To admit I don't think so ... a special version would have the denoting letter in front of the number similar to the HU tanker, the HD EW-bombers and so on. Not sure where this rumor came from, but IMO this version is most likely an MLU project.
Anyway ... let's show us that type ...
Deino
I think we are caring too much about the designation.
Personally I don't think J-11D is the real designation, but I do think that such a variant is likely under development. However, there is no reason why such a variant needs to have a denoting letter before the number rather than after. All the Y-8 special mission variants have letters after the number (Y-8W, Y-8FQ, Y-8XZ), as do variants of helicopters like Z-9C, Z-18F, etc. Not to mention J-11A, J-11B, J-10A, J-10B. So I think it is just as likely for an EW variant of the J-11 will be similarly designated as another separate variant. Or maybe an EW variant will have a completely new numerical designation like J-17 or something, similar to how J-15 and J-16 have their own designations. They're all equally likely imo
I also see no reason why a MLU'd J-11B with AESA will need a new designation either.
