, are 18 single-seater fighters and six tandem-seat Su-27UB trainers. They will supplement the 24 Su-27s and two trainers originally delivered in 1992 at a cost of $1 billion.
The higher number of trainers in the second batch is to help China address the shortage of pilots for the new fighter, which represents a huge jump in technology over the air force's existing Chendhu F-7s and F-8s.
The air force has a requirement for a third and final batch of 24 Russian-built aircraft to form a third regiment. China's long-term plan is to switch to licence-production of the fighter at its Shenyang Aircraft plant.
The numbers of fighters still to be purchased is understood to be the source of some friction between the air force's General Staff Department (GSD) and the Commission on Science, Technology, Industry for National Defence (COSTIND).
The GSD's equipment department is pushing for more Su-27s as a more immediate off-the-shelf solution to the growing obsolescence of air force equipment,
COSTIND, which oversees China's defence production and development, is arguing that resources should instead be put into the new F/J-10 fighter programme. The aircraft is being developed by Chengdu Aircraft with the help of Israel Aircraft Industries, using technology from its former Lavi programme.
nWork is expected to begin shortly on integrating the Racal Searchwater radar to a maritime-patrol variant of the Shaanxi Y-8 transport. The radar-equipped Y-8 will officially be used for offshore "anti-piracy" operations.
The $60 million contract is understood to involve the modification of an initial four to six navy aircraft. The work is scheduled to be carried locally at a naval AB near Shanghai (Flight International, 14-20 August, P6).
Source: Flight International
