Article Summary: China’s Chengdu J-10C “Vigorous Dragon” is a 4.5-generation multirole fighter designed to rival the F-16. Featuring an advanced AESA radar, canard-delta wing configuration for agility, and the domestically produced WS-10B engine, the J-10C is being aggressively marketed for export.
Key Point #1 – Countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh have purchased the jet, while Iran has expressed interest, claiming it outperforms the F-16. The J-10C’s eleven hardpoints support a diverse weapons load, including air-to-air, anti-ship, and air-to-surface missiles.
Key Point #2 – While China promotes it as a superior alternative, its true combat effectiveness will depend on pilot skill and real-world performance against Western aircraft.
The J-10C Fighter: China’s Answer to the F-16?
The Chinese built the Chengdu J-10C “Vigorous Dragon” and showcased it for the first time at an Air Show in Dubai last August.
The aircraft had just undergone upgrades, including the powerful WS-10B engine and advanced electronic warfare systems.
The Chengdu J-10C “Vigorous Dragon” (NATO code-named “Firebird”) is a 4.5 generation medium-weight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft with a delta-wing design, AESA radar and diverse weapons array.
With 11 hardpoints, it carries air-to-air, anti-ship, air-to-surface missiles, and laser-guided bombs. That was designed and built in China.
The Chengdu J-10C “Vigorous Dragon” Export Goals
The Chengdu J-10 C is being aggressively exported to the Middle East and sold to Bangladesh and Pakistan, with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria interested in obtaining the airframe. Iran is also reportedly interested, calling it a rival with better performance than the F-16.
Iranian Interest And a Shot At the US
Iranian Air Force Commander Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi met with his Chinese counterpart, General Chang Dingqiu, to discuss possible areas of cooperation between the two services while discussing the J-10’s capabilities.
Iran’s mullahs have not directly called for the terrorist nation to acquire the Chinese combat aircraft. Money is likely the driving force. However, the Iranian Air Force Commander’s inspection of the J-10C drew the media’s interest in attendance, which was probably the intent.
Although military officers attending observed that the aircraft was a viable option for the Iranian Air Force in terms of capability and price.
An Iranian news media outlet controlled by the government (they all are) called ‘Iran Observer’ wrote on the social media site X, formerly Twitter, “With a price tag of $40 million, 100 J-10s will cost $4 billion. The J-10s are better than the F-16s in terms of weapons and flight performance.”
China offered it to Brazil, but the Brazilian government declined.
Apparently, China wanted access to the Alcântara Launch Center. However, China could have triggered concerns within Brazil’s traditional allies, particularly the United States, given the site’s strategic importance and the implications for regional security dynamics.
It should be noted that China’s offer of the J-10CE is not just about exporting fighter jets—it’s about extending its influence into Latin America’s defense sector.
The J-10C’s Capabilities
The J-10CE (export version) integrates advanced avionics, weaponry, and stealth features that mark a significant upgrade over its predecessors in the J-10 family.
Its aerodynamic configuration features a delta wing and canard layout at the core of the J-10CE’s design. This design choice enhances maneuverability and control at high angles of attack, making the aircraft highly agile in dogfights. The airframe incorporates composite materials to reduce weight and radar cross-section, contributing to its semi-stealth capabilities.
It looks remarkably like the F-16, with the exception of the canards. And we all know China’s penchant for industrial appropriation (stealing other aircraft’s designs); their espionage is well known and considered a typical modus operandi for the nation.
At the Zhuhai Air Show in November 2024, China displayed a Chengdu J-10CE fighter jet, marked with tail numbers 74825 and tail number 9001, the latter of which was widely anticipated to join the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) after the exhibition.
The J-10CE model includes various upgrades, such as a staggered dual missile pylon system incorporating two short-range missiles, six beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles, and external drop tanks, expanding its payload and operational range.
The J-10CE has added the KLJ-10 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which aims to improve detection and targeting in environments with significant jamming interference. Positioned on the aircraft’s nose, the AESA radar, the Chinese claim, has an approximately 50-kilometer detection range advantage over the F-16C Block 52 radar system, giving the J-10CE the advantage to engage enemy aircraft from a greater distance
The powerplant for the J-10CE was the Russian-made AL-31FN; now, they are transitioning to the domestically produced WS-10B turbofan engine. Both options provide a thrust-to-weight ratio that supports the aircraft’s agility and allows it to achieve supersonic speeds of Mach 1.8 easily.
The WS-10B is especially noted for its reliability and performance improvements, including increased thrust and reduced maintenance needs compared to the Russian powerplant.
Armament of the J-10C
Of the 11 external hardpoints, it allows the aircraft to carry a variety of weapons. Air-to-air missiles include the Chinese-made Python PL-8 and the Russian-made Vympel R-73 or R-77. The J-10 can also carry anti-ship missiles. Plus, air-to-surface missiles and laser-guided bombs.
Airforce-Technology.com wrote, “The aircraft can be fitted with a forward-looking infrared and laser target designator pod, which supports deployment of laser and satellite navigation guided weapons.”
On paper, this is a good match for the F-16s that the Taiwanese fly. However, it will (as always) come down to the expertise and the experience of the pilots in the cockpits. Hopefully, this won’t ever happen, but China is intent on reunifying the country.
China’s J-10 Fighter: A Photo Essay
J-10 Fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Chinese J-10 fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
J-10 Fighter.
J-10 Fighter. Image: Creative Commons.
A Chengdu J-10 fighter of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 19FortyFive, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
