Chinese Su-35 To Counter US Military Movement In South China Sea

China’s recent purchase of 24 Su-35 fighter jets will be used to patrol South China Sea to counter US.

China entered into a contract to purchase the fighter jets for US $2 billion in November. A report from mil.Huanqiu.com news website reported Sunday that China finally agreed to the purchase due to the tension in South China Sea between China and the US.

According to Chinadaily, a news website, China will not be able to deploy its J-20 and J-31 stealth fighters will take few more years and they would not be available to deal with US threat.

The long range of the Su-35 and its superiority to US and Japanese fighter jets will enable China to patrol the South China Sea for 24 hours every day for the time being until it is able to deploy its own stealth fighters, the report said.

The Su-35’s ability to take off from a relatively short runway will enable it to use the runways China will build on its artificial islands.

Moreover, the high price of the purchase indicates the transfer of some technology to China, especially that in the Su-35’s Irbis-E radar that can detect a stealth fighter jet like the F-35 90 km away, and the Russian 117S engine.