Pakistan Air Force “12-14 Years” Ahead of India Due to 5th Gen FC-31 Fighter Jet Acquisition
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
According to retired Pakistan Air Force officer Air Commodore Zia Ul Haque Shamshi, the acquisition of the FC-31 will give Pakistan a strategic advantage over the Indian Air Force for the next 12 to 14 years.
( DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA)– Pakistan’s decision to acquire China’s fifth-generation fighter jet, the FC-31 “Gyrfalcon,” is set to provide its air force with a significant edge over its traditional adversary, India, in terms of aerial capabilities.
According to retired Pakistan Air Force officer Air Commodore Zia Ul Haque Shamshi, the acquisition of the FC-31 will give Pakistan a strategic advantage over the Indian Air Force for the next 12 to 14 years.
“India is not expected to obtain fifth-generation fighter capabilities within that period, which will grant Pakistan a significant strategic upper hand,” he stated.
Earlier this year, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) hinted at its intention to acquire the FC-31 “Gyrfalcon,” developed by China’s Shenyang Aircraft Corporation.
PAF Chief of Staff Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu reportedly mentioned at an event last year that the FC-31 would soon enter service with the Air Force.
“Negotiations have already taken place to facilitate the acquisition of the FC-31, which will soon become a part of the Pakistan Air Force,” he remarked.
Recently, Pakistani media reported that the PAF has already dispatched a group of pilots to China to train on the FC-31, further solidifying Pakistan’s move towards obtaining fifth-generation fighter jets.
The FC-31, the second stealth fighter developed by China after the J-20 “Mighty Dragon,” is not intended for export and is exclusively used by the Chinese Air Force.
Adding the FC-31 to its fleet will further bolster the PAF’s inventory of Chinese fighter jets, which already includes the J-10C and the JF-17, co-developed by Islamabad and Beijing.
Reports of Pakistani pilots training on the FC-31 underline Pakistan’s clear trajectory towards acquiring fifth-generation fighter capabilities, a development that has raised concerns in neighboring India, which still relies on 4.5-generation fighters like the Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Rafale.
India now faces the prospect of confronting not only China, which already operates the J-20 fifth-generation fighter, but also Pakistan, which is likely to field the FC-31 soon.
Analysts suggest that Pakistan’s acquisition of the FC-31, as reported by local media, is intended to replace its aging fleet of American-made F-16s and French-made Mirage 5 jets.
If Pakistan’s acquisition of the FC-31 is confirmed, it could shift the regional air power balance, presenting a significant challenge to India.
The FC-31 will enhance Pakistan’s tactical flexibility, enabling it to penetrate deeper into enemy airspace.
China is actively promoting the FC-31 for export and has established a special office to attract potential international customers.
However, Beijing has restricted the export of the J-20 “Mighty Dragon,” similar to the U.S. policy regarding the F-22 Raptor, out of concern that advanced technologies could fall into enemy hands.
The FC-31 is a single-seat, twin-engine, medium-sized fifth-generation stealth fighter with robust stealth capabilities and a competitive cost structure.
Media reports indicate that the FC-31 is being prepared for deployment on China’s aircraft carriers, akin to the F-35B and the latest F-35C developed by Lockheed Martin.
Although detailed technical specifications remain undisclosed, it is known that the FC-31’s Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) has increased from 25,000 kg to 28,000 kg, and it is equipped with WS-19 engines producing 12 tons of thrust.
The fighter jet features two internal bays, each capable of carrying two medium-range air-to-air missiles, as well as hardpoints for a variety of bombs and missiles.
Reference Link:- https://defencesecurityasia.com/en/pakistan-air-force-12-14-years-ahead-of-india-due-to-5th-gen-fc-31-fighter-jet-acquisition-2/
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Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan Founder & Chair, Global Silk Route Research Alliance
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
