At the beginning of the 1990s, China's air force still had a big shortage of heavy aircraft. In 1992, the first batch of 24 Su-27SKs were airlifted to Wuhu Airport in Anhui Province. Their landing was a fresh event, marking the beginning of the introduction of Russian fighter jets.

These aircraft not only filled the gap but also brought opportunities for negotiations on the entire production line. Russia made concessions and transferred the assembly drawings and technology of the Su-27SK. The Shenyang Aircraft Factory started localization, and the first J-11A took off successfully in 1998, meaning that China could now develop fourth-generation heavy fighters on its own.

At that time, Russia's economy was in decline, and arms sales became a lifeline. In 2000, they introduced the Su-30MKK, starting with 76 aircraft, later adding more than a hundred. This multi-role fighter could attack in the air, on land, and at sea, significantly raising the tactical level of the Chinese Air Force.

Importing was not just buying ready-made goods; the AL-31F engine technology from Russia came to the rescue. Chinese teams studied and disassembled it, saving a lot of time and effort.

A report from the Royal United Services Institute in the UK pointed out that China clearly leads Russia in sensors, data links, weapons systems, and stealth technology, but is slightly behind in aviation engines.

Using the Su-27 family as an example, both countries rely on this old foundation, but China has made more changes.

The J-11 used composite materials on the basis of the Su-27, reducing weight and increasing thrust-to-weight ratio. The J-11D is equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar and an electronic warfare system, with more weapon mounts. According to a British think tank, this model is even stronger than Russia's top Su-35.

The J-16 evolved from the Su-30MKK, entering service in 2015. It features a dual-seat glass cockpit, full digital fire control, and domestic precision-guided munitions, along with the YJ-III electro-optical targeting pod, similar to Lockheed Martin's Sniper pod. It is expected to replace the Su-30MKK and MK2 within 10 years, becoming the strongest multi-role attack aircraft for the Chinese Air Force and Navy Aviation.

Russia's Su-30SM and Su-35S are updated slowly due to industrial and budget constraints, making it hard for them to catch up.

In terms of missiles, the PL-15 medium-range air-to-air missile has a long range and strong anti-jamming radar guidance head. A British report stated that its performance surpasses Russian counterparts and even matches the US AIM-120. The PL-10 short-range missile has an infrared imaging seeker with good maneuverability. Russia's R-73 technology provided a foundation, but now the Chinese version is lighter and can carry more.

Russian media lament that China learned the maneuverable layout from the Su-27, with stable canards and less vibration during supersonic cruise. Their own Su-27s are aging and costly to maintain.

In stealth fighters, the J-20 is the second large-scale produced fifth-generation fighter. It made its first flight in 2011 and entered mass production in 2017, with plans to produce hundreds of units. After deployment, it became a threat to Western aerial superiority.

Russia's Su-57 has excellent maneuverability and speed, but its stealth design is almost zero, not deployed in the frontline, and production is slow. The J-20 is wrapped in composite materials, with high stealth capability. Although Russian coating technology helped initially, China now has high radar resolution and advanced electronic warfare interference. Russian experts privately muttered that China's missile and sensor technologies will match theirs within 10 years.

In terms of quantity, according to statistics in 2020, China has 3,260 operational aircraft, including 1,571 fighters. This exceeds Russia's total of 4,143 aircraft, although Russia has 1,531 fighters. China ranks second globally.

Russia has more helicopters, while China's Army Aviation shares the burden. In the 2024 Global Firepower ranking, part of the Chinese Air Force rose to fourth. Although American data is reluctant, the scale of the J-20 has already surpassed Japan's F-35. Russia's air force has shrunk, with over 700 advanced frontline aircraft, compared to over 1,700 in China. Strategic bombers, the H-6K/N in China match large munitions, with deterrence comparable to Russia's Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3.

In transport and refueling, China's Y-20 has accelerated mass production, with the WS-20 engine capable of carrying 66 tons. It will be mass-produced by the end of 2024, and the refueling version Y-20 with four units has appeared at Xifei. Russia's Il-78 is outdated and limited in number.

China has progressed from backwardness to parity, with the early technological integration from Russia playing a significant role. The J-10 family is flexible, surpassing the MiG-29/35. The J-31 may become a dark horse in the international market. The GJ-11 Lijian, a supersonic stealth drone, keeps information tightly controlled.

Russian media is not satisfied, saying the Su-57 platform is good, with strong maneuverability despite weak stealth, and even stepping on the J-35, calling it just a runner-up. But the facts speak for themselves. At the 2024 Zhuhai Air Show, Russian representatives surrounded the J-20 taking photos, unable to grasp technical details. The Chinese Air Force has transitioned from local air defense to offensive operations, with the Su-30 in the 1990s helping a lot, but now it is independent.

Russian experts said that the Chinese Air Force's unmanned electronic warfare is strong, and will match the US within 10 years, and be on par with the US within 25 years.

The rise of the Chinese Air Force is steady. Russia's help was the skeleton, but now the flesh has grown, and it flies higher.

References

Cracking cutting-edge technology, new models entering in batches, China Air Force strategic transformation "changing feathers and flying high", Guangming Net

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