J-11
A J-11 flying over Anshan Airfield, China.
Role	Multirole Air Superiority Fighter
Manufacturer	Shenyang Aircraft Corporation
Designed by	Shenyang Aircraft Corporation
First flight	1998
Introduced	1998
Status	Active service
Primary user	People's Liberation Army Air Force
Produced	1998-Present
Number built	120-130
Developed from	Sukhoi Su-27SK

The Shenyang J-11 (JianJi-11) is a 4th-generation fighter in the People's Liberation Army Air Force (4.5 generation or advanced 4th generation for J-11B versions)^[1]. The base J-11 is a licensed produced Russian Sukhoi Su-27 SK air-superiority fighter built by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), with a contract of 200 being issued in 1995 contract. ^[2]

Contents 1 History 1.1 Abandoned J-11 1.2 New J-11 2 Deployment 3 Design 4 Modernization 5 Variants 5.1 J-11 5.2 J-11A 5.3 J-11B 5.4 J-11BS 5.5 Su-27SK Upgrade 6 Operators 7 Specifications (J-11/A) 8 References 9 See also

[edit] History

[edit] Abandoned J-11

In the 1970s, Shenyang Aircraft Factory proposed to design a light fighter powered by the British Rolls-Royce Spey 512 engine, but otherwise similar to the MiG-19 then in service. Known as the J-11, the project was abandoned due to difficulty in obtaining the engines.^[3]

[edit] New J-11

The new J-11 is a Chinese version of the Sukhoi Su-27SK air superiority fighter. Sukhoi originally provided kits to Shenyang Aircraft Corporation upon an agreement in 1995, but over time there were to be increasing Chinese content in the aircraft, with up to 70% of all Su-27 ordered by the PLAAF to be Chinese-made. It has been reported that Sukhoi agreed to an upgrade program, allegedly in 2001, with improved radar and attack avionics. However, in 2004, Russian media reported that Shenyang co-production of the basic J-11 was stopped after around 100 examples were built. The PLAAF later revealed a mock-up of an upgraded multirole version of the J-11 in mid-2002. It was equipped with Chinese anti-ship and PL-12 air-to-air missiles presumably for the role of a maritime strike aircraft. The reason which lead to the sudden stop in the production line of the J-11 was the obsolete avionics and radar, which were structured for aerial missions. This was an issue in which the PLAAF evaluated after the first 100 J-11 were built, in that it lacked any true precision-strike capabilities, only being able to deliver unguided freefall bombs. With a contract of an initial 200 J-11 allowed to be produced in Shenyang under the Chinese-Russian contract made in the 90's, the PLAAF decided to modernize the J-11 with domestic radar, avionic suites, manufacture methods and material upgrades to extend the life of the aircraft in service. Reports and interviews points out that the upgraded and overhauled standard J-11, the J-11B is similar in capabilities and performance to the American F-15E and Russian export flanker Su-30MKK3. ^[4]

[edit] Deployment

Currently, the PLAAF has seven divisions equipped with J-11, listed below^[5]

• PLAAF 1st Air Division based in Anshan, Liaoning, equipped with the J-11
• PLAAF 2nd Air Division based in Suxi, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, equipped with the Su-27SK, Su-27UBK, and J-11
• PLAAF 6th Air Division based in Yinchuan, Ningxia, equipped with the J-11
• PLAAF 7th Air Division based in Zhangjiakou, Hebei, equipped with the J-11
• PLAAF 14th Air Division based in Zhangshu, Jiangxi, equipped with the J-11
• PLAAF 19th Air Division based in Zhengzhou, Henan, equipped with the Su-27SK, Su-27UBK, and J-11
• PLAAF 33rd Air Division based in Baishiyi, Jiulongpo District, Chongqing, equipped with the Su-27UBK

[edit] Design

The aircraft is a licensed co-production of the Russian Sukhoi Su-27SK. For more information on the design of the aircraft, see the Sukhoi Su-27 article.

[edit] Modernization

China intends to use domestic WS-10A engines to replace the Russian Saturn Lyulka AL-31F^[6]. The new WS-10A is reported to be an impressive 13,200 kg thrust turbofan^[7]. At the Zhuhai 2002 show a photo was released of a J-11 alleged to have been modified to test one WS-10A.^[8] However, according to Russian media, in November 2006, China has intentions to upgrade the current Su-27 fleet's engines and is planning to source the engines either from Saturn-Lyulka with their 117S engine, a development of the Lyulka AL-31F engine, which is planned to be the powerplant for Indian Su-30MKIs, or from Salyut, with their AL-31F-M1 engine, an improved variant of the AL-31F engine.^[9]

[edit] Variants

In 2002, Russian media reported that Shenyang Aircraft Corporation was looking into replacing Russian-made J-11/Su-27SK components with domestic, Chinese-made parts. Specifically, to replace the Russian-made NIIP N001 radar with a Chinese-made fire control radar based on the Type 147X/KLJ-X family, the AL-31F engine with WS-10A, and Russian R-77 AAM's with Chinese-made PL-9 and PL-12 AAM's. One J-11 was photographed with an AL-31F and a WS-10A engine installed for testing in 2002. However, it was not until 2007 when the Chinese government finally revealed information on the domestic J-11: the J-11 used to test WS-10 was designated as J-11WS, and it was when state television station CCTV-7 aired J-11B footages in mid-2007 when the existence of J-11 with domestic components was finally confirmed officially.

