Key Points – In 1990, in a landmark and historic deal, China became the first export customer for the Soviet Union’s top-tier Su-27 “Flanker” fighter jet, purchasing 24 aircraft.
-The deal was driven by China’s urgent need to modernize its outdated air force and the Soviet Union’s desperate need for cash amid its collapsing economy.
-Though initially wary of exporting its best fighter, Moscow agreed, giving China a true fourth-generation air superiority platform.
-This acquisition was pivotal, not only immediately upgrading China’s air combat capabilities but also enabling the reverse-engineering and licensed production that led to China’s own J-11 series, jumpstarting its modern aviation industry.
How the Su-27 Flanker Jumpstarted China’s Modern Air Force
The Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker was one of the most prized fighter jets of the Soviet Union. With a combination of speed, agility, and firepower, the Su-27 was the pinnacle of Cold War aerospace engineering.
Because it was so advanced for the time, the Soviets refused to export it to anyone outside of the USSR. However, this policy was reversed when China placed an order for 24 fighter jets. The decision was driven by China’s need to modernize its navy, warming relations between the two communist countries, and the Soviets attempt to stabilize its falling economy.
Why China Needed the Su-27
Prior to the deal, China’s air force was largely composed of outdated aircraft, many of which were derivatives of 1950s and 1960s Soviet designs.
The most advanced fighter in China’s arsenal was the J-7, a local version of the MiG-21, which was no match for the fourth-generation fighters being deployed by the United States and the Soviet Union.
Recognizing the growing technological gap, Chinese military planners understood that a significant leap forward was necessary to ensure national defense and regional influence.
China’s decision to acquire the Su-27 was driven by geopolitical considerations. By the late 1980s, the long-standing hostility between China and the Soviet Union was beginning to thaw (the context behind the Sino-Soviet split is too much to go into today). After decades of ideological and border disputes, both nations began to seek rapprochement.
Mikhail Gorbachev’s visit to Beijing in 1989 marked a turning point in Sino-Soviet relations, reopening diplomatic and military channels that had been frozen for years. This warming of ties created an opportunity for China to access advanced Soviet military technology, something that had been unthinkable just a few years earlier.
In 1990, a Chinese delegation visited the Soviet Union to evaluate several aircraft, including the MiG-29 and the Su-27. Although the MiG-29 was a capable fighter, the Chinese were more impressed by the Su-27’s superior range, avionics, and maneuverability.
The Su-27 was a true fourth-generation fighter, designed for air superiority with a powerful radar, long-range missiles, and a robust airframe capable of withstanding high-G maneuvers. Its long combat radius made it particularly attractive to China, given the vast distances involved in defending its territory and maritime interests.
Why the Soviets Sold Their Best Fighter
Initially, the Soviets were not keen on exporting the Su-27. The Flanker was the most advanced fighter in the Soviet Air Force at the time behind the MiG-31. After former customers had sold their fighters to the U.S., the Soviets were paranoid that the Su-27 would end up in American hands, thus allowing the Americans to discover its secrets.
As relations with China began to warm up again and as the west grew more hostile to China, fears that the Su-27 would be sold slowly dissipated.
Money was another big factor that influenced the Soviets decision to sell Flankers to China. As the Cold War was reaching its conclusion, the USSR was under a lot of economic pressure. The Soviets, trying to maintain parity with the U.S., became increasingly strapped for cash.
Its economy was rapidly declining and as a result, the USSR searched for any means to get some money. In this context, it makes sense why the Soviets decided to export their prized Su-27 fighters.
One Last Gift From the USSR
The decision to purchase the Su-27 was finalized in December 1990, when China signed a deal with the Soviet Union for 24 aircraft (comprising both single-seat Su-27SKs and twin-seat Su-27UBKs). This agreement, known in China as the “906 Project,” was historic not only because it marked the first time China had acquired such advanced aircraft, but also because it was the last major arms deal signed with the Soviet Union before its collapse in 1991. The deal included not just the aircraft, but also training, spare parts, and maintenance support, laying the foundation for a long-term military-technical relationship with post-Soviet Russia.
The first three aircraft were delivered in 1991, but something happened: the Soviet Union ceased to exist. The newly formed Russian Federation was in a precarious position. Production of Su-27s grounded to a halt after orders ceased from former Soviet states.
Additionally, the country’s economy was in free-fall leading to a complete collapse in multiple sectors of Russia’s industry. Despite everything, Russia remained committed to its end of the deal and continued delivery of Fighters to China and has remained a valuable partner since.
How the Tables Have Turned
Indeed, the acquisition of the Su-27 had profound implications for China’s domestic aviation industry. In the years following the initial purchase, China negotiated a license to produce the Su-27 domestically, leading to the development of the Shenyang J-11. While the early J-11s were essentially assembled from Russian-supplied kits (a fact which ruffled many feathers in Moscow), later versions incorporated increasing amounts of Chinese technology, including avionics, radar systems, and eventually weapons. This process of indigenization was not without challenges—particularly in the area of jet engine development—but it marked a significant step forward in China’s quest for self-reliance in defense technology.
The Su-27 also had a major impact on Chinese military doctrine and training. Operating such an advanced aircraft required a shift away from the rigid, Soviet-style tactics that had dominated the PLAAF for decades. Chinese pilots had to be retrained to take full advantage of the Su-27’s capabilities, leading to a broader transformation in how the air force approached air combat. This doctrinal evolution would later influence the development and deployment of more advanced aircraft, including the fifth-generation J-20 stealth fighter.
In the years since the initial purchase, the Su-27 has remained a cornerstone of China’s air force. The J-11 series has undergone multiple upgrades, with newer variants such as the J-11B and J-11D featuring Chinese-made engines, radar systems, and electronic warfare suites. These aircraft continue to serve alongside newer platforms like the J-16 (another Flanker variant) and J-20, forming a multi-layered air defense and strike capability.
Where China was once entirely reliant on Soviet aircraft, it is now a leader in the aerospace industry, far surpassing Russia and now rivaling even the U.S.
About the Author:
Isaac Seitz, a Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.
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1990s purchase of su-27s now regarded as the flowing of distant water under the old bridge.
What’s important now is the development of spaceplanes, spacebombers, space orbiters and spacegliders.
Rapidly unfolding events in the middle east show that combat aircraft are highly vulnerable to missiles, rockets, bombs and sabotage teams.
And donald trump and hegseth are planning to directly wade into iran. Perhaps as early as next week.
Thus fighter aircraft are not so useful today. Due to USA’s massive supply of missiles and rockets and b61 bombs.
But spaceplanes and spacebombers and gliders are totally safe from all those hazards.
Spaceplanes and spacebombers and spacegliders need to be complemented by numerous or many space stations, not the stupid single large massive tiangong beloved of the damned stupid xi jinping.
China must exile xi ASAP to USA before the US military and US pacific forces decide to do an iran on china.