Russia has developed an improved engine for J-10 capable of TVC.
If any of our Chinese member could confirm the type of engine that will be used in J-10s for Pakistan.
Will it be AL-31FN (without TVC) or AL-31FN M1 (with TVC)?
From Sinodefence:
"Salyut has also introduced an improved version of the AL-31FN, featuring a fully variable, all-aspect thrust vector control (TVC) nozzle and an increased afterburning thrust of 124.54kN (12,700kg, 27,998lb). Currently Salyut is actively marketing the engine to China, but it is not known whether this engine will be fitted on future production J-10 fighters."
From another source:
"The more highly powered and advanced variant of the J-10, the Super-10, first reported in 2006, is fitted with the AL-31FN M1 supplied by Salyut. The AL-31FN M1 provides 132.5kN and is equipped with full authority digital engine control and a four-way swivelling exhaust nozzle for vectored thrust."
Now Taihang(ws-10) is getting ready, and AL-31FN will get no chance.
The airforce of PLA prefer fighters with homemade engines,
since during a war, we can made thousands or tens of thousands of them.
Ws-10 was developed for J-10 and J-11, so no forign engines will be used any more when Ws-10 has been mature.
In resent years, China is working on almost all kinds of engines,
some of them are list below, and some are still remain top serect.
WS-10 for J-10/J-11
WS-13 for JF-17
WS-18(a copy of the engine used in IL-76) for H-6K(Chinese Bomber)
WS-15 for J-XX (5-gereneration Fighter)
Deffrent from other countries, PLAAF will never be satisfied with any engines that China cannot product herself, that's why J-8F is still under production while J-10 and J-11 are all perfect now.
So russian engines will get no chance, no matter how good they are.
But when reffering to the fighters for Pakistan, their engine could only be desided by PAF's choice.