China's J-10A Vigorous Dragon is superior to French Rafale
China's J-10A flies higher, faster, and carry longer-range PL-12 AAM (air-to-air missile) than French Rafale.
The J-10A carries four PL-12 missiles with 70+ km range that can easily shoot down a French Rafale carrying shorter 50km range MICA missiles.
China has deployed its J-10A fighters along the Indian border. India is buying French Rafale fighters to counter the Chinese J-10A Vigorous Dragons. A comparison shows the Chinese J-10A to be superior to the French Rafale.
The J-10A has a service ceiling of 18,000m. The French Rafale has a lower service ceiling of 16,800m. For combat, the same missile launched at a higher altitude (such as 18,000m) will fly further.
For within-visual-range (WVR) combat, a J-10A can circle above and swoop down with guns blazing on a helpless French Rafale. On the other hand, a French Rafale cannot engage a high-flying J-10A at 18,000m (which is 1,200m beyond the French Rafale's service ceiling).
The J-10A can carry four PL-12 beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles with 70+ km range. However, the MICA missile carried by the French Rafale has a much shorter 50km range (according to GlobalSecurity).
In fairness, I have elected not to cite the higher 100km range for the PL-12 (see
International Assessment and Strategy Center > Research > The Air Balance on the Taiwan Strait).
The J-10A has a faster "maximum speed of Mach 2.2 at altitude" than the significantly slower "Mach 1.8+" for the French Rafale. This means the J-10A can fire its four PL-12 missiles at a French Rafale at 60km and fly home safely. The French Rafale's slower speed means it cannot chase down a J-10A.
The final point is the deadliness of China's PL-12 missiles.
Advanced but Unproved Chinese BVR Medium Range Missile SD-10
"Its seven recent test firings all hit the targets.
...
Experts believe that domestic SD-10's performance has surpassed the U.S. AIM-120A/B, Russian R-77 and the French MICA (Missile d'Interception et de Combat Aerien), etc., and close to the AIM-120C."
[Note: PL-12/SD-10 refer to the same missile.]
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References (for Wikipedia articles, see primary source footnotes):
Chengdu J-10 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dassault Rafale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mica