Decoding China’s claim that its copy of Russian Su-30 jet is superior to original
A Chinese pilot claimed the J-16 had no flaws given its wide range of weapons
Web Desk March 25, 2021 17:10 IST
Two PLAAF J-16 jets | China's Ministry of National Defense
China's wide-ranging military modernisation, which began in the early 1980s, has alarmed experts for a number of reasons.
While threats to its neighbours have been an obvious concern, experts have also been worried about China's use of espionage and reverse-engineering to modify its home-built weapons.
Arguably, the most visible example of China's use of reverse-engineering has been its work on the Russian Su-27 air superiority fighter, designed by the Sukhoi aircraft design bureau. China was the first export customer of the Su-27, which forms the basis of numerous aircraft such as the Su-30 multi-role fighter, Su-34 light bomber and Su-35 multi-role fighter.