Russia Started Su-35 Fighter Jets Supplies to China in 2016 - Putin's Aide

Russia began Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets supplies to China in 2016, the two countries are discussing further cooperation, Russian Presidential Aide for Military-Technical Cooperation Vladimir Kozhin said Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia and China signed a contract on the delivery of 24 Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, estimated to be worth $2 billion, in 2015.

"We have relatively far advanced [in cooperation] with China, we discuss different joint programs. At the same time, we keep supplying there a large amount of our modern equipment. Last year it referred to Su-35 jets," Kozhin said in an interview with Rossiya 24 television channel.

A model of the Su-35 aircraft at the Rosoboronexport stand during the 2015 Dubai Airshow international exhibition

© Sputnik / Evgeny Biyatov

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In November 2016, the head of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) said that deliveries had not yet started but the deal's implementation was underway, since the company planned to supply four Su-35 to China by the end of 2016.

The Su-35 fighter is a 4++ generation aircraft employing technologies of the fifth generation, designed by the Sukhoi Aviation Holding Company, which belongs to Russia's United Aircraft Corporation. The first experimental Su-35 was first presented at Russia’s MAKS-2007 air show and later it was introduced to a foreign audience at the 2013 Paris Air Show.