China's J-16 fighter is widely regarded as the country's top flanker and is widely regarded as China's most powerful fighter. However, there are also doubts that the J-11D may not have received this title if the J-11D project had not been shelved.
Why is this possible? Because the J-11D project has never been officially confirmed, the discussion about it is only momentary. The so-called shelving is just speculation on the Internet.
However, according to the comments on the Internet, if there is really a J-11D project, it is said that it uses a lot of J-20 fighter technology, so it may be more advanced than the J-16, far surpassing the Su-35.
**Origin of the J-11D project
In the 90s of the last century, China introduced the production line and technology of the Su-27, which opened the way for the development of Soviet-style fighters in China. At that time, China ordered more than 200 Su-27 fighter jets from Russia and was able to get the opportunity to use them. According to the agreement, the Russian side will supply the components, and China will assemble the aircraft locally. The first batch of assembled Su-27 fighters was named J-11A, which is basically the same as the Su-27 itself, only with a different name.
With the passage of time and the progress of mass production, China gradually mastered the technology of the Su-27 and began to carry out domestic modifications, replacing many domestic parts, so the J-11B came into being, which is improved on the basis of the Su-27, and most of the parts are replaced by localization.
According to information on the Internet, combined with the history of the development of the J-11 series in China, the J-11D should be its ultimate improved model, similar to the relationship between the Su-35 and the Su-27. However, unlike in the past, it is likely that the J-11D will widely adopt the technology of the J-20. This means that the J-11D has achieved a qualitative leap in both performance and maneuverability. Despite the use of part of the J-20 technology, due to the early launch of the J-16 fighter and the relatively late revelation of the J-11D, most netizens generally believe that the J-11D is better than the J-16.
However, logically, this comparison does not make sense. To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the two fighters, it is necessary to compare them from specific performance data and even real combat cases. There was a heated discussion about the J-11D on the Internet, but by 2020, the heat of the discussion had almost disappeared. Therefore, when mentioning the J-11D now, it seems to be reasonable to have a certain "mystery".
What is the strength of the J-11D?
From an objective point of view, if the J-11D is positioned as an air superiority model, then it may be the most powerful fighter in the world, but in other aspects, its performance is mediocre.
The reason is very simple, first of all, the base model of the J-11D, the Su-27, is itself a heavy air superiority fighter, which is very suitable for air combat both in terms of aerodynamic layout and ** loadout.
Secondly, if the J-11D adopts a large number of J-20 technology, it will also help to enhance its air superiority capability, after all, the J-20 is also a fighter that focuses on air superiority.
If you don't take into account China's J-16 and fifth-generation aircraft, the two most powerful air fighters in the world are the Su-35S and F-15SE. But both fighters have their drawbacks. The Su-35S is more multi-functional and can be sacrificed in air combat performance due to the need for ground and anti-ship strike capabilities. The F-15SE, on the other hand, is a pure air superiority fighter that performs well in both payload and range.
The problem, however, is that the mobility of the F-15SE may not be very good, after all, its fuselage is still essentially the prototype of the F-15, and the United States does not yet have ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles. Once a long-range confrontation is launched, no matter how good the performance of the F-15SE is, it can only be in a passive position.
In comparison, if the J-11D can enter service as conceived and enter air combat, it can be described as a "hexagonal warrior" (if you do not consider the fifth-generation aircraft). Because the J-11D is likely to be equipped with China's Thunderbolt-15 missiles, it has an ultra-long-range strike capability with a range of 200 kilometers, and has an excellent pedigree in both long-range and close combat in air combat.
Overall, the J-11D far surpasses the Su-35 and other fighters of the highest quality and below in air combat, and can be described as invincible in air combat. However, for such an excellent fighter, why is there no follow-up news?
J-11D: Why did you lose a trace?
First of all, it needs to be clear that the J-11D project only may have existed. As for why there was no news later, the reasons are very complicated.
When China introduced the Su-27, it was said that the relevant agreement signed with Russia stipulated that China should not use the J-11 for export. Russia makes a living by exporting Soviet-style fighters, and if China exports the J-11, it will inevitably steal Russia's job. Therefore, neither the J-11A nor the various models later named after the J-11 were allowed to be exported. Therefore, if the J-11D really exists, it means that it can only be used domestically. At that time, China already had many advanced fighters, such as the J-20 and J-16, which were being developed in an orderly manner. Therefore, it is not necessary for us to develop a model that does not have the potential for the international market.
There is also a bold speculation: the J-11D that caused heated discussions on the Internet may actually be the current J-16 fighter, but it has been greatly improved. As mentioned earlier, the J-11D may be positioned as an air superiority model, but since the advent of fifth-generation fighters, even the most powerful *** air superiority fighters have become less important. Take the J-11D and the American F-22 as examples, the performance data of the latter almost comprehensively overwhelm the former. With the advent of the J-20, China already has an air superiority fighter that can carry the banner, and in this case, abandoning the J-11D project could free up more resources for the development of the J-20.
Of course, as for why the J-16 fighter is still in service, it is mainly because it is a multi-purpose fighter, and the J-20 cannot be replaced in terms of ground and anti-ship capabilities. The J-11D is in an ideal configuration, and the cost is not advantageous. Just like the J-10C fighter, the main reason for its existence is that its cost is relatively low, and it can form a high and low combat power with the American F-22 and F-16. Referring to the J-16 fighter, if the configuration of the J-11D is advanced enough, then the cost of one may be close to 60 million to 70 million US dollars, close to the cost of the J-20.
Therefore, if the J-11D project really exists, and is later discontinued, this may be a wise choice.