(MENAFN- Live Mint) In a significant geopolitical move, Pakistan is to purchase 40 Chinese stealth fighter jets, known as J-35s, according to a media report. The South China Morning Post, published in Hong Kong, reports that China will deliver all 40 stealth fighter jets in less than two years, citing Pakistani media.
According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, the deal would be Beijing's first transfer of fifth-generation planes to a foreign ally and is anticipated to rebalance regional dynamics, especially concerning India, Pakistan's competitor.
The reports of Pakistan's plans to acquire China's latest fighter jets come after top PLA General Zhang Youxia visited Pakistan last month and had one-on-one discussions with Gen Asim Munir, the head of Pakistan's Army. Under President Xi Jinping, Gen Zhang serves as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), which is in charge of the Chinese military.
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There is no official confirmation from Beijing or mention of such a deal in the official media.
All about China's J-35 fighter
According to reports, the J-35 is a lighter version of the J-20 and is largely considered a jet fighter designed for Chinese aircraft carriers. The J-35 is China's second fifth-generation fighter, following the J-20. The US Lockheed Martin F-35 and the J-35 share a similar design; the only distinction is that the latter has a single engine while the former has twin engines.
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According to earlier accounts, the land-based J-35 was known as J-31. Currently, China is the only nation in the area to have created stealth aircraft.
In an earlier article, the Chinese Communist Party's mouthpiece, Global Times, stated that the J-35A operates in stealth and counter-stealth combat settings. Gaining and retaining air supremacy, destroying adversarial fourth and fifth-generation fighter planes and ground and surface air defence units, and intercepting aerial hostile targets such as fighters, bombers, and cruise missiles are the key objectives of its mission, according to the statement.
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China and Pakistan, all-weather friends, have a close military partnership. Beijing has assisted in modernising all three branches of the Pakistani military. China and Pakistan jointly developed and operated the PAF's workhorse, the J-17 Thunder fighter jet. In recent years, China has provided the Pakistan Navy with four cutting-edge naval frigates, allowing it to play a larger role alongside its navy in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean.
-With agency inputs
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