The Shenyang J-15 (Chinese: 歼-15; pinyin: Jiān-Shíwǔ), also known as Feisha (Chinese: 飞鲨; pinyin: fēi shā; lit. 'Flying Shark'; NATO reporting name: Flanker-X2, Flanker-K) is a Chinese all-weather, twin-engine, carrier-based 4.5 generation multirole fighter aircraft developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) and the 601 Institute, specifically for the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) to serve on People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) aircraft carriers. The aircraft entered active service with the PLAN in 2013. An improved variant, named J-15T, incorporating CATOBAR launch capability, modern fifth-generation avionics, entered active service in the South China Sea in October 2024. In 2001, the T-10K-3, an unfinished prototype of the Su-33, was acquired by SAC from Ukraine[8] and is claimed to have been studied extensively and reverse-engineered, with development on the J-15 beginning immediately afterward. China had sought to purchase Su-33s from Russia on several occasions—an unsuccessful offer was made as late as March 2009—but negotiations collapsed in 2006 after it was discovered that China had developed a modified version of the Sukhoi Su-27SK, designated the Shenyang J-11B, in violation of intellectual property agreements. However, according to Chinese sources, the reason China withdrew from talks was that Russia wanted large payments to re-open Su-33 production lines and insisted on a Chinese purchase of at least 50 Su-33s, about which China was reluctant, as it believed the aircraft would become outdated in a few years. China hence decided on an indigenous variant instead of continuing to assemble the J-11, the licensed Chinese version of Su-27. The J-15 program was officially started in 2006 with the codename Flying Shark. The program goal was to develop a naval-capable fighter aircraft from the Shenyang J-11, with technologies reverse-engineered from T-10K-3, a Soviet Su-33 prototype that had been acquired from Ukraine. The first J-15 prototype made its maiden flight on August 31, 2009, believed to have been powered by Russian-supplied Saturn AL-31 turbofan engines. Video and still images of the flight were released in July 2010, showing the same basic airframe design as the Su-33. On May 7, 2010, the aircraft conducted its first takeoff from a simulated ski-jump on land. On November 25, 2012, the aircraft successfully performed its first takeoff and landing on Liaoning, China's first operational aircraft carrier. The twin-seat variant, J-15S, made its maiden flight on November 4, 2012. After conclusion of the flight-test phase, in 2013 the first 24 J-15 aircraft were delivered to the Naval Aviation’s Carrier Fighter Group. For more details of development, design, operational history, and 5 variants, click here.
