PLA Navy runs South China Sea drills with newest J-11B fighter jets
- More than 10 fighter jets from PLA’s Southern Theatre Command took part in ‘round-the-clock’ training exercise, state media reports
- Video footage of J-11B with grey radar dome sparks speculation of avionic upgrade
More than 10 fighter jets from the People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theatre Command participated in “round-the-clock” training and battled in four-versus-two and two-versus-two formation, official broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported.
CCTV’s footage of the drill showed a J-11B returning from the exercise and entering its hangar, with the aircraft featuring a grey radar dome, unlike the black sported by the original versions.
The J-11B is a significantly modified version of the Soviet-designed Sukhoi Su-27 fighter from state-owned Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC). It remains the most advanced fighter jet operated by the PLA Navy’s land-based aviation force, alongside some Su-30MKK imported from Russia in the 2000s.
The twin-engine multirole J-11B has a range of 1,500km, extendable with additional fuel tanks. It can also carry advanced weapons like the PL-10 short-range combat missile and the PL-15 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile.