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SU33 FIGHTER AND CHINA
Kanwa Asian Defence Monthly reported the negotiation of Su33 fighter between Russia and China in March 2009 issue. The article below is the original. About 20 Russian press and TACC，AP，Japan Kyodo News Agency precisely quoted our report.
However, some Chinese press that translated our report say that according to Kanwa, Russia stopped to negotiate about Su33 issue with China, Su33 will not fly to China, or Russia refused to sell Su33 to China. As you read our original report below, you can understand that we have never reported like that.
We also asked some of the Russian press about this issue. They said that their Beijing bureau translated the Su33 story from Chinese press version.
Here, we strongly request all the press to use the original Kanwa magazines when quoting our stories in the future. Thank you very much.
Kanwa Editor
<Kanwa Original report>
LATEST DEVELOPMENT OF SU33 AND PLA NAVY
<Kanwa News Andrei Chang> After the recent air show in Zhuhai, some Western media reported that China was negotiating with SUKHOI on the procurement of 14 Su33 ship-borne fighters, claiming that the contract on the deal will be signed very soon. On this particular issue, KDR interviewed Boris D. Bregman, the First Deputy General Director of SUKHOI Aircraft Company. He said that the talks with China were all at consultation stage and no official negotiation had been initiated so far. Of course, contacts between the two sides are still underway.
The speculation that China intends to import 14 Su33 fighters comes from the Russian military industry delegation attending the Zhuhai Air Show. On this issue, Kanwa had interviews with several of the Russian delegates related to this system. The situation is summarized as follows: other sources from the Russian military industry said that China told them in the first place that they would eventually need approximately 50 Su33 fighters to arm several aircraft carrier battle groups. By the way, the news that China will build aircraft carriers was publicized in Russia sometime before, and China will very likely imitate the Russian aircraft on the foundation of the two Su33 they purchase. Later, China told them that after careful assessment, China would need at least 14 Su33 fighters in the first phase, which would be imported in form of 7 plus 7. Russian side refused this proposal. The source believes that the production of only 7 in the first batch is obviously too small in scale and as a result cannot offset the cost of constructing the production facilities as the production of Su33 fighters has already suspended.
What type of Su33 will be likely exported to China? Mr. Bregman told Kanwa that they could be any upgraded variant of the fighter. Determined by the specific request from the clients, Su33 can undergo substantial upgrades. Earlier, Western report said that Su33K (referring to Su33 fighters specifically designed for China) could be upgraded to the standard of Su30MK2 or even fitted with IRBIS or BARS phased array radar. The former is currently installed on Su35 fighters. However, Kanwa believes such report is clearly wrong. IRBISs maximum power output is 20kW, and therefore Su33s power supply is far from enough. As to the BARS passive phased array radar, it is mainly employed on the Su30MKM/MKI fighters of the Malaysian Air Force and the Indian Air Force. Whether this radar could be exported to China has not yet been officially approved by the Russian Defence Ministry.
The above testaments indicate that at least by the end of 2008, China and Russia has not yet been able to reach agreement on the procurement of Su33 fighters, and the negotiations on the deal are still in the start-up stage. In that event, the priority for China in 2009 will be the construction of aircraft carrier, while at the same time attention will be placed on the selection of exact types of ship-borne fighters. Due to the fact that the cycle of aircraft carrier construction is at least 5 to 6 years, it is not impossible that China may develop the ship-borne variant of J10A and J11BH fighters during that period.
The possibility of restarting the Su33 production line eventually does exist, however. This is mainly because the Russian Navy is about to resume its own Grand Aircraft Carrier Program. Aviation weapon observers based in Moscow say that a more realistic purchase order of Su33 fighter is 24 so as to make the restarting of the production line cost effective.
Kanwa Asian Defence Monthly reported the negotiation of Su33 fighter between Russia and China in March 2009 issue. The article below is the original. About 20 Russian press and TACC，AP，Japan Kyodo News Agency precisely quoted our report.
However, some Chinese press that translated our report say that according to Kanwa, Russia stopped to negotiate about Su33 issue with China, Su33 will not fly to China, or Russia refused to sell Su33 to China. As you read our original report below, you can understand that we have never reported like that.
We also asked some of the Russian press about this issue. They said that their Beijing bureau translated the Su33 story from Chinese press version.
Here, we strongly request all the press to use the original Kanwa magazines when quoting our stories in the future. Thank you very much.
Kanwa Editor
<Kanwa Original report>
LATEST DEVELOPMENT OF SU33 AND PLA NAVY
<Kanwa News Andrei Chang> After the recent air show in Zhuhai, some Western media reported that China was negotiating with SUKHOI on the procurement of 14 Su33 ship-borne fighters, claiming that the contract on the deal will be signed very soon. On this particular issue, KDR interviewed Boris D. Bregman, the First Deputy General Director of SUKHOI Aircraft Company. He said that the talks with China were all at consultation stage and no official negotiation had been initiated so far. Of course, contacts between the two sides are still underway.
The speculation that China intends to import 14 Su33 fighters comes from the Russian military industry delegation attending the Zhuhai Air Show. On this issue, Kanwa had interviews with several of the Russian delegates related to this system. The situation is summarized as follows: other sources from the Russian military industry said that China told them in the first place that they would eventually need approximately 50 Su33 fighters to arm several aircraft carrier battle groups. By the way, the news that China will build aircraft carriers was publicized in Russia sometime before, and China will very likely imitate the Russian aircraft on the foundation of the two Su33 they purchase. Later, China told them that after careful assessment, China would need at least 14 Su33 fighters in the first phase, which would be imported in form of 7 plus 7. Russian side refused this proposal. The source believes that the production of only 7 in the first batch is obviously too small in scale and as a result cannot offset the cost of constructing the production facilities as the production of Su33 fighters has already suspended.
What type of Su33 will be likely exported to China? Mr. Bregman told Kanwa that they could be any upgraded variant of the fighter. Determined by the specific request from the clients, Su33 can undergo substantial upgrades. Earlier, Western report said that Su33K (referring to Su33 fighters specifically designed for China) could be upgraded to the standard of Su30MK2 or even fitted with IRBIS or BARS phased array radar. The former is currently installed on Su35 fighters. However, Kanwa believes such report is clearly wrong. IRBISs maximum power output is 20kW, and therefore Su33s power supply is far from enough. As to the BARS passive phased array radar, it is mainly employed on the Su30MKM/MKI fighters of the Malaysian Air Force and the Indian Air Force. Whether this radar could be exported to China has not yet been officially approved by the Russian Defence Ministry.
The above testaments indicate that at least by the end of 2008, China and Russia has not yet been able to reach agreement on the procurement of Su33 fighters, and the negotiations on the deal are still in the start-up stage. In that event, the priority for China in 2009 will be the construction of aircraft carrier, while at the same time attention will be placed on the selection of exact types of ship-borne fighters. Due to the fact that the cycle of aircraft carrier construction is at least 5 to 6 years, it is not impossible that China may develop the ship-borne variant of J10A and J11BH fighters during that period.
The possibility of restarting the Su33 production line eventually does exist, however. This is mainly because the Russian Navy is about to resume its own Grand Aircraft Carrier Program. Aviation weapon observers based in Moscow say that a more realistic purchase order of Su33 fighter is 24 so as to make the restarting of the production line cost effective.
