The mainland once spent a lot of money to import Su-35 fighters, but I didn't expect that in just a few years, they would be replaced with new fighters, and the imported fighters lost their important role, so was the cost worth it?
China's aviation research and development capabilities, rapid progress, so that many countries are surprised, especially the West is shocked, China has created a domestic aviation development equipment in just a few decades, can independently develop various types of fighters, to achieve localization and rapid mass production, the fifth generation fighter J-20 so that the United States five generation fighters have to deal with it carefully.
The J-35 fighter has developed several versions, and the combat power is not a problem, the air police 600 early warning aircraft, helicopters, Y-20 transport aircraft, etc., various models emerge in an endless stream, in terms of China's R&D strength performance, China's aviation industry is progressing rapidly, and the comprehensive strength is strong.
Previously, when there was no independent research and development and mass production of fighters, the mainland imported fighters, including Russia's Su-35 fighters, Su-35 fighters belong to the fourth generation and a half of technology-built fighters, purchased from Russia, a total of 24 Su-35 fighters, the unit price of each fighter is as high as 100 million US dollars, this price is actually not low.
Because the cost of the mainland's J-20 fighter is almost equivalent to this price, if you want to compare it with the J-35, there is a big difference, not only there is an intergenerational gap, but also a comparison of combat strength, the Su-35 was officially delivered to the mainland air force, and the service time is April 2018, and it has only been in service for 6 years so far.
The Su-35 fighter has a length of 22 meters, a weight of 34.5 tons, a 117S turbofan engine installed, a maximum flight speed of Mach 2.3, a cruising range of 4,000 kilometers, a fast flight speed in the air, a very sensitive response, and an advanced reconnaissance radar system installed, and a comprehensive response capability that is not weak.
According to these parameters, it can be seen that the Su-35 has long-range combat strike capabilities, and can also be capable of attacking targets such as air, ground, and sea.
From this point of view, the mainland's decision to import this fighter is still worthwhile, and it can be studied and understood in more detail from the structure and performance of the Russian-made fighter, and to a certain extent, it can promote its own aviation industry and achieve better research and development and upgrading.
Although the Su-35 comprehensive combat strength is strong, it has only been in service for about five years, and the mainland's J-35 fifth-generation fighter will successfully test its first flight in 2023. It is also the second country in the world that can independently develop and design and build two fifth-generation fighters.
The first folding wing version of the J-35 is a carrier-based aircraft specially designed for the mainland's new aircraft carrier Fujian, this fighter weighs 35 tons, has a bomb load of 8 tons, and its combat strength is fierce and fast, and it is an advanced fighter developed by the mainland that can be used for a variety of combat purposes.
The flight speed of the J-35 has reached Mach 2.2, and the installed domestic turbofan 19 engine has strong power, because of the outstanding stealth ability, the radar reflection cross section is only 10 cm, and the enemy's radar can read the information, it will be identified as other aerial birds, and it is difficult to find the traces of the J-35 in time.
Then the imported Su-35 fighter and the mainland's J-35 have their own different advantages, of course, comprehensive comparison, J-35 is a more powerful fifth-generation fighter, in the design concept and application of the structure, the materials used, etc., have a leading performance.
The Su-35 fighter was originally imported and assembled in the South China Sea for defense and duty, and with the good performance of the Su-35 judged at the time, this fighter was originally to be in service for at least ten years, and it will still maintain a relatively leading technological advantage.
However, with the development of science and technology and the increase in the pressure of peripheral defense, the mainland's air force will still feel insufficient when using the comprehensive combat strength of the Su-35 fighter. Therefore, so far, the Su-35, which was imported as the main fighter at that time, has become an auxiliary fighter in the fighter array continuously launched by the mainland's new technology.
This is not because the Su-35 technology is backward, but because the research and development capabilities of Continental Aviation are too strong. The comprehensive level of fighters built has been continuously pushed to new heights.
Under such circumstances, the number of fighter planes on the mainland has also increased, the total number of fighter planes has also increased, and the overall combat strength has been significantly enhanced.
At present, the mainland's J-35 fighter is waiting for mass production, and then there will be a plan for batch delivery and deployment, after the launch of the new fighter, the original some models, will also carry out moderate task adjustments, each responsible for a more reasonable duty area, comprehensive defense and deployment, these are more even arrangements, but also a part of the long-term plan for the development of the mainland fighter.
Although there is no more information about the Su-35's service, judging from some previous Su-35 combat cruise missions in the far sea of the Navy, this fighter is still active in the South China Sea region of the mainland, assisting other carrier-based aircraft on the mainland to perform more defensive missions.