[edit] J-11

The Chinese-built, Chinese variant of the Su-27SK with 70% components made in China.

• Radar: the original N001 radar on Su-27SK purchased by China in the 1990s is replaced by its successor, N001V, which like N001, can also simultaneously track 10 targets. However, when engaging a target out of the 10 tracked, the original N001 radar would lose all of the rest 9 targets tracked, and must restart a new tracking process after the engagement. N001V radar on J-11 overcomes this shortcoming so that during the engagement, the rest 9 targets tracked would not be lost. The major internal structural difference between the two radars is that the original TS100 processor in the older N001 radar is replaced by a more capable TS101M processor in the newer N001V radar.

[edit] J-11A

J-11 with further radar and flight instrumentation upgrade, most notably with the adoption of EFIS in its avionics.

• Radar: The N001V radar on J-11 is replaced by its successor, N001VE, which has the same tracking capability like its predecessor. The radar improvement is that in comparison to the older N001V radar which is only capable of single target engagement, N001VE is capable of simultaneously engaging two of the ten targets tracked with semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles. The major internal structural difference between the two radars is that the original TS101M processor in the older N001V radar is replaced by a more capable BCVM-486-6 processor of the Baguet series processor in the newer N001VE radar.
• HMS: An improved domestic Chinese helmet mounted sights (HMS) first begun to appear on J-11A, which soon became standard on all versions of J-11, including retrofitting earlier J-11.
• EFIS: Most of the analogue dial indicators of the original Su-27SK are eliminated, replaced by four color MFDs, which are part of the overall EFIS system designed by China Aviation Industry Corporation I. There are three large MFDs that take most of the space of the flight instrumentation dashboard, with the MFD in the center is in a slightly lower position than the other two on the sides. A slightly smaller color MFD is located below the three MFDs, to the bottom right corner of the flight instrumentation dashboard.

[edit] J-11B

This is the advanced multirole version which uses more Chinese components, including radar, engine, and missiles. The chief program engineer for J-11B is Mr. Guo Dianman (郭殿满). China is interested in reducing its reliance on foreign technology for both cost reasons and a desire to improve its domestic research and design. It is reported that one regiment of J-11Bs are currently in service, but this seems to contradict with the latest information provided by the Chinese government: In May, 2007, the existence of J-11B was finally acknowledged by the Chinese government for the first time when the state-run Chinese TV stations first aired the report on J-11B in PLAAF service. However, the official Chinese report claims that there are only two squadrons of J-11Bs in service, instead of a regiment, which is consisted of three squadrons (as of end of 2007). According to the Chinese report, which is agreed by some western sources such as Jane's Information Group, the J-11B is superior to Su-27SK in the following areas:

• The wide adoption of composite material (mainly carbon fiber) for the surfaces, reducing the weight of the aircraft for more than 700 kg, while the life of the composite part is increased over 10,000 hours in comparison to the original part built from steel.
• Redesigned air inlets of engine intakes to reduce the radar cross section, this coupled with the adoption of composite material, and application of radar absorbent material has reduced the radar cross section (RCS) of 15 square meters of Su-27SK to just >3 square meters of J-11B. Carriage of external weapons will increase this greatly of course.
• Full air-to-surface / sea capability is added and J-11B is able to launch various precision guided air-to-surface and air-to-sea munitions.
• Certified to be equipped with WS-10 (will be upgraded to WS-10A in the future) turbofan engine, which is claimed to be cheaper to operate than AL-31F.
• Incorporation of on-board oxygen generating system (OBOGS): With the exception of Su-35 and Su-37, J-11B is the first of the Su-27 (Reverse Engineered) family to incorporate such technology. Due to the adoption of western style design features such as fully digitized computerized controls and solid state micro-electronics, Chinese claimed that the domestic OBOGS is superior than the analog system Russia offered to China.
• A Chinese multifunctional pulse-Doppler fire-control radar reportedly capable of tracking 6~8 targets and engaging 4 of them simultaneously.^[10]
• Fully digitized solid-state avionics have replaced the analogue set of the Su-27SK. In the mid-2007, the Chinese governmental television station CCTV-7 released news clips of Chinese pilots in the cockpits of J-11B, with the LCD of glass cockpit of J-11B clearly visible, despite that the official report itself only claimed replacing the original avionics with domestic Chinese fully digitized solid-state avionics, and nothing of EFIS or glass cockpit was mentioned. In comparison to the earlier EFIS on J-11A, the most obvious difference is that LCD MFDs on J-11B are aligned in a straight line, instead of the middle one being slightly lower. The arrangement, appearance and layout of MFDs and EFIS of J-11B are similar to the general design concept of the west.
• Missile Approach Warning System.

