Documents
China Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC)
J-11B
A Chinese-built derivative of the Russian Sukhoi Su-27, initially license-produced and later indigenized with Chinese avionics, radar and weapons. The J-11B forms a large part of the PLA Air Force's air-superiority fighter fleet.
In service since 2007 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
2,350
km/h
3,530
km range
18,000
m ceiling
8,000
kg payload
1.1
T/W
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Chinese state channel
State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.
Channel: State export agency
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2007. Status: active · ~350 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 2,350 km/h Stronger than 70% of fighters
- Max speed (Mach)
Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.
- 2.2 Mach Stronger than 71% of fighters
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 3,530 km Stronger than 69% of fighters
- Combat radius
Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range.
- 1,500 km Stronger than 85% of fighters
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 18,000 m Stronger than 72% of fighters
- Thrust-to-weight
Engine thrust divided by loaded weight. Above 1.0 the aircraft can accelerate going straight up.
- 1.1 Stronger than 84% of fighters
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 1x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon
- Hardpoints
External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.
- 10 Stronger than 64% of fighters
- Weapons payload
Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.
- 8,000 kg Stronger than 63% of fighters
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 21.9 m
- Wingspan
Wingtip-to-wingtip span.
- 14.7 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 5.9 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 17,700 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 23,926 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- 2x Shenyang WS-10A turbofans
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 2
- Thrust
Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable).
- 132 kN Stronger than 78% of fighters
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turbofan
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
- Radar
Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.
- Type 1493 pulse-Doppler radar
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 350 Stronger than 64% of fighters
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 1 Stronger than 23% of fighters
Specifications compiled from public Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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What is the top speed of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B has a maximum speed of 2,350 km/h.
What is the range of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B has a maximum range of 3,530 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B can carry up to 8,000 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B weigh? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B has a combat weight of 23,926 kg.
How many crew does the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B require? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B's primary weapon is the 1x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon.
What engine does the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B use? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B is powered by the 2x Shenyang WS-10A turbofans.
What is the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B used for? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B is a fighter aircraft typically used for air superiority.
How many countries operate the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B cost? +
Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-11B: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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