J-15 Flying Shark

China's twin-engine carrier fighter family, derived from the Su-33 and developed from ski-jump operations into catapult-launched strike, air-defense and electronic-warfare variants.

Overview

The Shenyang J-15, known as Feisha or "Flying Shark" and assigned the NATO reporting name Flanker-X2, is a Chinese carrier-based multirole fighter developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and the 601 Institute for the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force. It is a Chinese-modified derivative of the Russian Su-33 design, adapted with domestic avionics, weapons and, in later variants, Chinese engines and catapult-launch equipment.

The J-15 supplied the complete fixed-wing fighter component of China's first two aircraft carriers, Liaoning and Shandong, whose ski-jump flight decks impose takeoff-weight and payload constraints. The family has since expanded to include the two-seat J-15S, the catapult-capable J-15T and the J-15D/J-15DH/J-15DT electronic-warfare variants. The J-15T's operation from the electromagnetic catapults aboard Type 003 Fujian removes some of the principal restrictions associated with ski-jump launches and permits heavier fuel and weapon loads.

The J-15 remains China's established carrier fighter while the newer J-35 enters the naval aviation force. Chinese state reporting indicates that both types operate from Fujian, implying a mixed air wing rather than an immediate replacement of the J-15 family. Production totals are not officially disclosed; figures of approximately 60 baseline J-15s, more than 50 J-15Ts and approximately six J-15Ds are external estimates cited by Wikipedia.

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