When China agreed to purchase 24 Russian-built Su-35 fighters a decade ago, the first thought on most observers’ minds was that Beijing was buying this Sukhoi product to reverse-engineer it.
China has a well-known penchant for industrial espionage. They will steal, buy, or copy anyone’s work and use it for their own purposes.
This deal was a head-scratcher. Russia had been burned by China once before, on a deal for the Su-27 Flanker. Why trust them again?
The Chinese “Purchase” Of Russia’s Su-27 Flanker
In 1991, China started to purchase the Su-27 long-range fighter jet (an older relative of the Su-35).
But the Russians were ticked off, to say the least, when China began to showcase for export the indigenously produced J-11, which resembled the Su-27—an aircraft the Chinese had no license to produce.
The Russian media had objected to the sale over fears that the Chinese would copy the aircraft and sell it as their own. That is precisely what happened.
Su-35 Is a Great 4th+ Generation Aircraft
The Su-35 saw its first combat action in 2015 in Syria. Russia agreed to sell two dozen Su-35s to China for $2 billion soon after. China’s goal was never to copy it entirely.
Components like the Su-35’s engines, avionics, and its powerful Irbis radar system cannot be reverse-engineered fast enough to make it worthwhile.
China may have used the fighter as a stopgap until their J-20 fighter was fully ready. Wang Ya’nan, editor in chief of Aerospace Knowledge, told China Daily that the Su-35 would help the People’s Liberation Army fulfill its needs until it has enough J-20s.
He said the new addition would also facilitate China’s efforts to upgrade its current Sukhoi jets.
The J-20 stealth fighter was considered another example of stealing by China, this time against the U.S. But if they bought the Su-35 for immediate use, why didn’t they buy more of them?
One intriguing theory was that China bought the Su-35 to keep it off the market from adversaries such as India, which purchases Russian and European weapons and equipment. I doubt that is the reason, but it is a strong line of thought.
The Su-35 is a great fourth-generation aircraft. It can speed at Mach 2 and has supercruise capability. However, while it does have stealth-like qualities, it is not a stealth aircraft. Russia has touted it as a rival for the U.S. F-22.
But while it is a superb aircraft, the fighter’s lack of stealth is a considerable downfall. Further, the war in Ukraine has taken a toll on the aircraft’s reputation. Is it a bad fighter? No. But Russia’s conduct of the war has led to substantial losses for such weapons systems.
Despite considerable efforts to modernize their military, the Russians still act like combined arms operations are quantum physics. While their enemies in Ukraine have adapted, they have not. In fact, they are reverting to Soviet-era tactics.
The Su-35’s usage in Ukraine is not helping Russia’s ambition to sell the aircraft. It is also a warning to China, which hasn’t fought a war since 1979. If they are going to buy and produce top-tier weapons, learning how to use them is a big priority.
China’s purchase of the fighter was a pragmatic decision. They needed a boost to their fleet aircraft until their domestic fifth-generation fighter was ready. And given the history of Sino-Russian relations, it doesn’t hurt to get a good peek at your potential enemies’ weapons.
Given China’s penchant for stealing other countries’ designs, who is to say they didn’t pick out parts of the Su-35 to use in a future indigenous design?
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 19FortyFive, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
