Vladimir S Mikhaylov, the former commander of the Russian Air Force and director of the Moscow-based United Aircraft Corporation’s Military Aviation Programs Directorate, told Russia’s Radio RSN on June 28 that China is about to sign a contract to import Sukhoi Su-35 fourth-generation fighters from Russia.

While the details of the contract are still under wraps, Russian president Vladimir Putin approved the sale of 24 Su-35S fighters to China back in November of 2012. China will also purchase advanced Saturn AL-41s engines to power the fighters.

The negotiations between China and Russia regarding the sale of the Su-35S fighters are still taking place, according to Russia’s Federal Military-Technical Cooperation Service, and Mikhaylov did not state an exact date when this contract will be signed.

Mikhaylov also discussed cooperation between Russia and India, one of China’s major rivals in South Asia in developing fifth-generation fighter aircraft. Based on Sukhoi’s PAK FA fifth-generation fighter, the fifth-generation fighter has allowed the Indian Air Force to have its own multirole stealth fighter to compete with the PLA’s Chengdu J-20.

Flightglobal, an online news and information website related to the aviation and aerospace industries, reported the fighter will begin production in 2017. Jointly developed by Hindustan Aeronautics and Sukhoi, the primary mission of aircraft is to be able to defeat all types of Chinese fighters in air combat. The sale of the Su-35S to China therefore does not really give the Chinese air force the capability it needs to defeat its potential enemy, the report said.