Minister for Interior of Pakistan Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad said in a public speech to the media on Dec. 28 that Pakistan’s procurement of Chinese J-10C fighter jets will begin service in March 2022 at the earliest and that a full squadron of 25 J-10Cs will fly in Pakistan’s National Day parade on March 23, 2022, according to Pakistani media outlet SAMAA TV on December 29.
Minister Ahmad also commented that Pakistan’s purchase of the J-10C is a direct response to the Indian Army’s purchase of the Rafale, and that these Chinese fighters are far superior to the French fighters.
The J-10C is a third-generation improved supersonic multipurpose fighter developed by China, equipped with a variety of advanced avionics systems including active phased array radar and a number of advanced airborne weapons, with medium- to close-range air control and precision strike capabilities against ground and surface targets. In the past several Zhuhai air shows, its manufacturer AVIC has displayed the export model “J-10CE”.
The Pakistani Air Force has been exposed to the Chinese J-10 series of fighters for times, and the J-10C fighters have participated in the Shaheen (Eagle) exercises of the Pakistani and Chinese air forces (related news one, two). Pakistani media interviewed PAF sources at the time, saying that the Pakistani Air Force was impressed by the J-10C’s agility and excellent avionics.
There is no confirmation of J-10C procurement for the Pakistan Air Force yet, but Pakistan has a long history of J-10C procurement rumors. According to Pakistan’s Institute of Strategic and International Affairs (HSIA) in June, the Pakistan Air Force has signed a contract with AVIC to supply the J-10CE (export version also known as FC-20) fighter.
According to the contract, the Pakistan Air Force will begin receiving J-10CE fighters by the end of 2021, eventually reaching a delivery size of about 36 aircraft and two squadrons. According to the rumors, the 7th Bandits Squadron at Sumer Airbase will be given priority to replace the old Mirage-3s with the J-10Cs.
In addition, Pakistani officials have often discussed the purchase of J-10Cs, and Pakistan’s Senator Afnan Ullah Khan said in his speech to the parliament on the 26th that Pakistan already has a large number of JF-17 fighters and should not buy J-10Cs because they cannot cope with the threat of Rafale fighters ordered by the Indian Air Force from France. He suggested that Pakistan should buy China’s more powerful J-20 fighter jets.
As for the military cooperation between China and Pakistan, Senior Colonel Yang Yujun, spokesman and director of the Information Bureau of the Chinese Ministry of Defense, said previously that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic partners, and the two militaries exchange and cooperate closely and pragmatically.