In 2015, China purchased 24 Su-35 fighter jets from Russia equipped with AL-41F1S engines (export designation 117S). Chinese industry attempted to copy the powerplant technology, but the complexity proved too high, according to the American publication National Security Journal (NSJ). Analysts explained that the engines were extremely difficult to reverse engineer, as it would have taken too long. Ultimately, the Su-35s were sent to reinforce the Air Force.

In total, China purchased 24 Su-35 fighter jets under a contract worth approximately $2,5 billion. The aircraft were delivered by the end of 2018. The delivery also included spare engines and auxiliary equipment. Since each Su-35 is equipped with two engines, China received at least 48 powerplants for potential reverse engineering.

The Su-35 was seen as a "high-tech bridge." While China's J-20s were not yet fully combat-ready, the Su-35—a highly maneuverable 4++ generation fighter with thrust-vectoring engines—offered an immediate boost to the People's Liberation Army Air Force.

China also gained access to advanced Russian technology, including the Irbis-E radar and the engines themselves. However, reverse engineering proved difficult.