Beijing purchases Su-35 for rearward-firing missile

China has decided to purchase Su-35 fighter from Russia because it is able to launch rearward-firing missiles, according to senior colonel Wu Guohui, an associate professor at Beijing's National Defense University.

The Russia-designed R-73M2, R-74ME missiles, US-designed by AIM-9X and the China-designed PL-10 all have the capability of being launched against enemy aircraft from the back of the aircraft, according to the Party-run People's Daily. The missile has a "nose cone" over the rocket engine and modified fins to prevent instability problems while briefly flying backwards after launch.

The birth of rearward-firing missiles has changed the concept of aerial warfare, according to Wu. In regular air-to-air combat, a fighter must shoot down its enemy from behind. With rearward-firing missiles and a a rearview display mounted on the helmet of the pilot, fighter pilots in the future can attack their target from the front. 

China has no proper fighter yet capable of launching such a missile during actual combat. The Su-35 will be incorporated into the PLA Air Force to help pilots and the aviation industry get a feel for the new mode of combat. In the future, China will be able to make its own modifications from the Su-35 model.

Russia to offer fighter sales and development to Brazil

Russia is to offer Brazil joint development of the Sukhoi T-50 (PAK-FA) fifth-generation fighter in a bid to secure an order for its Su-35S 'Flanker-E' combat aircraft, Russian media disclosed on 14 October.

 

A military delegation is expected to make the offer when it visits the South American country in the coming days, according to RIA Novosti .

 

"During the talks in Brazil, we are ready to offer deliveries of ready-for-sale advanced aircraft like the Su-35, but also joint development of a next-generation [combat] aircraft of the T-50 type," the publication quoted a delegation source as saying.

 

The Brazilian Air Force's (Força Aérea Brasileira - FAB) is in the middle of its F-X2 fighter competition to find a replacement for its ageing Dassault Mirage 2000 aircraft. Along with the Eurofighter Typhoon and Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, the Sukhoi Su-35 has already been axed from the proceedings, leaving the Saab JAS 39 Gripen E, Dassault Rafale, and Boeing FA-18E/F Super Hornet to battle it out for the 36-jet tender.

 

Although the Brazilian government has delayed its announcement of a winning platform until after the 2014 general election, it has made it clear that it will not be reopening the competition to admit new offerings. As such, any Russian bid would need to be outside the scope of the F-X2 programme.

 

Brazil's National Defence Strategy (NDS) approved in 2008 is inextricably tied to the National Strategy of Development (NSD), and development of the country's indigenous aerospace industry is as important to the government as fielding a new fighter aircraft. "If we want to have a strong defence strategy, it has to be with a strong development strategy to strengthen our defence industrial base.

 

The focus is national technological independence," General Aprígio Eduardo de Moura Azevedo, FAB Chief of Staff, said during the IQPC International Fighter conference in late 2012.

 

While the Su-35S is a highly capable 4+ Generation platform that employs fifth-generation systems such as the NIIP Irbis-E passive electronically scanned array (PESA) radar, any Brazilian interest in the Russian proposals will likely hinge on the co-development work being offered on the PAK-FA.

 

India is already onboard with the Russian programme, which it designates the Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), or Future Prospective Fighter (FPF), and with the project in its prototype stage, there is still plenty of scope for Russia to offer development opportunities to Brazil.

 

Sukhoi displays Superjet 100, Su-35 and Su-32 at the air show in China

Sukhoi Company will present its combat aircraft — Su-35 multifunctional fighter and Su-32 (Su-34 export version) at the Airshow China-2012 international exhibition that opens on November 13 in the Chinese city of Zhuhai. Specialists and visitors of the exhibition will be able to learn the specifications and combat capabilities of the aircraft at the corporate stand of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) in the Russian exposition.

The civic project of Sukhoi — the Sukhoi Superjet 100 medium-range airliner will be presented at the air show for the fist time. The aircraft will be displayed in Yakutia Airlines livery on a static display for the general public and representatives of the regional airlines.

Cooperation with China in the field of military aviation develops successfully. The implementation of the program of Su-type licensed aircraft production is going on, as well as the delivery of spare parts for previously delivered aircraft. The framework established on the basis of long-term cooperation provides for the transition in the near future to a new level of cooperation on major projects.