Pakistan hankers after China's J-31 stealth fighter
China's J-31 fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, which will be fitted with a made-in-China engine, is being highly sought after by Pakistan, reports the state-run China News Service.
The J-31, also known as "Gyrfalcon" or Falcon Hawk by some military enthusiasts, is a twin-engine, mid-size fighter currently under development by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. The jet revealed some new additions last week at the 10th Zhuhai Airshow in southern China's Guangdong province, displaying a metallic film designed to improve stealth and prevent radar waves from penetrating the inside of the cockpit.
The plane's chief designer, Sun Cong, also told reporters that the J-31 won't just have a "made in China" exterior, but will also have a "Chinese heart," indicating that the aircraft's engine will also be domestically developed.
It is believed that the J-31 matches a strong need for fifth-generation fighters by Pakistan, which is struggling to find an aircraft to go up against the Russian-developed T-50 fifth-generation fighter currently being modified for export to part-financier India.
Of the current fifth-generation fighters, the only one being exported on a wide scale is the F-35 Lightning II, for which the costs of development are being shared by NATO members or close US allies. The US-made F-22 Raptor and Chinese-made J-20 do not appear to be being prepared for export at this stage.
The smaller J-31 is not necessarily perfect for Pakistan because of its lower fuel capability and narrower battle radius, but its agility and strong stealth capabilities are considered to be strong positives. The most attractive aspect of the jet, however, is its price, which should be well below that of the F-35, expected to cost between US$150 million to US$300 million depending on the model.
The most advanced fighter jet being exported by China right now is the JF-17 Thunder, a lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation of China. Given that it is not particularly cheap and its capabilities are arguably no stronger than upgraded secondhand versions of the F-16, the JF-17 has so far had difficulty locating buyers apart from the Pakistan Air Force.
Pakistan hankers after China's J-31 stealth fighter|Politics|News|WantChinaTimes.com