Russia won't sell China radar system for J-20 stealth jet

FGA-35 at 2013 MAKS Airshow
Photo - Vitali Kuzmin Wikimedia commons

Zhuk-AE at 2009 MAKS Airshow

Russia has rejected the idea of providing China with a radar system suitable for fifth-generation stealth fighters like the Chengdu J-20, according to Kanwa Defense Review, a Chinese-language military magazine published in Canada.

China is currently testing the Type 1475 active electronically scanned array radar system designed for the still-in-development J-20 on the nose of a Tu-204 jetliner.Yuri Guskov from Phazotron, Russia's largest military radar developer, said Russia is working to develop the ZHUK-AE active electronically scanned array radar system for its PAK FA fifth-generation stealth fighter, more commonly known as the T-50, at a rate much faster than China is proceeding.

While the ZHUK-AE radar is ready to be tested with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's Tejas fighter for the Indian Air Force, Yuri said a naval version of the radar had been designed earlier and has already been tested on a warship in waters off the Russian Far East.Guskov said the development of the ZHUK radar system will be completed next year. He said however that Russia will not provide the ZHUK to China because of India's involvement in its development.

China is poised to obtain the IRBIS-E radar from Russia, however, as Moscow is very likely to sell Su-35K fourth-generation fighters to Beijing. All 20 IRBIS-E radars currently in service are used on the Su-35S fighters of the Russian Air Force.