By: D.K Choudhary
Russia Delivers 4 Sukhoi Su-35 Fighter Jets to China after Two-Year Delay
i. Russia finally delivered 4 Sukhoi Su-35 Fighter Jets to China on December 25, 2016, after a delay of two years. The Su-35 is an advanced version of the Su-30s operated by the Indian Airforce.
ii. Moscow cited the reason for delay to the fear that its fifth generation jet will lose value in Chinese Market once Chinese military commissioned its J-20 stealth fighter. However Russia did not change its stance on the export of the Su-35 until the J-20 fighter was unveiled.
iii. While China has made advances in manufacturing of new type of fighter jets, it is still dependent on Russia for engines as well as avionics. Russia has been selling some of its advanced weaponry to China in recent years to overcome economic crisis.
