You make it sound like everything is dependent on the Y-8s. It’s not. You can do OTH by bouncing radar off the ionosphere, or recieving likewise signals from an enemy ship doing the same thing. Y-8s are not the only spotters. Helicopters like the Z-9 and the Ka-28 can do it. Planes like the Su-30MK2, JH-7A, and even the J-8D might even be able to do it. A 700mm radar with sea search capability like a Zhuk—the kind that can fit inside a J-8II—can detect a destroyer sized target as far as 300km away.

The YJ-83 ASMs used standard in Chinese ships nowadays is confirmed to have datalinks on them, so they are getting their updates from somewhere, somehow.

Zhuk radar’s 300 km range is against destroyer/sovremenny sized targets. As for Z-9 dont have any data on the radar but doubt its any capable. as for Ka-28 its radar has a decent detection range: around 60 km. The kamov is offering sea dragon to replace the radar on it, IN reportedly was deciding between that and an indigenous option fyi. Anyway all those platforms apart from ka-28 and maybe z-9 dont have capability to transmit the data to the surface vessels.

As for YJ-83/Moskit light bulk datalink its not anything new otomat mk 2 features such a datalink, it looks simple on paper but rather complicated to implement it in reality. Requires an airborne platform to be constantly detect the hostile vessel while the missile is on flight, making those platforms quite venerable to ship launched SAM (russians had dozens of ka-25/28s to throw at an enemy fleet same cannot be said about PLAN which operates less than 8). Also the link can be jammed and light bulb itself according to janes can support only missile in flight at a time.

Having an airborne early warning platorm with a range of up to 3,000km and perhaps more with both inflight refuelling and the potential for underwing fuel tanks to sell would be an excellent investment. I would imagine the Chinese and Indians and even other countries like Iran would appreciate a smaller cheaper gap filler for their air defence networks. It would be a very useful land based aircraft.

without refueling i doubt KUB can takeoff with that much fuel of Kuznetsov and KUB based aew is out of question for gorshkov since its incapable of handling something that heavy. Best option is to fit mig-29Kub with something like bars and utlize it for reconnasiance i believe thats what will end up happening.
It is intresting to note that russian navy is quite intrested in deploying mig-29k for their next generation carrier than the su-33.

actually mig-29k and Kub have buddy to buddy refueling capability and can be used as tankers. Its expected KUB may also serve that purpose when deployed on gorshkov.

It is not buy agreement. It includes TOT, and building infrastructure for building them locally and PN want to spare money for enhancing them with western systems. so it is more complex project.

it hasnt been decided how many will be built locally if any at all but first 4 f-22p will be built in china.

GarryB

Without the heavy AEW or transport or strike aircraft the Kuznetsov doesn’t really need catapaults. The Flankers can already take off at their max weights anyway. The only difference would be the Su-33KUB could take off at 5.5 tons heavier at about 38,500kg instead of the 33,000 kg it and the standard unmodified Su-33 are limited. Considering that no Su-33KUBs are in service a steam catapault makes no sense.

were did u read flankers can take off with max weight with ski jump, every link i have read has said Su-27K can barely takeoff with NTOW from KUZNETSOV

I think Fow is trying to ask why the IN mturned down then hawkeye, and if that’s the case then the answer would have to be due to many political considerations:

1. The amount of political control the US want over how the IN use these planes.

2. The IN and US can’t agree over price.

3. Fitting Cats to then Gorshkov would bump up the price of it and the Russians would protest.

4. The IN already had the Ka-31 in service.

nope main reason it was turned down was because of poor endurance E-2C will have when launched from stobar or so i have heard.

So the PLAN Y-8 MPA is useless then…? The AWACS program is useless?

How is MPA and AWACS program gonna assist in naval oth targetting? for starters i dont recall Y-8 or A-50 having any such datalink capability to transmit the data it can gather and besides it operates only 3 MPA how can they provide 24 hr coverage. As for awacs its bit early to talk about things in devolopment, not to mention i dont think PLAAF can afford to spare AWACS for Maritime purpose to help out PLAN.

PLAN lacks maritime reconnaissance capability it operates only handful of airborne platforms (Y-8s) which can assist in that even when it comes to naval helicopter it doesnt have much capability.

Udaloy has 2 sets of 4 8-round Khinzal launchers with Klinok SAM (12km range). So that’s 64 missiles, guided by 2 Cross Sword (Podkat) radar directors. Udaloy II has an additional 64 missiles (8km) as part of the 2 Kashtan/Kortik gun-missile CIWS fighting units she has (in stead of Udaloy’s 2×2 AK630 gun CIWS, which are guided by 2 Bass Tilt directors).

the ak-130 deployed by both vessel are quite capable when it comes AAW, they were designed primarily for the purpose. Have a rof around 84 with 130 mm projectile.