The International Institute for Strategic Studies

Russian and Chinese Air Combat

Progress

Douglas Barrie & Henry

Boyd

19 November 2018

The Russian Air Force Combat Order of Battle 2008

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

6th Air Army (St Petersburg)• 1 ftr regt with MiG-31• 3 ftr regt with Su-27• 2 atk regt with Su-24• 1 recce regt with MiG-

25RB & Su-24MR11th Air Army (Khabarovsk)• 1 ftr regt with MiG-31• 2 ftr regt with Su-27• 3 atk regt with Su-24• 2 atk regt with Su-25• 1 recce regt with Su-24MR

14th Air Army (Novosibirsk)• 1 ftr regt with MiG-29• 1 ftr regt with MiG-31• 1 atk regt with Su-24• 1 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

16th Air Army (Moscow)• 2 ftr regt with MiG-29• 1 ftr regt with MiG-31• 1 ftr regt with Su-27• 1 atk regt with Su-24• 1 atk regt with Su-25• 1 recce regt with MiG-

25RB & Su-24MR

37th Air Army (Moscow) • 1 bbr regt with Tu-160• 3 bbr regt with Tu-95MS• 4 bbr regt with Tu-22M3

The Russian Aerospace Force Combat Order of Battle 2018

6th Air Force and Air Defence Army (St Petersburg)• 1 ftr regt with MiG-31BM; Su-27• 1 FGA regt with Su-30SM• 1 FGA regt with Su-35S• 1 atk regt with Su-34• 1 recce sqn with Su-24MR

4th Air Force and Air Defence Army (Rostov)• 2 ftr regt with Su-27/Su-27SM• 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)

14th Air Force and Air Defence Army (Yekaterinburg)• 2 ftr regt with MIG-31BM• 1 atk regt with Su-24M/Su-24MR/Su-34

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• 1 atk regt with Su-34• 1 atk regt with Su-25SM• 1 recce regt with Su-24MR

Long-range Aviation Command (Moscow)• 1 bbr sqn with Tu-160• 3 bbr sqn with Tu-95MS• 3 bbr regt with Tu-22M3

Su-27 FLANKER

The Russian Air Force Tactical Aircraft Inventory 2008

MIG-29 FULCRUM MIG-31 FOXHOUND

Su-24 FENCER Su-25 FROGFOOT

Su-35 FLANKER

The Russian Aerospace Force Tactical Aircraft Inventory 2018

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• 1 atk regt with Q-5Total:• 11 ftr/atk regt: ~330 ac

Beijing MRAF • 2 ftr regt with J-7• 1 ftr regt with J-8• 1 ftr regt with J-11A• 3 FGA regt with J-10A• 1 atk regt with Q-5Total:• 8 ftr/atk regt: ~240 ac

Jinan MRAF • 3 ftr regt with J-7• 1 ftr regt with J-8• 2 ftr regt with J-11A/B• 1 atk regt with JH-7A• 1 atk regt with Q-5Total:• 8 ftr/atk regt: ~240 ac

Nanjing MRAF • 2 bbr regt with H-6A/H• 3 ftr regt with J-7• 1 ftr regt with J-8• 2 ftr regt with J-11A• 1 FGA regt with J-10A• 2 atk regt with JH-7A• 2 atk regt with Su-

30MKK• 1 atk regt with Q-5• 1 recce regt with JZ-8Total:• 2 bbr regt: ~40 ac• 12 ftr/atk regt: ~360 ac

Guangzhou MRAF• 2 bbr regt with H-6H/K• 5 ftr regt with J-7• 1 ftr regt with J-8• 1 ftr regt with J-11A• 2 FGA regt with J-10A• 1 atk regt with Su-

30MKKTotal:• 2 bbr regt: ~40 ac• 10 ftr/atk regt: ~300 ac

Lanzhou MRAF • 2 bbr regt with H-6H/M• 2 ftr regt with J-7• 1 ftr regt with J-8• 2 ftr regt with J-11A/B• 1 atk regt with JH-7ATotal:• 2 bbr regt: ~40 ac• 6 ftr/atk regt: ~180 ac

Chengdu MRAF • 2 ftr regt with J-7• 1 ftr regt with J-11A• 1 FGA regt with J-10ATotal:• 4 ftr/atk regt: ~120 ac

The PLA Air Force Combat Order of Battle 2018

Western Theatre Command AF• 2 ftr bde with J-7• 1 ftr bde with J-8• 2 ftr bde with J-11A/B• 1 FGA bde with J-16• 1 atk bde with JH-7ATotal:• 7 ftr/atk bde: ~210 ac

Central Theatre Command AF• 1 bbr regt with H-6H• 2 bbr regt with H-6K• 5 ftr bde with J-7• 3 FGA bde with J-10A/B• 1 FGA bde with J-10C• 2 FGA bde with J-11A/BTotal:• 3 bbr regt: ~60 ac• 11 ftr/atk bde: ~330 ac

Northern Theatre Command AF• 4 ftr be with J-7• 2 ftr bde with J-8• 3 FGA bde with J-10A/B• 2 FGA bde with J-11B• 2 atk bde with JH-7A• 1 recce regt with JZ-8Total:• 13 ftr/atk bde: ~390 ac

Eastern Theatre Command AF• 2 bbr regt with H-6H/M• 1 bbr regt with H-6K• 2 ftr bde with J-7• 1 ftr bde with J-8• 1 FGA bde with J-10A• 2 FGA bde with J-11A/B• 2 FGA bde with J-16• 2 atk bde with JH-7A• 2 atk bde with Su-30MKK• 1 recce bde with JZ-8Total:• 3 bbr regt: ~60 ac• 12 ftr/atk bde: ~360 ac

Southern Theatre Command AF• 2 bbr regt with H-6K• 1 ftr bde with J-11A• 3 FGA bde with J-10A• 2 FGA bde with J-10C• 1 FGA bde with Su-35• 1 atk bde with JH-7A• 1 atk bde with Su-30MKKTotal:• 2 bbr regt: ~40 ac• 9 ftr/atk bde: ~270 ac

J-8 FINBACK

Q-5 FANTAN

J-7 FISHBED/FISHCAN

The PLA Air Force Tactical Aircraft Inventory 1998

Plus one regiment of SU-27SK Flanker…..

J-11A FLANKER

JH-7A FLOUNDER

J-10A FIREBIRD

The PLA Air Force Tactical Aircraft Inventory 2008

Su-30MKK FLANKER

J-11B FLANKER

JH-7A FLOUNDER

J-10C FIREBIRD

The PLA Air Force Tactical Aircraft Inventory 2018

J-16 FLANKER

PLA Air Force AAM Developments

PLAAF’s Progress

J-10C

J-16A

J-20A

AESA withrepositioner

Tri-array AESA

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• (Project 129)• IOC 2005?• Active RF• ‘Range’ 80km• PL-12A in

Development?

Fielded on

• J-8II• J-10• J-11• J-15• J-16• JF-17 (Pakistan)

PL-15• IOC 2018?• Active RF• AESA seeker?• ‘Range’ 200km

Will be fielded on

•J-10C• J-16A• J-20A

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