Russian Kommersant online daily newspaper revealed that Russian state-run weapon exporter Rosoboronexport is completing negotiations with China to deliver up to 50 Sukhoi Su-33 (NATO codename: Flanker-D) fighter aircraft in a purchase deal reportedly worth US$2.5 billion in total. Should the deal goes through, it would be the second biggest export contract for Russian-made weapons.
Although Rosoboronexport refused to comment on the purchase because of its confidential agreement on military cooperation, it is understood that China will initial acquire two Su-33 fighters worth US$100 million for trial and evaluations. These fighters will be constructed by Komsomolsk-on-Amur Production Association and are scheduled to be delivered in 2007~08.
The initial two fighters will be tested on land airfield first and then on an aircraft carrier. China’s Dalian Shipyard is currently refitting the ex-Soviet Navy aircraft carrier Varyag which China acquired from Ukraine in 1999. The ship has been stationed there since 2002 and was painted in the PLA Navy grey in 2005.
In addition to the first batch of two fighters, the agreed option provides for delivery of an additional 12 Su-33 fighters and the consignment may eventually widen to 48, bringing the total cost to a sheer US$2.5 billion.
The PLA Navy is known to have been seeking an aircraft carrier for many years, and is expected to have one fully operational carrier by 2010. The carrier may initially be equipped with foreign-made fighters, but China is believed to be developing its own carrier-based fighter aircraft using Russian technology.
The single-seat, twin-engine Su-33 is the naval variant of the famous Su-27 Flanker fighter aircraft. Originally known as Su-27K, the fighter was developed in the early 1980s for operating from the Soviet navy’s aircraft carriers. The major difference from the Su-27 is that the Su-33 is fitted with an additional pair of canards as well as folding wings for carrier operations.
China currently operates two variants of the Su-27 fighter family in its air force and navy: the Su-27SK/UBK fighter and the Su-30MKK fighter-bomber. Should this deal finally comes true, the Su-33 would become the third variant of the family to be serving with the Chinese armed force.

http://www.sinodefence.com/news/2006/news06-10-24.asp

I can't find any groundbreaking tech news.
So,I post this.
From this source,one Su-33 prices about 50mil$.
But from my view,Su-27 series have high-spec and　 ephemera　but still expensive engine.
So I doubt Su-33 is as cheap as russian insists.

The Chi-coms want a blue water navy to fight the USA when they take Taiwan.

Man, does any one think the Chinese will copy it?

5.56, please, with all due respect, watch what you say, what do you think the Chinese members among us would think?

Any way, I will miss the days when the Flanker series was a Russian only model family. And I do belive that the export contract may be a sign that new models are the way to replace the more and more common Su 30.

What I am saying is , as Russia starts to allow the older models to be sold, they are making new state of the art ones to replace them. I sure hope that nobody here has made the mistake to belive that in a new world of Eurofighters, J 10s, and Raptors, that Russia would hope that it will never need to go into warfare with a Air Force sporting 4th Generation fighters and attackers.

The Cold War is over, and I am sure they know that.
http://www.airforce.ru/photogallery/...-33_2_01_l.jpg

Originally Posted by 5.56X45mm

The Chi-coms want a ble water navy to fight the USA when they take Taiwan.

Lol old news, my friend.

I just hope there's an American think tank somewhere thinking up scenarios and the military secretly using its budget to counter this threat.

Man, does any one think the Chinese will copy it?

What they can do is to locally produce it under a licensing agreement with Sukhoi, but they can't copy it. Many of the kits they used to produce the J-11 AKA Su-27SK are made from kits and parts purchased from Russia because China lacks a company that can manufacture high-end machinery for producing cutting edge military aircraft. The reasons behind this problem is because their manufacturers lack the proper budget or investments in the past. Its not only this specific industry that was in ruins during the Cold War, it is also related to the other industries as well. And secondly the political instability and a stagnant economy during Mao's era have either halted China's technological progress or propeled it backwards. And this is just 20-40 years ago we're talking about.

Basically the aviation industry in China is fairly new and have made a jump start already as they just displayed some of latest their Military Aircraft, guided munitions, Missile Systems, aerospace products, future concepts, etc. at the Zhuhai Airshow 2006. If you look back of what they have produced during the past, I must admit the Chinese have made an enormous leap.

Here is some photos of Su-27 from the Russian Knights team performing at the Airshow.




Russian Air Force "Knights" Aerobatic Team stage an aerobatic stunt to mark the end of the sixth Airshow China in Zhuhai Sunday, November 5, 2006.

I love the Russian Knights, as well as team Strizhi, but, there is a BIG difference between what the Knights do, and what the Russian Air Ministry is planning to do with the Su 27s conter part, the Su 33D.

Here is some more pics,

Su 33s in the Russian Navy,







And here is its close cousin in the FLanker Family, the Russian Air Force version of the Su 33, the Su 35, you can see the resembalnce, that just goes to prove the Flanker series's adaptablility.

Originally Posted by CABAL

Basically the aviation industry in China is fairly new and have made a jump start already as they just displayed some of latest their Military Aircraft, guided munitions, Missile Systems, aerospace products, future concepts, etc. at the Zhuhai Airshow 2006. If you look back of what they have produced during the past, I must admit the Chinese have made an enormous leap.

*cough* stolen technology *cough*

Originally Posted by ASTRALdragon

*cough* stolen technology *cough*

Stolen?Net,bought!
Anyway,ch decided to buy ka-31　rader picket heli, too.
Ideally speaking,hawkeye is the best.
But,they have no choice for AEW.

Russia needs the profits I suppose...

Originally Posted by sandy

http://www.sinodefence.com/news/2006/news06-10-24.asp

I can't find any groundbreaking tech news.
So,I post this.
From this source,one Su-33 prices about 50mil$.
But from my view,Su-27 series have high-spec and　 ephemera　but still expensive engine.
So I doubt Su-33 is as cheap as russian insists.

Please, do not forget, Sandy, that Russian Air Defense industry is pretty much owned by the state. The Russian state is flushed with the oil profits right now and they don't really need to get a profit from the weapons' deals, if they see some long term interests in cooperation with China...

It is completeley different story, that many people in Russia are concerned that the easiest target for the Chinese expansion would be not Taiwan nor USA, but Russia herself.

The sad jokes about the "calmness on the Chinese - Finnish border" are common....