Russian and Chinese Air Combat Progress Douglas Barrie & Henry Boyd 19 November 2018 The International Institute for Strategic Studies The Russian Air Force Combat Order of Battle 2008 37th Air Army (Moscow) • 1 bbr regt with Tu-160 • 3 bbr regt with Tu-95MS • 4 bbr regt with Tu-22M3 14th Air Army (Novosibirsk) • 1 ftr regt with MiG-29 6th Air Army (St Petersburg) • 1 ftr regt with MiG-31 • 1 ftr regt with MiG-31 • 1 atk regt with Su-24 th • 3 ftr regt with Su-27 16 Air Army (Moscow) • 1 atk regt with Su-25 • 2 atk regt with Su-24 • 2 ftr regt with MiG-29 • 1 recce regt with Su-24MR • 1 recce regt with MiG- • 1 ftr regt with MiG-31 25RB & Su-24MR • 1 ftr regt with Su-27 • 1 atk regt with Su-24 11th Air Army (Khabarovsk) • 1 atk regt with Su-25 • 1 ftr regt with MiG-31 • 1 recce regt with MiG- • 2 ftr regt with Su-27 25RB & Su-24MR • 3 atk regt with Su-24 • 2 atk regt with Su-25 • 1 recce regt with Su-24MR 5th Air Army (Yekaterinburg) • 1 ftr regt with MiG-31 • 1 atk regt with Su-24 4th Air Army (Rostov) • 2 ftr regt with MiG-29 • 1 ftr regt with Su-27 • 2 atk regt with Su-24 • 3 atk regt with Su-25 • 1 recce regt with Su-24MR The Russian Aerospace Force Combat Order of Battle 2018 Long-range Aviation Command (Moscow) • 1 bbr sqn with Tu-160 • 3 bbr sqn with Tu-95MS • 3 bbr regt with Tu-22M3 th 6 Air Force and Air Defence Army 14th Air Force and Air Defence Army (St Petersburg) (Yekaterinburg) • 1 ftr regt with MiG-31BM; Su-27 • 2 ftr regt with MIG-31BM • 1 FGA regt with Su-30SM • 1 atk regt with Su-24M/Su-24MR/Su-34 • 1 FGA regt with Su-35S • 1 atk regt with Su-34 • 1 recce sqn with Su-24MR 11th Air Force and Air Defence Army (Khabarovsk) • 1 FGA regt with MIG-31BM/Su-27SM/Su-35S • 1 FGA regt with Su-25/Su-30SM • 1 FGA regt with Su-35S th 4 Air Force and Air Defence Army • 1 atk regt with Su-34 (Rostov) • 1 atk regt with Su-25SM • 2 ftr regt with Su-27/Su-27SM • 1 recce regt with Su-24MR • 1 FGA regt with Su-30SM • 1 FGA regt with Su-35S • 1 atk regt with Su-34 • 1 atk regt with Su-24M/Su-25SM • 2 atk regt with Su-25SM • 1 recce regt with Su-24MR • 1 ftr sqn with MiG-29 (Armenia) The Russian Air Force Tactical Aircraft Inventory 2008 Su-27 FLANKER MIG-29 FULCRUM MIG-31 FOXHOUND Su-24 FENCER Su-25 FROGFOOT The Russian Aerospace Force Tactical Aircraft Inventory 2018 Su-35 FLANKER Su-30SM FLANKER MIG-31BM FOXHOUND Su-34 FULLBACK Still Su-25 FROGFOOT… Heavy Fighter Light Fighter Interceptor Ground Attack/Strike Ground Attack 2008 2018 2028? The PLA Air Force Combat Order of Battle 2012 Shenyang MRAF • 4 ftr regt with J-7 • 2 ftr regt with J-8 • 2 ftr regt with J-11B • 1 FGA regt with J-10A • 1 atk regt with JH-7A Lanzhou MRAF • 1 atk regt with Q-5 • 2 bbr regt with H-6H/M Beijing MRAF Total: • 2 ftr regt with J-7 • 2 ftr regt with J-7 • 11 ftr/atk regt: ~330 ac • 1 ftr regt with J-8 • 1 ftr regt with J-8 • 2 ftr regt with J-11A/B • 1 ftr regt with J-11A Jinan MRAF • 1 atk regt with JH-7A • 3 FGA regt with J-10A • 3 ftr regt with J-7 Total: • 1 atk regt with Q-5 • 1 ftr regt with J-8 • 2 bbr regt: ~40 ac Total: • 2 ftr regt with J-11A/B • 6 ftr/atk regt: ~180 ac • 8 ftr/atk