China's J-11 fighter jet 'may find new role in South China Sea'
The military began developing the Soviet-model fighter jet 25 years ago, but it could get added lift if deployed in the contested South China Sea
China might station its J-11 fighter jets in the disputed South China Sea once work on several runways on reclaimed land there is complete, analysts say.
The deployment in the Spratly Islands, which China calls the Nanshas, would dramatically extend the reach of the nation's military beyond its southernmost base at Sanya on Hainan Island. However, experts say the jet would be limited to a defensive role because it is an older model outclassed by aircraft in the US Air Force.
The J-11 has lost much of its competitive edge over the quarter-century since China began to build on the Soviet-designed Su-27. But it is a key asset of the air force, with an estimated several hundred in operation.
"As a long-range strike aircraft, the J-11 should be sent to the South China Sea," Huang Zhao, an 80-year-old former air force pilot, said. "Every time when the J-11 flies over the sky, it also reminds me of that historic decision made 25 years ago to push for its creation, and rapidly develop the PLA Air Force."
The Central Military Commission passed a proposal on June 30, 1990 to buy 24 of the Su-27s, the most advanced aircraft made by the Soviet Union at the time. The deal came after three events led Beijing to rethink its military's air strength, said Macau-based military expert Antony Wong Dong.
China's arrangement for the Su-27s was unusual. The Soviet Union was suffering through a period of scarcity and Moscow took 70 per cent of the payment in light industrial goods and food. The agreement also included a US$2.5 billion licence for the production line so China could make variations of the jet.