China has deployed J-11B heavyweight air superiority fighters and its
new J-10C ‘4++ generation’ multirole jets as part of a contingent participating in joint drills with the Pakistani Air Force under the Shaheen IX exercises. China’s Assistant Chief of Staff, People’s Liberation Army (PLA)) Air Force Major General Sun Hong attended the opening ceremony of the exercises, announcing: “The joint exercise will improve the actual level of combat training and strengthen practical cooperation between the two air forces”. Welcoming the Chinese contingent, Pakistani Air Vice Marshal Waqas Ahmed Sulehri said: “The joint exercise will provide an opportunity to further enhance interoperability of both the air forces, fortifying brotherly relations between the two countries”. The exercise began just a week after Chinese State Councillor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe met with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi during a visit to the country. The two have a long history of joint exercises and close military cooperation, with Pakistan’s armed forces increasingly recant on Chinese military hardware and recently ordering Type 054 frigates, VT-4 battle tanks, JF-17 fighter jets, PL-12 air to air missiles and Type 039 submarines among others.
Chinese J-11B Heavyweight Fighter
The J-10C and J-11B are two of the more capable fighters in the Chinese fleet, and the most formidable ever to have been deployed for exercises abroad. Both aircraft are significantly more capable than those in Pakistani service, with the elite of the Pakistani Air Force comprised of basic fourth generation lightweight designs - namely the JF-17 and
F-16. The J-11B has over double the engine power of any Pakistani fighter, and is one of the most widely operated fighters in Chinese service. Many of the fighters have recently been
upgraded to the J-11BG standard, which has included equipping them with AESA radars, new avionics and electronic warfare systems and a range of new weaponry. The J-11 is notably derived from the Soviet Su-27 Flanker design, which was also the basis for development of the Su-30MKI fighter that is
currently the most capable in the Indian fleet. The J-11BG has notable advantages in situational awareness and weaponry over the Indian fighter however.
Chinese J-10C '4++ Generation' Fighter
The J-10C is one of the
latest additions to the PLA Air Force’s fighter fleet, joining in the spring of 2018 and representing the world’s very first ‘4++ generation’ lightweight fighter. Alongside its American rival thee F-35, it its considered one of the two most capable single engine fighters in the world today and benefits from a range of very high end technologies. These include stealth features and radar absorbent coatings, as well as a powerful AESA radar, state of the art data links, AESA radar guided PL-15 long range missiles and PL-10 high off-boresight infrared homing missiles. The J-10C’s combination of a light but durable high composite airframe and
powerful WS-10B engines provides an extreme degree of manoeuvrability with few rivals in the world. The fighter’s sophistication allows it to
go head to head with much heaver aircraft on favourable terms, including the J-11B, Su-30MKI and even the
Su-35 which Russia has marketed to India.
Pakistani Air Force JF-17B Light Fighter
Participating on the Pakistani side were JF-17, J-7 and older Mirage III fighters, the latter two being very lightweight third generation designs which are expected to begin to be phased out of service over the coming decade. A number of unverified reports have indicated that Pakistan is considering
acquiring the J-10C to
form elite new fighter units, and while the jets are more expensive and cost more to operate than the JF-17 their performance advantages could make this worthwhile. The Pakistani Air Force is currently expecting to receive its first fighters with capabilities above those of the standard fourth generation - namely the JF-17 Block 3 which
benefits from many of the same technologies as the J-10C including similar avionics and access to PL-15 missiles.
Elite Chinese Fighters in Pakistan For Shaheen IX Exercises: How Powerful Are The J-10C and J-11B Jets? (militarywatchmagazine.com)