China unveils J-10 fighter

Military officers from 47 countries appraised the specifications and performance of the Chengdu J-10 multirole fighter aircraft at Yangcun Air Force base near Tianjin, 100 km from Beijing, and said they were impressed.

On Tuesday, the Chinese Defense Ministry invited foreign guests to attend an exclusive show involving the August 1 aerobatic team from the 24th Fighter Division of the People's Liberation Army’s Air Force.

A large group of foreign military officers were invited to appraise the Chengdu J-10 generation 3+, single-seat multirole fighter developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation in collaboration with the 611th Aircraft Design Institute.

Although development of the J-10 fighter began in the 1980s and it performed its maiden flight in 2002, the People's Liberation Army did not announce its entry into service until late 2006.

“We have never seen it fly until now … It’s a good time for the world’s air forces to know that the People's Liberation Army of China has a valuable and important aircraft in the skies,” Salman Ahsan Bokhari, Pakistan’s military attache to China, said after the 15-minute air show.

“Yes, we have been given the option to purchase this aircraft, and we are studying the proposal,” the Pakistani military attache said. Yan Feng, commander of the 24th Fighter Division based at Yangcun Air Force, told journalists that one J-10 fighter costs about 190 million yuan ($27.9 million).

Western representatives also gave positive assessments of the air show and the fighter itself.

British Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Attaché Steven Wilson said this was a good third-generation aircraft capable of vying with other planes in its class, and that the pilots were wonderful. Photo: A J-10 fighter pilot.

The J-10’s developers and its main customers are happy with the fighter’s performance. Yan Feng, commander of the 24th Fighter Division, told visitors that maneuverability, reliability and an integrated onboard service system were its main merits, and that he was proud that China had developed such an aircraft.

Yan Feng, Commander of the 24th Fighter Division, said China would never use such military equipment against its “friends,” and that the August 1 aerobatic team currently performing at Chinese parades and air shows would probably take part in demonstration flights elsewhere next year.

The first Chinese-made fighter features both Russian and Israeli technology, including a Russian-made AL-31F power plant. Assistant Air Force Attaché Alexander Korenev from the Russian Embassy in Beijing said that Russia has long regarded J-10-type fighters as obsolete but noted the high professionalism of Chinese pilots and their stunt flying.

“Today, they displayed high professionalism and cohesion, highlighting the impressive personnel-training standards of the Chinese Air Force,” Korenev said. Despite its rapid development, the Chinese Air Force still relies heavily on Russian technology and know-how, he added.