J-11B CHINESE PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY AIR FORCE FIGHTER

Description

The Shenyang J-11 is a single-seat, twin-engine, jet fighter, whose airframe is based on the Soviet-designed Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO reporting name: Flanker) air superiority fighter. It is currently manufactured by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is the sole operator of the aircraft. The J-11B is an indigenised multirole fighter using a Flanker type airframe and advanced Chinese avionics, WS-10A engine, weaponry and technologies, reduced RCS, MAWS, IRST, and composites to lighten the airframe weight by 700 kg. It has been said that the J-11B is over 90% indigenous. It has been reported that more than 2 regiments of J-11B are currently in service. In May 2007, the existence of J-11B was confirmed by the Chinese government for the first time when state-run Chinese TV stations aired a report on the J-11B in PLAAF service. It has been claimed that the J-11B is planned to incorporate an AESA radar. A new group of photographs which shows it with a grey nose, likely an active electronically scanned array radar from the Chengdu-based 607th Institute, has emerged and may be evidence that the aircraft has undergone or plans to undergo retrofit with AESA radar. (Scale : 1/144e)