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The Significance of J-11s Over Pakistan; How Chinese Aircraft Deployed During the Shaheen VI Exercises Complement the Capabilities of the Pakistani Air Force
During China and Pakistan's recent Shaheen joint military exercises China's choice of combat aircraft deployed alongside their Pakistani partners had significant implications regarding future cooperation between the two countries' air forces. With Pakistan's Air Force predominantly comprised of light multirole platforms such as the F-16 and JF-17, and with no plans for the acquisition of more specialized high performance platforms, the Chinese aircraft were highly complementary to Pakistan's own force composition. Rather than send their own J-10 multirole fighter, roughy analogous to those comprising Pakistan's own fleet, China deployed its highly specialized JH-7 strike fighter alongside the high performance J-11 air superiority fighter. These combat aircraft both represented highly potent specialized capabilities which Pakistan's own Air Force lacked.
With tensions between Pakistan and India simmering, it is worthy of note that the Indian Air Force maintains a far more specialized body of fighters than its Pakistani counterparts. In particular India's large fleet of advanced Su-30MKI air superiority fighters present an air to air combat capability which the Pakistani Air Force would find extremely difficult to match - assuming a similar quality of pilots. All previous engagements between light multirole and high performance air superiority platforms have in the past ended similarly - with an overwhelming victory for the air superiority platform. This colossal Indian advantage, combined with Pakistan's lack of advanced air defense systems to deny Indian Sukhois access to its airspace, leaves Pakistan at the very real risk of losing control of its airspace - something which would give Indian forces a significant advantage in a future war. China's growing security ties with Pakistan however may well lead to a shift towards a greater balance of forces in the air.
The J-11 is roughly analogous in its capabilities to India's Su-30MKI - both having been developed from the advanced Soviet Su-27 air superiority fighter. The J-11 provides a capability which Pakistan sorely lacks, and largely nullified India's primary advantage in the air. China's deployment of the JH-7 also gives a much needed boost to Pakistan's otherwise negligible ground attack capabilities. What the Chinese deployment signifies is that the country seeks parity and stability in South Asia - and ultimately for neither party to be able of capable of waging an aggressive war on the other. J-11s are among China's most potent fighters fielded in their hundreds, and their appearance on India's Western borders sends a strong signal that should China provide Pakistan with even minimal support, India would not enjoy such a one sided advantage in an air war with Pakistan as it otherwise would against its fleet of light F-16 and JF-17 fighters. By deploying the J-11 rather than more advanced platforms such as the J-20 however, a fifth generation platform currently unmatched by anything in the Indian Air Force, China has indicated that it does not seek an arms race or destabilization in South Asia - only strategic balance between the two regional powers. Ultimately maintaining peace in the region remains the Chinese strategic priority, not only because it already faces far more serious security threats on its eastern borders - but also because the future of its One Belt Road initiative depends on it. The presence of advanced air superiority fighters over Pakistani airspace however remains a critical development towards negating India's otherwise formidable advantage in the air.
Shown below: Chinese J-11 (left) and Pakistani JF-17 (right); Chinese JH-7 Strike Fighter; Chinese and Pakistani Pilots Share Operational Control of the Same Aircraft; Shenyang J-11 Air Superiority Fighter; Chinese J-20 Fifth Generation Fighter.
During China and Pakistan's recent Shaheen joint military exercises China's choice of combat aircraft deployed alongside their Pakistani partners had significant implications regarding future cooperation between the two countries' air forces. With Pakistan's Air Force predominantly comprised of light multirole platforms such as the F-16 and JF-17, and with no plans for the acquisition of more specialized high performance platforms, the Chinese aircraft were highly complementary to Pakistan's own force composition. Rather than send their own J-10 multirole fighter, roughy analogous to those comprising Pakistan's own fleet, China deployed its highly specialized JH-7 strike fighter alongside the high performance J-11 air superiority fighter. These combat aircraft both represented highly potent specialized capabilities which Pakistan's own Air Force lacked.
With tensions between Pakistan and India simmering, it is worthy of note that the Indian Air Force maintains a far more specialized body of fighters than its Pakistani counterparts. In particular India's large fleet of advanced Su-30MKI air superiority fighters present an air to air combat capability which the Pakistani Air Force would find extremely difficult to match - assuming a similar quality of pilots. All previous engagements between light multirole and high performance air superiority platforms have in the past ended similarly - with an overwhelming victory for the air superiority platform. This colossal Indian advantage, combined with Pakistan's lack of advanced air defense systems to deny Indian Sukhois access to its airspace, leaves Pakistan at the very real risk of losing control of its airspace - something which would give Indian forces a significant advantage in a future war. China's growing security ties with Pakistan however may well lead to a shift towards a greater balance of forces in the air.
The J-11 is roughly analogous in its capabilities to India's Su-30MKI - both having been developed from the advanced Soviet Su-27 air superiority fighter. The J-11 provides a capability which Pakistan sorely lacks, and largely nullified India's primary advantage in the air. China's deployment of the JH-7 also gives a much needed boost to Pakistan's otherwise negligible ground attack capabilities. What the Chinese deployment signifies is that the country seeks parity and stability in South Asia - and ultimately for neither party to be able of capable of waging an aggressive war on the other. J-11s are among China's most potent fighters fielded in their hundreds, and their appearance on India's Western borders sends a strong signal that should China provide Pakistan with even minimal support, India would not enjoy such a one sided advantage in an air war with Pakistan as it otherwise would against its fleet of light F-16 and JF-17 fighters. By deploying the J-11 rather than more advanced platforms such as the J-20 however, a fifth generation platform currently unmatched by anything in the Indian Air Force, China has indicated that it does not seek an arms race or destabilization in South Asia - only strategic balance between the two regional powers. Ultimately maintaining peace in the region remains the Chinese strategic priority, not only because it already faces far more serious security threats on its eastern borders - but also because the future of its One Belt Road initiative depends on it. The presence of advanced air superiority fighters over Pakistani airspace however remains a critical development towards negating India's otherwise formidable advantage in the air.
Shown below: Chinese J-11 (left) and Pakistani JF-17 (right); Chinese JH-7 Strike Fighter; Chinese and Pakistani Pilots Share Operational Control of the Same Aircraft; Shenyang J-11 Air Superiority Fighter; Chinese J-20 Fifth Generation Fighter.
