Posted on 03/04/2012 5:02:29 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
China’s Sukhoi Submission
China is executing an ambitious defense modernization plan designed to make the country militarily self-sufficient by around the 2020s. So with a range of domestic fighter aircraft development programs in train – including the stealthy J-20 – it seems that buying new fighter jets from Russia probably wasn’t part of that plan.
Nonetheless, the Chinese have asked Russia to sell them the new Sukhoi Su-35 “Super Flanker” fighter aircraft, according to Alexander Fomin, deputy head of Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation. Cited by the Russian media, Fomin said that Beijing had filed a request for the S-35s – as well as S-400 air defense systems – back in 2011.
China isn’t transparent about defense procurement, so nobody knows for sure whether buying the Su-35 has always been part of its strategy, or whether it’s an admission of failure. But it’s been a decade since China has ordered any foreign jets – Russian Sukhoi Su-27s and Su-30s – for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), leading many aviation analysts to conclude that the Chinese would only return to the international market if they had no choice.
Now, with both India and Japan ordering advanced new fighter aircraft, the PLAAF may have determined that it needs the new Russian jets as a stopgap while the Chinese aerospace industry continues to work through some critical technology challenges, notably aircraft engines and radar systems. By ordering the Su-35, China’s defense planners would essentially be demonstrating that they aren’t willing to gamble on the J-20 and the other advanced planes that the Chinese defense industry is working on.
Russia’s motivation is also complex. The Su-35 is a new aircraft that hasn’t yet entered active service with the Russian Air Force, and the Russians are rel
(Excerpt) Read more at the-diplomat.com ...
The president of my international employer told us Friday that a partner company, which had a 400 million per year contract with the PRC, suddenly lost it. It turns out that the PRC paid a low-level H1B engineer from middle Europe to download all the Intellectual Property and sell I to the PRC. The PRC then built an exact duplicate plant and is now producing its own material. The PRC didn’t bother cancelling the contract or with any further communications whatsoever. There are no IP rights in China and contract law is for other people.
The H1B engineer was arrested in Australia; apparently thinking he had gotten away with it.
My point is; anybody who sells anything to China, especially those who open a plant there, has sewage effluent for brains.
BTW, one of my coworker is going to work for an engineering firm in south Florida that does all the design work in the US and all the production in China. Having known people who worked in multi-nationals in China, I can tell you that they won’t get the fees they expect for products produced. The plants generally run more material than they count and black market the rest. That’s simply how it’s done. No wonder China can underbid anybody else. Dishonesty is built into the system from the top to the bottom.
Given past Chinese runarounds, the Russkis need to ask for cash up front for all the aircraft to be placed in escrow at a foreign bank, to be doled out as they deliver aircraft to the PLAAF.
The Sea Flanker was purchased from Ukraine, so Russia or Sukhoi can do little but whine about it.
The SU-35 is lighter and with a newer engine, has marginally better agility. Most of its electronics are also upgraded, but it’s still a member of the Flanker family, so it’s only a narrow advantage. Which is why it has not been able to win any export orders.
You seem to think that the Chinese and not the Russians are the dishonest of the two. Lets not forget, China got into the WTO and Russia is still trying to get in. China does significantly more trade with the world than Russia. And most of what Russia sells, are in commodities whereas China sells primarily manufactured goods. China works with Western countries significantly more than Russia and draw significantly more investments.
Ask the imprisoned Yuko's chief who he trusts more, the Chinese or his fellow Russians. But you'll have to wait til he serves out his term on trumped up charges by his fellow Russians.
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