regt: ~240 ac • 1 atk regt with JH-7A • 1 atk regt with Q-5 Total: • 8 ftr/atk regt: ~240 ac Guangzhou MRAF Nanjing MRAF Chengdu MRAF • 2 bbr regt with H-6H/K • 2 bbr regt with H-6A/H • 2 ftr regt with J-7 • 5 ftr regt with J-7 • 3 ftr regt with J-7 • 1 ftr regt with J-11A • 1 ftr regt with J-8 • 1 ftr regt with J-8 • 1 FGA regt with J-10A • 1 ftr regt with J-11A • 2 ftr regt with J-11A Total: • 2 FGA regt with J-10A • 1 FGA regt with J-10A • 4 ftr/atk regt: ~120 ac • 1 atk regt with Su- • 2 atk regt with JH-7A 30MKK • 2 atk regt with Su- Total: 30MKK • 2 bbr regt: ~40 ac • 1 atk regt with Q-5 • 10 ftr/atk regt: ~300 ac • 1 recce regt with JZ-8 Total: • 2 bbr regt: ~40 ac • 12 ftr/atk regt: ~360 ac The PLA Air Force Combat Order of Battle 2018 Northern Theatre Command AF • 4 ftr be with J-7 • 2 ftr bde with J-8 Central Theatre Command AF • 3 FGA bde with J-10A/B • 1 bbr regt with H-6H • 2 FGA bde with J-11B • 2 bbr regt with H-6K • 2 atk bde with JH-7A Western Theatre Command AF • 5 ftr bde with J-7 • 1 recce regt with JZ-8 • 2 ftr bde with J-7 • 3 FGA bde with J-10A/B Total: • 1 ftr bde with J-8 • 1 FGA bde with J-10C • 13 ftr/atk bde: ~390 ac • 2 ftr bde with J-11A/B • 2 FGA bde with J-11A/B • 1 FGA bde with J-16 Total: • 1 atk bde with JH-7A • 3 bbr regt: ~60 ac • 11 ftr/atk bde: ~330 ac Total: Eastern Theatre Command AF • 7 ftr/atk bde: ~210 ac • 2 bbr regt with H-6H/M • 1 bbr regt with H-6K Southern Theatre Command AF • 2 ftr bde with J-7 • 2 bbr regt with H-6K • 1 ftr bde with J-8 • 1 ftr bde with J-11A • 1 FGA bde with J-10A • 3 FGA bde with J-10A • 2 FGA bde with J-11A/B • 2 FGA bde with J-10C • 2 FGA bde with J-16 • 1 FGA bde with Su-35 • 2 atk bde with JH-7A • 1 atk bde with JH-7A • 2 atk bde with Su-30MKK • 1 atk bde with Su-30MKK • 1 recce bde with JZ-8 Total: Total: • 2 bbr regt: ~40 ac • 3 bbr regt: ~60 ac • 9 ftr/atk bde: ~270 ac • 12 ftr/atk bde: ~360 ac The PLA Air Force Tactical Aircraft Inventory 1998 J-8 FINBACK J-7 FISHBED/FISHCAN Plus one regiment of SU-27SK Flanker….. Q-5 FANTAN The PLA Air Force Tactical Aircraft Inventory 2008 Su-30MKK FLANKER J-11A FLANKER J-10A FIREBIRD JH-7A FLOUNDER The PLA Air Force Tactical Aircraft Inventory 2018 J-16 FLANKER J-11B FLANKER J-10C FIREBIRD JH-7A FLOUNDER PLA Air Force AAM Developments PLAAF’s Progress J-10C AESA with J-16A repositioner Tri-array AESA J-20A PLAAF AAMs: WVR • PL-10 I2R AAM • HOBS with HMS • 20km plus • ‘Available’ for export • IOC 2015-16? • Standard NG WVR AAM PLAAF AAMs: BVR PL-12 PL-15 • (Project 129) • IOC 2018? • IOC 2005? • Active RF • Active RF • AESA seeker? • ‘Range’ 80km • ‘Range’ 200km • PL-12A in Development? Will be fielded Fielded on on • J-8II •J-10C • J-10 • J-16A • J-11 • J-20A • J-15 • J-16 • JF-17 (Pakistan) PLAAF AAMs: Rocket/Ramjet PLAAF AAMs: Rocket/Ramjet PLAAF AAMs – Counter LVHD PLAAF Su-35 AAMs R77-1 (AA-12b Adder) Above R-37M (AA-13a Axehead)? left Russian AAMs: A Long Wait VKS Combat Air Platforms R-73 (AA-11a/AA-11b Archer) Izdeliye 300/Vympel K-30 R-77-1 (AA-12b Adder) R-33/33S AA-9a/b Amos R-37M (AA-13a Axehead) Russian AAM Roadmap? ? ? Credit Piotr Butowski.