Russia plans to sell a host of new military jet fighters and transport planes to China next year, arms export officials said on Friday, and foreign sales of Russian weaponry and equipment could exceed US$5 billion for the year.
Yury Krylov, who heads the air force division of the state agency Rosoboronexport, said that his agency and the Chinese Air Force expect to sign several new contracts for Su-30MK2 multifunctional jet fighters, according to the Interfax news agency.
Pre-contract work on supplying Il-76 Candid military transports and Il-78 Midas aerial tankers were almost finished as well, he said.
"We are planning to conclude a series of new contracts, in particular, for the supplies of SU-30MK2 planes to the Chinese Air Force," Krylov was quoted as saying by Interfax.
Defense analysts say Su-30s cost about US$35 million each. India bought several dozen Su-30MK1 jets in the late 1990s for US$28 million each.
China has become the Russian arms industry's No. 1 customer, and is expected to buy weapons worth some US$2 billion this year to modernize its arsenal and back up frequent threats to invade Taiwan.
Krylov also said Russia is also considering continuing to supply parts for Su-27SK Flanker jets to China, where they could be assembled under license.
The Su-27 -- which is a similar twin-engine design to the Su-30 -- has been in service since 1985, and also goes by the NATO code name "Flanker."
Its speed and maneuverability made it one of the key planes in the former Soviet air force, and it resembles the US F-15 Eagle fighter with two rear stabilizers and twin engines.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source