Chinese industry has successfully copied the combat fighters supplied from Russia and is now competing with the Russian Federation in third countries. This was stated by Ivan Grachev, Chief Researcher at the Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
He recalled that China purchased 200 Su-27, Su-30, and Su-35 aircraft, as well as up to 800 military transport aircraft and about two thousand engines.
China conducted reverse engineering, or simply copying. China completely copied the aircraft and tried to copy the engine. According to some Chinese experts, they even improved them. Now China buys nothing from Russia, produces its own aircraft, and competes with us in third countries.
Grachev drew attention to India, which continues to cooperate and use Russian key components.
India has not been seen in reverse engineering of key components in 25 years.
Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov reported in August 2025 that Russia and China are engaged in joint projects to create a long-range wide-body aircraft and a heavy helicopter. The implementation period is up to 13 years.
Aviation expert Roman Gusarov warned that a PD-8 engine assembly line should not be opened in China, otherwise Russia risks being left with nothing.
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