China to Buy Su-33 Carrier-Based Fighters from Russia?
Related Stories: Asia - China, Contracts - Intent, Fighters & Attack, New Systems Tech, Other Corporation, Rumours, Russia, Surface Ships - Combat
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Near the end of October 2006, Russia’s Kommersant newspaper revealed that Russian state-run weapon exporter Rosoboronexport is completing negotiations with China to deliver up to 48 Sukhoi SU-33 (NATO codename: Flanker-D) carrier-capable fighter aircraft in a purchase deal reportedly worth $2.5 billion. The SU-33 is a variant of Sukhoi’s SU-27 Flanker with forward canards, foldings wings, an arrester hook, a reinforced structure, and other modifications that help it deal with carrier operations and landings.
At present, reports regarding the sale and China’s aircraft carrier intentions both remain somewhat murky. China’s intent to field aircraft carriers is becoming clearer and clearer, but aircraft availability could be a problem. Russian media are reporting a breakdown of negotiations, citing past pirating of Russian designs, while Jane’s says that the long negotiation process continues…
- A Carrier for China?
- Reports and Key Events [updated]
- Additional Readings
A Carrier for China?
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The PLA Navy has made contradictory statements regarding its wish to have an operational aircraft carrier, but most expert observers believe they are working on a program to do so. Assurances that the Varyag is destined to be a floating hotel do appear somewhat at variance with the PLAN paint job – the question is whether the Chinese believe they can bring it up to operational status, or are simply using the ship as a learning platform in preparation for their own construction efforts later.
In October 2006, SinoDefence.com reported that China will spend $100 million to buy 2 Su-33 fighters from Komsomolsk-on-Amur Production Association for ‘trial and evaluations,’ with delivery expected in 2007-08. Reports claim there is also an agreed option for another 12 Su-33 fighters, with the potential for the deal to grow to 48 SU-33s and $2.5 billion. They add that China’s Dalian Shipyard is currently refitting the ex-Soviet Navy aircraft carrier Varyag, acquired in extremely poor condition from the Ukraine in 1999.
Reports and Key Events
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March 20/09: Chinese defense minister Liang Guanglie reportedly tells visiting Japanese Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada that:
“Among the big nations only China does not have an aircraft carrier. China cannot be without an aircraft carrier forever…. China’s navy is currently rather weak, we need to develop an aircraft carrier.”
The Agence France Presse report adds that earlier in March 2009, China Daily quoted Admiral Hu Yanlin as saying:
“Building aircraft carriers is a symbol of an important nation. It is very necessary…. China has the capability to build aircraft carriers and should do so.”
March 13/09: Jane’s Defence Weekly reports that negotiations are continuing for the SU-33 sale:
“Negotiations for the sale of Sukhoi Su-33 carrier-capable combat aircraft to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) are still continuing with both sides interested in coming to a final agreement, Russian industry sources have told Jane’s . “Previous reports that these discussions are at an end or that the ‘contract has been cancelled’ are incorrect,” said a Russian source close to the programme.”
March 10/09: The Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper reports that Russia is refusing to sell China SU-33 jets, citing past piracy of the design for its SU-27 fighters. China initially sought 2 SU-33s for its “trial basis” order, which are a modified variant of the SU-27. Subsequent negotiations reportedly raised the “trial” order to 14 of the 50 aircraft China said it wanted, but that was not enough to remove the basic problem.
In 1995, China received a license for the production of 200 Su-27SK fighters; that agreement was later terminated at 95 planes. China cushioned the blow by ordering a total of 110 SU-30MK2s between 1999-2003, but they are now producing a “J-11B” fighter that appears to be an SU-27 with Chinese radar and avionics, and Chinese WS-10 engines in place of Russian Lyulka AL-31s. The issue was reportedly raised at the 13th meeting of the Russian-Chinese Committee for Military Cooperation in December 2008, without resolution.
If Russia believes that its SU-33s are being ordered so they can be cloned by the Chinese, creating a future with no further orders from China, and a cheaper version of their weapons offered for global export, then their lack of interest in a deal is understandable.
