China Flanker Thread II

You know Dino, the two tone nose/body colors give the planes some character. Look at it as flags, symbols, and badges on the rest of the planes.

Nooooooo ... this thing is simply plain-ugly !!!

By the way imagine - and would highly welcome this - the PLAAF would expand this recent habit to add some sort of unit-badge like the 44. AD's Eagle head and now the 33. AD's stylish "33".

Deino said:

Could it be - at least I hope so !!! - that the PLAAF is getting rid of its strange two-tone Flanker-radomes ???

Here is at least one 33. Division J-11A featuring a radome in the same colour as the fuselage ....

View attachment 14119 View attachment 14120

... in comparison to the typical two-tone radome with that strange cut-out !

View attachment 14121

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How'd you tell the J-11As from the J-11Bs? I just assume every PLAAF Flanker I see is a J-11B since those are the most numerous.

No, there are currently seven PLAAF-units are flying this original version (Su-27SK, J-11 + J-11A ... however most modified to A-standard) while there are only four PLAAF units flying the B-model (noticeable on its black radome). The PLANAF also has three B-units.

Deino said:

No, there are currently seven PLAAF-units are flying this original version (Su-27SK, J-11 + J-11A ... however most modified to A-standard) while there are only four PLAAF units flying the B-model (noticeable on its black radome). The PLANAF also has three B-units.

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Oh, I don't really know about the units involved but the IISS Military Balance report for 2014 stated that the PLAAF had 110 J-11Bs while they only had 95 J-11As.

Deino said:

Could it be - at least I hope so !!! - that the PLAAF is getting rid of its strange two-tone Flanker-radomes ???

Here is at least one 33. Division J-11A featuring a radome in the same colour as the fuselage ....

View attachment 14119 View attachment 14120

... in comparison to the typical two-tone radome with that strange cut-out !

View attachment 14121

Click to expand...

AESA Upgrade? Like this?


"J-11 [doesn't specify A or B version] airplane Active Electronically Scanned Fire-Control Radar"

Deino said:

Could it be - at least I hope so !!! - that the PLAAF is getting rid of its strange two-tone Flanker-radomes ???

Here is at least one 33. Division J-11A featuring a radome in the same colour as the fuselage ....

View attachment 14119 View attachment 14120

... in comparison to the typical two-tone radome with that strange cut-out !

View attachment 14121

Click to expand...

Those J-11As are those of the elite unit that supposedly won the Golden Helmet competition.

I've noticed that, despite all the years since the induction of the J-11B, many military bloggers/writers and forum patrons cannot distinguish the various Flanker variants in the PLAAF/PLANAF. Hence, I've listed the most salient trait by which one could distinguish them.

J-11A: two-tone radome
Su-27UBK: twin-seat w/ two-tone radome
Su-30MKK: twin-seat with two-tone radome with flat-topped vertical stabilizer
Su-30MK2: twin-seat with white radome and flat-topped vertical stabilizer
J-11B: solid black radome
J-11BS: twin-seat solid black radome
J-11BH: white paint with solid black radome
J-11BSH: twin-seat with white paint and solid black radome
J-15: grey radome + canards
J-15S: twin-seat with grey radome and canards
J-16: twin-seat with solid grey radome
J-11D: solid grey radome w/o canards

jkliz said:

Oh, I don't really know about the units involved but the IISS Military Balance report for 2014 stated that the PLAAF had 110 J-11Bs while they only had 95 J-11As.

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that 95 is SU-27SK, they are the first SU-27 series in China, they were assembled in China from 100% kits from Russia.
J-11A is indigenous (reverse engineered with some improvements) with AL-31 series engine ... 80% indigenous

J-10B is 100% indigenous with WS-10A engines and is vastly improved than J-11A

antiterror13 said:

that 95 is SU-27SK, they are the first SU-27 series in China, they were assembled in China from 100% kits from Russia.
J-11A is indigenous (reverse engineered with some improvements) with AL-31 series engine ... 80% indigenous

J-10B is 100% indigenous with WS-10A engines and is vastly improved than J-11A

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You mean J-11B. Plus weren't there only 75 SU-27SKs? Don't get me wrong, Im not trying to sound smarter than anyone else in the thread. Its just these are the numbers I got from my source( the IISS).