Pakistan officially confirms China’s proposal to equip its Air Force with up to 40 new J-35A stealth fighters
In a series of announcements published today, the government of Pakistan officially confirmed significant news that had begun circulating in recent days regarding the acquisition of new stealth fighters for its Air Force, thereby reinforcing a fleet primarily composed of Chinese J-10CE aircraft—which have already seen combat against their Indian counterparts—and JF-17s. Specifically, Islamabad detailed that the proposal involves up to 40 new J-35A fighters produced by China, which would make the country the first foreign customer of the new platform.
The development had already been hinted at earlier this week by Pakistani officials, who, speaking anonymously to specialized media outlets, revealed that the country was preparing to receive the first units in the coming months—though at the time, the number of aircraft and the official nature of the deal remained unconfirmed. That has now been clarified through a brief official government statement published on social media. It was also previously indicated that the first Pakistani pilots had already traveled to China to begin training with the aircraft, in line with the upcoming integration of these jets in the near future.
It is worth noting that the aircraft had already been seen conducting various test flights over Chinese skies, as well as in mock-up form observed on multiple occasions on the decks of People’s Liberation Army Navy aircraft carriers. This detail is particularly significant, as the J-35 is the first stealth fighter developed by China specifically intended to operate as part of the embarked wings on its flagship carriers, whose numbers are currently expanding—alongside the port infrastructure required to deploy them.
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Furthermore, it’s important to recall that the J-35 fighter, developed by the local company Shenyang, was officially unveiled during the Zhuhai Airshow 2024 held late last year. On that occasion, the aircraft was showcased alongside a mock-up of China’s other stealth fighter, the J-20—forming a pairing similar to that of the U.S. Air Force’s F-22 and F-35. During the same event, Russia’s Su-57 fighter was also presented as part of the exhibition, although in this case, its presence was overshadowed by video footage highlighting its rough finishings.
Broadening the focus on the Sino-Pakistani partnership, it’s also worth highlighting that Pakistan’s Air Force is expected to receive new KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, which will serve as a crucial complement to the deployment of the aforementioned J-35s. Additionally, Islamabad is seeking to acquire a new batch of Chinese HQ-19 ballistic missile defense systems, in response to the need to enhance its air defense network amid ongoing tensions with India.
*Images used for illustrative purposes only.
DATE . JUN/8/2025
