Chinese Carrier Based J-35 Jets Could Fly off Proposed New Russian Aircraft Carrier

A carrier-based version of the Chinese J-35A could be considered for an all-new Russian aircraft carrier that may replace the Admiral Kuznetsov which is likely to be scrapped in the near future.

Repairs and modernization of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier have currently been suspended, Izvestia reported adding that the Russian fleet's outdated aircraft carrier may be decommissioned and sent for disposal.

The new aircraft carrier, still to be decided upon by the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Navy, is expected be smaller than the Admiral Kuznetsov for operation by short take-off-and-landing aircraft.

Quoting Ilya Kramnik, a researcher at the Center for the Study of Strategic Planning at the Russian think tank, IMEMO RAS, Izvestia reported ‘Once a smaller ship is used, our entire prospect comes down to either a carrier-based Su-75 fighter aircraft, when it is created and if its naval version is created, or to buying promising Chinese J-35 aircraft. Both aircraft are smaller in size than the Su-33 (the current Russian carrier-based fighter).

He added that the Russian navy can also buy a carrier-based AWACS aircraft from China, the independent development of which (in Russia) can take a long time.

China is positioning the J-35 as the perfect alternative to the American F-35. One versions for operations from land and another from aircraft carriers.

The expert said that  if the prospective carrier is smaller than the Kuzntsov it would increase the choice of locations for its construction and subsequent basing.

To speed up the carrier’s construction and to build one relatively cheaply, it must have a standard gas turbine power plant - based on the units that are installed on Russian frigates, or a nuclear power plant - based on an icebreaker, and, if possible, standard radio-electronic equipment, and defense against  threats such as missiles and unmanned boats, the article referred to Kramnik as saying.