The Chinese showed their newest carrier-based electronic warfare fighter

The PLA continues to expand the range of standard carriers of electronic warfare elements based on fighters that originate from Soviet aircraft (Su-27, Su-30 and Su-33). The state media of the People's Republic of China published information about the Chinese carrier-based fighter J-15D, adapted for electronic warfare.

Now the PLA, in addition to the ground-based J-16D, has a “flying suppressor” of enemy air defense (SEAD) based on the carrier-based J-15, which is a copy of the Su-33. However, the J-15D is based on the same concept and is considered a symmetrical response to the US Navy's E/A-18G Growler. It should be noted that, unlike the J-16D, the J-15D focuses not on SEAD, but on the fight against enemy aircraft and ship radars, although work to suppress air defense on land is also present in its tasks.



A small batch of J-15D twin-engine heavy fighters has already been manufactured. They are now undergoing a period of testing and trial operation on aircraft carriers before the start of mass production. Since China does not have as many aircraft carriers as the United States, the PLA will need a small number of such aircraft. Consequently, the need for them will be quickly filled.

Thus, the J-15D will soon officially become the third fighter-based electronic warfare platform in the PLA. It probably has the same electronic warfare units that are on the J-16D. The first electronic warfare fighter was the J-10D, but its equipment is located (mounted) not in blocks on the wingtips, but in the protruding central part of the airframe. Without a doubt, the Chinese “comrades” are trying to catch up with their American “partners” so that they do not feel too relaxed in the Asia-Pacific region.