The J-10 ‘Vigorous Dragon’ combat aircraft of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) took to the skies for its maiden flight in 1998, and even after 27 years, the aircraft’s latest J-10C variant continues to attract interest.
The J-10 took its first flight on March 23, 1998, catapulting China into a small club of nations that had independently developed a third-generation fighter or, in other commonly used classification systems, a fourth-generation fighter jet.
The aircraft was designed by Song Wencong at the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), who passed away in 2016. For Beijing, the J-10 represented a radical step ahead in its journey in indigenous fighter production. Before this jet was developed, China’s inventory of fighter jets mainly comprised Soviet-made aircraft and license-built versions of Soviet-origin platforms.
The CAC further unveiled more advanced variants of the J-10 and later produced the J-20 Mighty Dragon fifth-generation fighter jet. The company is now working on the sixth-generation J-36, with prototype testing already underway. The aircraft recently undertook its second test flight.
China started developing the J-10 in 1984, shortly after the United States and the erstwhile Soviet Union inducted the F-16 Fighting Falcon and Mikoyan MiG-29 in 1978 and 1983, respectively.
However, the indigenous development of a combat aircraft of a comparable generation was not without challenges. The aircraft had a rather slow-paced early development phase.
Later, as development proceeded, the aircraft could not be equipped with the indigenous WS-10 engines, as originally planned. In his book Modern Chinese Warplanes: Chinese Air Force — Aircraft and Units, author and Chinese aerospace observer Andreas Rupprecht also notes that the J-10’s planned WS-10 engine had significant issues that nearly brought the project to a complete halt.
Several of the J-10 fighters, like most Chinese fighter jets, used Soviet-made Saturn-Lyulka AL-31 engines. Notably, Beijing had been completely reliant on Russian jet engine technology until a few years ago. Nonetheless, the issues plaguing the J-10 inspired a rethink in design and modifications to the existing aircraft.
The Chinese J-10 aircraft also had its fair share of controversies. Earlier, several reports alleged that Israelis shared classified information about the US-funded LAVI, the Israeli fourth-generation fighter jet with a similar configuration developed in the 1980s, with the CAC.
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According to these reports, the LAVI was heavily equipped with US technology but could not get past the prototype stage due to a halt in US funding. These claims could not be independently verified. However, you can read a previous in-depth EurAsian Times report on the issue here.
The J-10 Is A Charismatic Fighter Jet
The J-10 was first inducted into the PLAAF in 2003 after 18 years of development and testing. Since then, the aircraft has undergone several upgrades.
The earliest variant of the aircraft was known as the J-10A, followed by the land-based naval J-10AH variant. China also developed a tandem two-seat variant called the J-10AS or the J-10ASH for maritime use.
The two-seater J-10AS variant was inducted into service following its initial flight in 2003 and certification in late 2005.
Then came the J-10B series—a rather revolutionary upgrade to the aircraft at the time. The J-10B, powered by the Saturn-Lyuika AL-3FN Series 3 engine that provided increased thrust than the older models, was unveiled to the public in 2009.
The J-10B came equipped with a wide-angle holographic head-up display (HUD), a helmet-mounted display, three big-color multi-functional displays (MFDs), an infrared search and track (IRST), and a laser rangefinder ball in front of the canopy.
Soon after the serial production of J-10B began, the latest J-10C variant was also seen for the first time in late December 2013.
The J-10C is the latest variant of the aircraft. It entered combat service in 2018. Chinese state media projects this particular variant as a 4.5th-generation fighter and frequently compares it to the upgraded models of the American F-16 Fighting Falcon. Like the F-16, it has a fly-by-wire flight control system that uses a computer to stabilize its extremely agile, aerodynamically unstable airframe.
Most importantly, J-10Cs have also been fitted with the indigenously developed Shenyang WS-10 engine, China’s first successful turbofan fighter engine. The aircraft has an imaging infrared seeker (IIR) PL-10, PL-15 air-to-air missiles, and an integrated AESA radar.
