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China plans to modernize its Su-27 Flanker fleet

China has serious intentions to upgrade its Su-27 Flanker fleet. This was reviled by the Russian Kommersant online daily newspaper which announced on 27 November that Russian engine manufacturers Salut Moscow Engineering Production Enterprise and Rybinsk Saturn have competed on supplying engines for China’s Su-27 Flanker upgrading program.

The report says that the Salut is willing to offer its AL-31F-M1 turbofan engine, which is an improved version of the older AL-31F found on the original Su-27 Flanker. The AL-31F-M1 version has increased thrust from 122.58kN to about 133kN with the full afterburner. The engine was developed for the upgrading program of the Russian Air Force’s existing fleet of Su-27 and Su-30 fighters. The engine was completed in 2002. The AL-31F-M1 engine upgrade package is now being prompted for all existing and future Flanker-series customers.

The other contender, the Saturn proposed its newest 117S engine developed from the AL-31FP thrust-vectoring engine, which propel the Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI fighters. The engine is not yet ready but is much more advanced than the AL-31F-M1 engine and thus has to fulfil its test program before entering service.

Chinese Air Force, the PLAAF received its first and second batch of Su-27s from Russia in 1992 and 1996. Now being in service for a decade aircraft began to show their age. The Kommersant online daily newspaper suggested that the PLAAF planned to purchase 52 engines worth US$ 180 million to upgrade 26 Su-27 Flankers in 2007 to 2008. The upgrade program includes 20 Su-27SKs and 6 Su-27UBKs. The purchase may be followed by further engines to be upgraded.

Both Russian engine manufacturers believe that the PLAAF will ultimately upgrade all of its 273 Sukhoi fighters (Su-27, Su-30 and J-11) with the new engine. This would extend the overall contract to about US$ 2 billion.