Though it has long been rumored that J-11B is aerial-refueling capable, it was impossible to determine if any aerial refueling probes have been added to the aircraft from the released official reports by the Chinese government. Professor Wang also revealed in the same interview that the J-11B entering series production would be equipped with domestic engines.

[edit] J-11BS

Tandem twin seater version of J-11B under development, reportedly as the Chinese version of Su-30MK2/3. It is rumored that the letter S stands for Shuangzuo, meaning twin seater in Chinese. The existence of J-11BS is officially acknowledged by the Chinese government in 2007, and a large model of J-11BS was revealed public on June 9, 2007 during the opening ceremony of the new aerospace museum of the Harbin Institute of Technology at the 20-year anniversary of the establishment of its school of astronautics, where it is displayed.

[edit] Su-27SK Upgrade

Both the SUV-VEP air-to-air subsystem and the SUV-P air-to-surface subsystems of the Sukhoi Su-30MKK fire control system were adopted to upgrade the single seat Su-27SK in Chinese inventory, and a joint team of Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Design (NIIP) and State Instrumentation Plant at Ryazan was named as the primary contractor to provide the Chinese with the upgraded avionics package. The modified SUV-VEP subsystem adopted to upgrade Chinese Su-27SK was designated as SUV-VE, while the modified SUV-P subsystem adopted to upgrade Chinese Su-27SK was designated as SUV-PE. The original analog dial indicator on flight dashboard of Su-27SK were replaced by two 6 in x 6 in MFI-10-6M and a MFIP-6 LCD MFDs. According to Russian claim at the 6th Zhuhai Airshow, over 60 Chinese Su-27SK have been upgraded by the end of 2006.

The radar was also upgraded, but such upgrade is not part of the deal signed with Russian contractors. Instead, the radar upgrade was indigenously carried out by Chinese themselves in increments, but no official information on the exact type of radar has been released by the Chinese authorities yet (as of 2008), and thus the rumored passive phased array radar being utilized in such upgrades cannot be confirmed. It is not clear if China has continued such upgrade after 2006 since no more information was released.

[edit] Operators

 People's Republic of China

• People's Liberation Army Air Force

[edit] Specifications (J-11/A)

Data from Sino Defense.com.^{[11][citation needed]}

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 21.9 m (71 ft 10 in)
• Wingspan: 14.70 m (48 ft 3 in)
• Height: 5.92 m (19 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 62.04 m² (667.8 ft²)
• Empty weight: 16,870 kg [1] (37,192 lb)
• Loaded weight: 23,140 kg (51,010 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 33,000 kg (73,000 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Lyulka AL-31F or Woshan WS-10A "Taihang" turbofans
  • Dry thrust: 74.5 kN / 89.17 kN (16,800 lbf / 20,050 lbf)^[12] each
  • Thrust with afterburner: 123 kN / 129.4 kN (27,600 lbf / 29,101 lbf) ^[13] each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 2.35 (2,500 km/h, 1,600 mph) at altitude
• Range: 3,720 km (2,010 nm, 2,310 mi)
• Combat radius: 2,000 km (1,240 mi)
• Service ceiling: 19,000 m (62,523 ft)
• Rate of climb: >325 m/s (64,000 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 371.0 kg/m² (76 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight:
  • Dry: 0.66
  • With afterburner: 1.09
• G-limit: 9 g

Armament

• Guns: 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 cannon with 150r
• Hardpoints: 10: 2 under fuselage, 2 under air ducts, 4 under wings, 2 on wingtips with provisions to carry combinations of:
  • Missiles:
    
    • PL-12
    • PL-9
    • PL-8
    • Vympel R-77
    • Vympel R-27
    • Vympel R-73
• Rockets: Unguided rocket launcher
• Bombs: Free-fall cluster bombs

Avionics

• Fire-control radar: NIIP Tikhomirov N001VE Myech coherent pulse Doppler radar
• OEPS-27 electro-optic system
• NSts-27 helmet-mounted sight (HMS)
• Gardeniya ECM pods

[edit] References

[edit] See also

Related development

• Sukhoi Su-27
  

Related lists

• List of fighter aircraft
  

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