Its state-of-the-art features include computerized glass cockpit instruments, electronic warfare, accurate air-to-ground strikes, fighting beyond visual range, and in-flight refueling.
The aircraft can operate in any weather conditions. Although air-to-air combat is its primary function, it can also conduct strike missions. In fact, Chinese experts have hailed the aircraft as a revolutionary combat jet, often citing its smaller radar signature and improved sensors and weapons for visible and beyond-visual-range combat.
The Chinese multirole fighter also incorporates a forward-facing target designator pod that uses laser and infrared technology. This pod was designed to enable the use of lasers and satellite navigation-guided weapons, which enhance the aircraft’s capability in combat.
Last year, a video published by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) showed a very rare refueling of seven J-10C Fighter jets by a single YY-20 refueling aircraft in a stunning display of PLAAF’s might. The J-10C aircraft were on their way to participate in the World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia.
The latest aircraft variant has also spurred buyer interest in the export market, especially since it has been positioned as a cost-effective 4+ generation fighter jet to countries skeptical of buying Western equipment that comes with the substantial risk of sanctions.
J-10C Stimulates Buyer Interest
China’s closest ally, Pakistan, became the first buyer of the J-10C in 2021. The country was previously known to have shown interest in the J-10A, followed by the J-10B a few years later. However, according to reports, it eventually decided to buy 25 J-10C fighters, keeping the option open for a purchase of 11 additional fighters in the future.
The aircraft was inducted into the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in 2022, with the then-air chief calling it a “historic occasion.” The former PAF chief Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Baba said, “With multi-domain capability, J-10C would indeed revolutionize Pakistan Air Force’s operational thought. It will enhance net-centric and integrated employment of electronic warfare while ensuring retention of first shoot capabilities.”
The J-10C also participated in a flypast on March 23, 2022, on the occasion of the Pakistan Day Parade, which coincided with its first flight anniversary.
The aircraft has since been displayed at several air shows worldwide to push it into the export market. Earlier, reports indicated that the aircraft was considered for purchase by the Bangladesh Air Force.
The news about the possible acquisition of J-10C aircraft followed Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan’s visit to China in November 2024. He reportedly expressed Bangladesh’s desire to acquire about 16 J-10C multirole combat aircraft from China. However, the country has also expressed interest in the J-17 Block III aircraft, jointly developed by China and Pakistan.
While the country is looking to overhaul its military and carry out a comprehensive modernization, the ultimate decision will depend on a host of other factors. The EurAsian Times published a detailed comparative analysis of the two fighter jets and Dhaka’s military modernization efforts, which can be read here.
The aircraft received significant attention at the China Air Show held in Zhuhai in November 2024, with air chiefs from Azerbaijan and Iran seen inspecting the aircraft. The images floating on social media led to speculation that Tehran could be assessing the acquisition of the aircraft amid rising security threats in the region.
Publishing the photograph of the visit by the Iranian Commander, a popular Iranian news media outlet ‘Iran Observer’ wrote on the social media site X (formerly Twitter): “With a price tag of $40 million, 100 J-10s will cost $4 billion. The J-10s are better than the F-16s in terms of weapons and flight performance.” However, Tehran never explicitly showed any interest in its purchase.
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China has been aggressively pursuing the Middle East market for its aircraft exports, promoting the J-10C as a better alternative to the US F-16 Fighting Falcons, the European Eurofighter Typhoon, and the French Rafale. China has been trying to capitalize on its aircraft’s cost-competitivity, with each unit costing around US$40–50 million.
There have also been rumors about Egypt acquiring the aircraft. Last month, some local Egyptian media outlets reported that the country had secured the delivery of the aircraft from China. However, the Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian dismissed these claims, saying: “It is inconsistent with the facts. It is total fake news.”
Nevertheless, the J-10 today stands as the poster child of China’s indigenous aviation technology, which has made significant strides since this aircraft was first inducted into service.
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