China deploys Su-35 to operate in the East Sea
The most modern Russian-made Su-35 fighters have been deployed by the Chinese Air Force to patrol the East Sea.
|
Russian-made Su-35 fighter jet. Photo: Sputnik |
The Chinese Air Force has just dispatched a number of Su-35 fighter jets to the East Sea area to carry out a joint combat patrol mission.XinhuaFebruary 7 news.
The country's air force said this was part of an effort to "train close to real combat" to enhance the force's combat capabilities in the maritime environment at long distances.
However, expert Harry J. Kazianis ofNational InterestChina's deployment of Su-35s to the East Sea could be a move to control the airspace in this region, especially since Beijing has illegally built artificial islands there.
China signed a contract to buy 24 Su-35 fighters from Russia in late 2015 and received the first two shipments by the end of last year.
The Su-35 is a 4++ generation single-seat fighter, an upgraded version of the Su-27 multi-role fighter. The Su-35 has a maximum take-off weight of 34.5 tons, a maximum speed of 2,390 km/h, a range of 3,600 km, and can reach 4,500 km when flying on patrol with an auxiliary fuel tank.
"It's a very dangerous aircraft, especially if they produce large numbers," said a senior US military official. "I think even the F-15 Eagle or F/A-18E/F Super Hornet would have trouble dealing with it."
