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Flankers Under the Dragon's Wings

A Timeline of Events

by Crobato

2002	March. Annual spring exercises may have showed the most frequent and most intensive use of the Flankers in exercises yet, including use of SU-30MKKs. However, SU-30MKKs were reported not having fitted any weapons.

2002	April. Allegedly, an SU-30 was said to have crashed into the side of the mountain. While there is no direct proof of the accident, there are reports and rumors of officer turnovers suggestive of a backlash from possible attrition in exercises. This was denied by Sukhoi in a press release February 2003.

2002

May. CCTV held a celebration in honor of the Shenyang Aircraft Company right in TV. The show featured two newly built SU-27/J-11s on stage. Other than a “J-11A” mockup in the Shenyang office showroom, this was the first time China acknowledged domestic construction of the SU-27, and the first time such planes were ever seen up close. The fit and finish of the Chinese made Flankers appear superior to the Russian ones, with the manufacture of the planes with the purchase of state of the art precision machinery.

2002	June. There was an acceleration of production in SAC, XAC and CAC plants with full 24 hour shifts. This suggests a major effort to increase J-11 production rate to as high as 30 to 40 a year . It was reported that four “case hardened” J-10s have joined an SU-27 unit for evaluation and had mock dogfights with SU-27s.

2002	June 29. Debka.com reported that a Chinese software engineer has manage break the software for the SU-27's fire control radar. This maybe a step forward either in reverse engineering the radar or adapting the use of local guided missiles to it.

2002	June 30. A monumental first flight. A J-11 equipped with one WS-10A engine in one side and the AL-31F in the other takes off. Later, the J-11 activates the WS-10A in midair, and for the first time, takes flight on its own power.

2002	July 1. First report of a confirmed firing of R-77s from two Chinese SU-30MKKs in the week before.

2002	July 10. PLA officer admits intention to equip R-77 with SU-27s and SU-30s. (defense-aerospace.com.)

2002	July-August. China presumably will sign another contract for the third order of SU-30, now SU-30MK2, presumably a new navalized variant for the airborne arm of the Chinese Navy, the PLANAF. Reports say the plane can use the Kh-31A antiship missile up to a range of 200km and will be equipped with Zhuk radar from Phazotron.

2002	August 19. 10 SU-30MKK delivered, presumably for the PLANAF (Interfax). These planes were delivered to a base in Anhui province.

2002	August 22. A total of 10 J-10s joined an SU-27 unit for evaluation.

2002	August 27. Yomiuri Shinbun reported that China signed a contract for 38 SU-30MK for the Chinese Navy. Other reports put it either at 40 or 28.

2002	October. All weapons of the SU-30MKK were successfully fired and tested.

2002

November 6-12. Zhuhai air show. Interview with Sukhoi chief designer spoke of an upgraded version, the SU-30MKK2, while Douglas Barrie of Aviation Week mentions of forthcoming SU-30MKK variants as SU-30MK2 and SU-30MK3. According to Barrie, SU-30MK2 still uses the updated N001 base radar but improved, while the SU-30MK3 will use the Zhuk-MSE which can detect a destroyer sized target at sea as far as 300km. Raduga displayed a new antiship missile, Kh-59MK for the SU-30MK3, while Tikhomirov NIIP displayed the Pero phase array that could be used to upgrade the N001 radars. Sukhoi also announced intention to create an office in Beijing, working to improve support and looking for ward for more sales. Parts will be stored in various depots in Russian air bases near the Chinese border, set for immediate delivery.

2002

November. Chinese reports indicate that local content of J-11 production has now reached 60%. 10 to 15 kits were delivered for the year, and the entire 80 to 120 kits may be completed by next year. From then on, Shenyang plans to allow the entire plane to be made from 100% indigenous components, including engines like the WS-10A, home grown radar, and use Chinese missiles like the SD-10 and YJ series. This plan indicates that either the content restriction has been lifted or Shenyang plans to override them anyway. It is more likely that the restriction has been lifted in exchange for some offset, possibly something like the guarantee of future SU-30 purchases.

2002	November. 10 SU-27UBK delivered as IAPO announced completion of deliveries of third order SU-27UBK. The UBKs equipped the 33rd division in Chongqing.

2002	December 16. 9 SU-30MKK according to Interfax. The planes landed in an airbase at Tsuizhou along with two IL-76 transports carrying spare parts.

2002	December. For the first time, publicity pictures were shown showing the SU-30MKK equipped with ECM pods, Kh-31P missile and Kh-29T. What’s more important than the pictures themselves is the message behind it, indicating willingness to arm and use the plane in the wake of the North Korean nuclear crisis.

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