Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW
CHINA IS HOLDING discussions with Russia over the licence manufacture of the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker air-superiority aircraft.
Chinese officials have recently held talks on the licence with representatives of the Russian Komsomolsk manufacturing plant, which produces the single-seat Su-27. The Komsomolsk factory built China's initial batch of 26 Su-27s. Negotiations over a second batch have been prolonged by Russia's preference for hard-currency payment.
Russian news-agency reports, quoting unnamed senior defence sources, say that, while Russia is not opposed to licence manufacture, it would first like to sell more Flankers to China.
The operational deployment of the Su-27 within the People's Liberation Army Air Force will mark a step-change in the capability of its front-line fighter force. The next most modern aircraft is the Shenyang J-8 Finback, development of which started in the mid-1960s.
The negotiations appear to be part of a growing rapprochement between the two states, with China keen to overhaul its aging military-equipment inventory.
The acquisition by China of a large number of Su-27s would cause considerable concern among other regional states.
China is already understood to have received clearance for licence manufacture of the Fakel S-300PMU (SA-10 Grumble) long-range surface-to-air missile, which is dubbed the HQ-10, and has received the first of several Russian Kilo-class diesel submarines.
Source: Flight International