Note that concerns are also being raised in Russia around ongoing production of Russian-derived Cold War era designs by Eastern European countries, which could create future diplomatic incidents. Pravda report.
Dec 31/08: Japan’s Asahi Shimbun:
“China will begin construction of the country’s first domestically produced aircraft carriers in Shanghai next year, with an eye to completing two mid-sized carriers by 2015, military and shipbuilding sources said. Beijing is also expected to complete work on a never-finished former Soviet aircraft carrier moored in the northeastern port of Dalian, to provide training for carrier-based pilots and crew. The two 50,000- to 60,000-ton carriers will rely on conventional propulsion systems, not nuclear power…..
According to sources close to Shanghai municipal authorities, one of the world’s largest shipbuilding facilities was completed this fall on Changxingdao island at the mouth of the Changjiang river near Shanghai. One of the four docks there is for construction of the aircraft carriers, they said.”
See also: Information Dissemination.
Dec 23/08: China’s defence ministry spokesman Huang Xueping discusses that country’s carrier plans during a rare press conference, called to announce the dispatch of Chinese warships to the Somali coast on anti-piracy patrols. When asked about rumors of a Chinese aircraft carrier, he said that:
“An aircraft carrier is a symbol of overall national strength and a symbol of the competitiveness of the nation’s naval force… The Chinese government will take into overall account the relevant factors and seriously consider the relevant issue.”
See: Agence France Presse, via Defense News.
Oct 24/08: Jane’s report:
“Russian sources have now told Jane’s that under the current proposal the Russian in-service Su-33 would be put back into production and the PLAN would acquire 14 of this type to be used for the training phase of the programme….
“The next step will be to modernise the Su-33, which was first designed in the late 1980s, with a new set of state-of-the-art onboard systems,” a KnAAPO representative told Jane’s on the eve of the biennial Air Show China in late October. “What this new aeroplane is most likely to be is a combination Su-33 airframe with a radar, avionics and cockpit instrumentation that is a ‘developed’ configuration based on the Su-30MK2, and this will be the PLAN’s operational version.”
Sept 19/08: Indian Express cites a small article in a recent issue of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily, which announced that the first batch of 50 pilots cadets have been inducted at the Dalian Naval Academy to undergo training on ‘ship borne aircraft flight.’ The first batch of pilots undergoing training on ‘basic theories of surface ship and flight’ will reportedly graduate from the academy in 4 years.
Nov 1/06: Russian news agency RIA Novosti describes the negotiations as “at a preliminary stage.” That same article also noted that Alexander Denisov, who headed Russia’s delegation at Airshow China 2006, said that Russia is ready to help China design an aircraft carrier if asked.
Additional Readings & Sources
- Information Dissemination – PLAN – Review of 2008. PLAN = People’s Liberation Army Navy. Yes, they really call it that.
- Aeronautics.RU – Sukhoi SU-33. Include more details than the Sukhoi page.
- Sinodefence.com – Su-27 Air-Superiority Fighter Aircraft
- SinoDefence.com – Aircraft Carrier Programme
- Google lets you take a look at the Varyag yourself!
- VaryagWorld.com. An enthusiast site that trace the history of the Varyag and continues to follow developments related to the ship. Lots of pictures and links.
- China Air and Naval Power blog (May 7/09) – The story behind the stories for Varyag. Examines the Ukranian-Chinese relationship. Heavy on speculation, but interesting.
- Agence France Presse (March 23/09) – China tells Japan it wants aircraft carrier
- Norman Polmar (Oct 15/08) – Is China Moving Toward a Carrier? “There is no question: The Chinese Navy is seeking to develop a carrier capability; but there are many, many questions about how that goal will be achieved.”
- RIA Novosti (November 1/06) – China intends to buy Russia’s SU-33 fighters
- SinoDefence.com (Oct 24/06) – China to Buy Su-33 Fighter from Russia
- Kommersant (Oct 23/06) – Russia to Deliver Su-33 Fighters to China
- StrategyPage (May 30/06) – Naval Air: The Varyag Mystery Deepens
- Jane’s (Aug 12/05) – Is China building a carrier?
