China's Flanker Fleet - PLA's Air Force "Big Stick"

International Assesment And Strategy Center ^ | May 3, 2007

[Fennie]

The PLA's acquisition, since 1991, of nearly 300 Sukhoi Su-27/30 Flanker long range fighter aircraft, represents the single greatest investment in modern fighter aircraft seen since the Soviet re-equipment with the Su-27 and Mig-29 during the 1980s. Currently planned and deployed numbers are approaching 400 aircraft, making this fleet numerically competitive with the US Air Force fleet of 600 F-15A-D/F-15E fighters. By any conventional metric, the Su-27 and Su-30 represent direct equivalents to the US F-15C and F-15E, and offer superior capabilities to the US fighters in several key areas. The latest variants include all of the avionic and systems refinements historically exclusive to US and EU combat aircraft...

[sono]

And the Asian arms race continues ...

[jagusafr]

Oh, but it’s purely for self-defense, don’cha know...

[Moonman62]

Currently planned and deployed numbers are approaching 400 aircraft, making this fleet numerically competitive with the US Air Force fleet of 600 F-15A-D/F-15E fighters.

Too bad for them that we have the F22. Though they may be able to turn around and smack Russia if they need more living space.

[Flavius]

rule about planes and military equipment

gots to have pics

[LM_Guy]

A very powerful & long range fleet that pretty much can prevent the USA carrier fleet from providing air-cover and protection to Taiwan if hostilities ever break out and China decides to take Taiwan by force.

[LM_Guy]

The F-22 can not handle that many jets and it is only land based. The F-22s runways can be taken out as soon as a war starts pretty much make it a one flight engagement for us against them.

Don’t let your US is invincible thinking go to your head.

[randog]

Looks like a Tomcat.

[EnigmaticAnomaly]

Yes, but it is illogical to presume that all 400 aircraft will be utilized at one time...a few “wolfpacks” of F-22 fighters could do significant damage to this threat...I would guess 1 F-22 could wax 15+ enemies before being taken out (with a good pilot) Plus...I believe America’s pilots are far superior to those available to fly the migs...

[ImaGraftedBranch]

Clearly, they have a plan in place. Whether it is a plan against Russia (which would have then sold them the rope with which they are to be hanged,) or the US (which I suspect) is to be determined.

However, it is amazing that Duncan Hunter is the only presidential candidate that speaks about this growing threat. As the former Chair of the House Armed Services Committee, perhaps he was privy to intel we know nothing about.

We need to keep an eye on the tiger...her navy is expanding rapidly as well, and her actions in space recently should alarm us all.

[Moonman62]

The F-22 can not handle that many jets and it is only land based. The F-22s runways can be taken out as soon as a war starts pretty much make it a one flight engagement for us against them.

The only thing that would slow down the F22 would be having to go back and rearm.

And how's the training for Chinese pilots these days? Any better than when one of our unarmed recon planes splashed one of their ace fighter jocks?

[maquiladora]

Su-47

[LM_Guy]

You really don’t know that much about an F-22 if you think that. We will get one flight off and that is it and we don’t have that many to F-22 to put in battle. Maybe in 3-5 years we will have a chnace but not anytime soon.

I wonder how many SU-30s they will have in 5 years.

[LM_Guy]

Try a destroyed runway, those things can slow down rearming quite a-bit.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

A very powerful & long range fleet that pretty much can prevent the USA carrier fleet from providing air-cover and protection to Taiwan if hostilities ever break out and China decides to take Taiwan by force.

Perhaps. But hardware in the air is only part of the equation.
It's the 'meat-in-the-seat' and the support on the ground that truly makes for air superiority.

[Moonman62]

I think you have it backwards about whose runways will be destroyed.

[EnigmaticAnomaly]

Hmm...as far as the runway issue, that is why there exist refueling planes. Also, I am pretty sure that any runways used for the Air Force’s fighters and bombers will be HEAVILY protected from missile/air attack...not like it would be EASY for China to destroy our runways...

And no, I am not well-versed in the F-22 per se, but I DID serve in the USAF and work on fighters for a brief time (F-15, F-16) and can tell you that, with the skill of our pilots, our pilots could fly WWII vintage planes and score as many kills as highly unqualified Chinese pilots in much more sophisticated aircraft...the disparity in piloting skill is huge...

[Lazamataz]

The F-22 can not handle that many jets and it is only land based. The F-22s runways can be taken out as soon as a war starts pretty much make it a one flight engagement for us against them. Don’t let your US is invincible thinking go to your head.

I'm ready to go cheese-eatin' surrender-monkey already.

And all you did was write a few lines.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Indeed.

(China + “Why is Hunter the only one talking about this?”) ping.

[Spktyr]

On the other hand, don’t underestimate us, either. The Su-27/30 is a large plane with a large IR signature and a *huge* radar cross section - the very things that the SM1 and SM2 launched by Aegis cruisers and destroyers love to hit.

And yes, if they throw *all* 400 of them at the two CBG’s in the area now, there are more than enough missiles on our side to sink them all.