What you say makes complete sense from a chinese perspective. J8s are in service and china is inducting new fghters as fast as it can. So no point hastily retiring the sevring j8s.

My post was more from Bangladesh perspective, who dont currently operate j8s.

YES, … and here I agree completely with You. But I think there was never a discussion about purchasing J-8s from Bangladesh ?

Deino

For 10 points, what is this C O C K carrying?

Any info how recent this image is ?

Sorry, but is there a certain reason to restart four already-dead treads again ???

But the fact that China will buy Su-35, you can not deny this

NO … it is not a fact but only a rumor reported so often that by now really no-one with a bit of understanding believes it. However it is a nice report that first of all constantly brings the Su-35 back to the news and second it gives a few (esp. in the US) the feeling that the Chinese are still buying Russian high end fighters and that is a huuuuuge danger for the free world !

Deino

I assume then you think China either will not buy the 25 SU-35s or it has another reason for buying them?

To admit the problem is not if they are probably buying 24 or nothing, the point is why do these reports, that all re-pop old reports some from years so often ?? By the way – and esp. with the J-11D now flying the Su-35 deal if it ever goes thru has then surely more economical or political reasons than an urgent need from the PLAAF. IMO it is indeed ONLY the possible access to the 117S.

Anyway IMO there are simply two reasons:

1. The Russians are desperately marketing that bird and since that deal with China – regardless how likely (see above) – seems to be in limbo right now. As such a constant flow of news in the news is at least a bit of news !

2. There is a certain political interest in the US to keep that topic open: ohhh the PLAAF buys Russia’s latest Flanker, version, the PLAAF is still expanding, the PLA is aggressively operating in the ECS and SCS, but they still have technical issues with their engines … a new and even stronger Sino-Russian alliance … OHHHHHH, that all can explain and justify the own military spending and decisions in the Pacific region.

Content wise it simply cooks up something from old and long corrected issues: Just take a look …

…
Despite the evident maturity of the J-11D program, the Chinese military nevertheless appears to also be going ahead with plans to purchase Russian Su-35 Flankers. The Su-35 is far more maneuverable than the J-11 – which gives the Russian jet an advantage in short-range dogfights – can fly longer distances, and can take off and land with a larger payload. It is also equipped with new avionics and new cockpit displays. However, its radar is a less advanced passive electronically scanned array (PESA) than the AESA system on the J-11D. Moreover, the aircraft and its systems will be manufactured abroad. The Chinese government views its indigenous defense industry as a strategic asset; purchasing more planes from Russia will not help advance Beijing’s goal of developing a mature, self-reliant aerospace industry. Given the apparent redundancy of moving forward with two very similar aircraft programs, some analysts speculate that the PLAAF’s primary motivation for buying the Su-35 may not be for its value as a weapons system but rather because it is equipped with advanced AL-117S turbofans.

So, why adding a PESA-equipped fighter into its arsenal, why an own – and therefore cheaper – AESA-equipped version is nearly ready ? At best a politically motivated deal. … or as mentioned, its the 117S engine.

… Although many of the engine’s initial teething problems have apparently been overcome, Jane’s reported last September that the WS-10 still suffers from so many faults that the “number [of engines] sent back to the…plant exceeds the amount of new production units.” ….

Exactly … and that’s the reason why – besides the current first block J-15s – we have not seen ANY AL-31F-powered Flanker off SAC’s production line since years.

For the PLAAF, purchasing the Su-35 is a win-win. They will not only get a highly capable new aircraft, they will also acquire get an engine that has the power to make their sophisticated new J-20 a world-class fighter.

Agreed, but then not only 24 aircraft ! … even more since the current 117S won’t fit on the J-20 without the same modifications by replacing the gearbox to the bottom as done with the AL-31FN for the J-10. And that would make a separate deal necessary.

Deino

…. T-50-5R should be back before 6-2.

…

Thanks for Your update again !
By the way is it correct that ‘055’ with using parts for its rebuild from ‘056’ (T-50-6-1) has progressed quite well so far (at least via my latest info) … as such making it some sort of ‘055.5’ !???

Deino