中国网络上的歼-15想像图

June 7, 2010: For over five years, China has been developing a carrier version of the Russian Su-27, calling it the J-15. There is already a Russian version of this, called the Su-33. Russia refused to sell Su-33s to China, when it was noted that China was making illegal copies of the Su-27 (as the J-11), and did not want to place a big order for Su-33s, but only wanted two, for "evaluation." China eventually got a Su-33 from Ukraine, which inherited some when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. The first prototypes of the J-15 have been under construction for two years, and the aircraft is believed to have taken its first flight in the last few months. The Russians are not happy with this development. Russian aviation experts have openly derided the J-15, casting doubt on the ability of Chinese engineers to replicate key features of the Su-33. That remains to be seen, as the Chinese have screwed up copying Russian military tech in the past. But the Chinese have a lot of experience stealing foreign tech, so the J-15 may well turn out to be at least as good as the Su-33. Meanwhile. Russia itself has stopped using the Su-33.

2010年6月7日：在过去五年中，中国一直在发展俄国苏-27的舰载版本，称它为歼-15。俄国已经有一个舰载版本，称作苏-33。俄国拒绝向中国出售苏-33，当时它已经了解到中国已经制造非法复制的苏-27（称为歼-11），而且并不打算对苏-33安排大的订单，并仅需要两架用于“评估”。中国最后从乌克兰得到苏-33，是在1991年苏联解体的时候继承下来一些。第一架歼-15原型已经在研制中达二年之久，而且飞机据信已经在最近数月内进行了它的首次飞行。俄国对这个发展感到不满。俄国航空专家已经公开地嘲笑歼-15，对中国工程师复制苏-33的关键特征能力方面表示怀疑。这还有待观察，由于中国在过去有时复制俄国军事科技时搞糟。但是中国对窃取外国科技方面有许多经验，所以歼-15理所当然至少制造的像苏-33一样好。与此同时，俄国自身已经停止使用苏-33。

Late last year, the Russian Navy ordered 24 MiG-29Ks (for about $42 million each) to replace the Su-33s currently operating from the aircraft carrier Kuznetsov. It was two years ago that the carrier version of the Russian MiG-29, the MiG-29K, made its first flight, about fifteen years later than originally planned. India is buying 30-40 of these for use on at least two aircraft carriers. The Indians are already receiving the first sixteen. The reason for dropping the Su-33 is the order from India. It's cheaper to build 64 (or more, for planned Russian carriers) MiG-29Ks, than just 16 more Su-33s to replace the ones already on the Kuznetsov (and wearing out). The MiG-29Ks are lighter and cheaper than the Su-33s.

去年年底，俄国海军订购了24架米格-29K（每架大约四千二百万美元）替代目前在“库兹涅佐夫”号航空母舰上操作的苏-33。在二年以前俄国米格-29的舰载版本米格-29K，做它的首次飞行，这是在最初研制计划大约十五年之后了。印度正在为至少二艘航空母舰上的使用而购买30-40架。印度已经接收到第一批16架。放弃苏-33的理由是来自印度的订单。它低廉的去制造64架（或更多，用于俄国航空母舰计划）米格-29K，取代已经在“库兹涅佐夫”号航空母舰上仅有的16架苏-33（并且服役寿命耗尽）。米格-29K比苏-33更轻和偏宜。

In the early 1990s, work began on creating a variant of the MiG-29 for carrier use. These were to be used on the Kuznetsov class carriers, originally conceived of as 90,000 ton, nuclear powered ships, similar to American carriers (complete with steam catapults). Instead, because of the cost, and the complexity of modern (American style) carriers, the Russians were forced to scale back their goals, and ended up with the 65,000 ton (full load) ships that lacked steam catapults, and used a ski jump type flight deck instead. Nuclear power was dropped, but the Kuznetsov class was still a formidable design. The thousand foot (322 meter) long carrier ended up carryings a dozen Su-33s, 14 Ka-27PL anti-submarine helicopters, two electronic warfare helicopters and two search and rescue helicopters. The ship was designed to carry up to 36 Su-33s and sixteen helicopters.

在1990年早期，开始着手于研制用于航空母舰上使用的米格-29型号的工作。这些将要在库兹涅佐夫级航空母舰上使用，最初设想为90,000吨，核动力，类似美国的航空母舰（包括蒸气弹射器）。取而代之，由于成本和现代化（美国风格）航空母舰的复杂性，俄国不得不缩减它们的目标，最终的65,000吨（满载）航空母舰缺少蒸气弹射器，并且采用滑跃型飞行甲板来替代。核动力被放弃，但是库兹涅佐夫级仍然是强大的设计。一千英尺（322米）长的航空母舰最终携带12架苏-33，14架卡-27PL反潜直升飞机，二架电子战直升飞机和二架搜索和救援直升飞机。航空母舰设计可携带达到36架苏-33和16架直升飞机。

The 33 ton Su-33 is larger than the 21 ton MiG-29K, and both types of aircraft were to operate from the three 65,000 ton Kuznetsovs. But when the Cold War ended, only the Kuznetsov was near completion. The second ship in the class, the Varyag, was sold to China. The smaller Gorshkov is being rebuilt and sold to India (who believed the smaller MiG-29K was more suitable for this carrier.).

33吨的苏-33比21吨米格-29K更大，而且两者类型的飞机要从三艘65,000吨库兹涅佐夫级航空母舰上操作。但是当冷战结束时，只有“库兹涅佐夫”号接近完成。该级的第二艘“瓦良格”号，被卖给中国。较小的“戈尔什科夫”号正在被重建并且卖给印度（谁相信较小的米格-29K更适合这些航空母舰）。

The MiG-29K modifications included arrestor gear and stronger landing gear for carrier landings, folding wings and rust proofing to reduce corrosion from all that salt water. Anti-radar paint is also used, to reduce the radar signature. Fuel capacity was increased 50 percent and more modern electronics installed. A more powerful engine is used, which enabled the aircraft to carry over five tons of weapons (air-to-air and anti-ship missiles, smart bombs).

米格-29K的修改包括拦阻尾钩和更坚固的起落架用于航空母舰上着舰，折叠机翼和防腐措施去减少来自海水的所有腐蚀。反雷达涂层也被使用，减少雷达特征。燃料能力增加50%并且安装较现代的电子设备。一种更强劲的发动机，使飞机能够携带超过五吨的武器（空对空和反舰导弹、聪明炸弹）。