For the first time, the Pakistan Day parade on March 23 next year would feature a fly-past of Chinese multirole J-10C fighter jets, according to Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.
“In response to India’ Rafale, Pakistan Air Force is going to perform a fly-past with Chinese J-10C planes,” he said on Wednesday.
Rasheed commented that the addition of the J-10s are a direct response to the purchase of the French-made Rafale by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2016 and said that J-10C aircraft are far superior to the French fighters.
Reports suggested that Pakistan will acquire 36 J-10C fighters from China.
There are no details yet on the model of the Vigorous Dragon purchased for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The news has not yet been officially confirmed by either of the two countries.
J-10 (Vigorous Dragon)
J-10C is the latest variant of J-10, which was inducted into the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in April 2018.
The J-10 (Jian 10 or Fighter 10) is China’s indigenously built multi-role fighter aircraft developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry.
“The J-10C is equipped with an advanced active phased array airborne radar system, can use PL-15 missiles with a range of up to two hundred kilometers, and its use of DSI inlets effectively reduces the frontal radar reflection area” according to a Chinese website.
In March 2021, Wang Songxi, the J-16 flight instructor revealed: “Last year we had the opportunity to engage in an aerial confrontation with fighter jets of the same era as the J-10C. In the entire confrontation process, we were basically on equal terms. In fact, there is no clear winner.”