Zhuhai interview of SU-27 chief designer

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 05-11-02 AT 02:37 PM (GMT)]
http://military.china.com/zh_cn/important/64/20021105/11357795.html

According to the interview, just to summarize things a bit,

1. Russian fifth generation project will not have an RCS greater than 0.01meter. It will equip with two engines.

2. Says SU-30MKK is better than SU-30MKI because some development aspects of the SU-30MKI remains uncompleted and that MKI has not attained its design performance target. (One chinese poster are saying this is marketing BS; Sukhoi will say anything to the right people in the right place.) SU-30MKI development still in progress.

3. Reveals a new type, the SU-30MKK2. (Is this the third order plane?)

4. Reveals that the SU-37 has never been dismantled nor its TVC engine removed. The plane still EXISTS with TVC.

5. Reveals that the SU-30KN is not successful. Says that it is being done by the factory (IAPO) independently from Sukhoi.

another part of the interview here, this time with Sukhoi VP and general manager:

http://military.china.com/zh_cn/news/568/20021105/11357924.html

1. Will invite India and China to do future fighter development work.

2. 7 years to develop fifth generation fighter.

3. Asked about maintainance issues with the Chinese SU-27s, he says every airforce will have problems with new aircraft at the initial period, and must work together with the manufacturer to solve these problems. He hopes Chinese Air Force will agree to the assesement that Sukhoi provides strong post sales support, and further consultation has had good progress.

4. Says that the Chinese air force is able to grasp the full performance of the SU-27. Each plane shows frequent flight times, although most of the flight times were not long.