South Asia: China is reportedly preparing to deliver its next-generation J-35A stealth fighter jets to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) within the coming months. This landmark transfer, if confirmed, would mark the first export of a fifth-generation Chinese combat aircraft, underscoring Beijing’s expanding military-industrial influence and deepening strategic ties with Islamabad.
According to a senior Pakistani government official cited by Janes, the first batch of J-35A fighters—designed and manufactured by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC)—is expected to arrive imminently. The official confirmed that PAF pilots are currently undergoing intensive training in China to operate and maintain the aircraft, highlighting the advanced stage of the bilateral defence collaboration. However, the terms of the procurement and timeline of the agreement remain undisclosed due to its sensitive strategic nature.
Originally conceptualised as a cost-effective multirole stealth fighter to rival the U.S. F-35, the J-35A has evolved into a key element of China’s fifth-generation aerospace development. Though never inducted by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), the platform has served as a vital stepping stone for China’s advanced stealth capabilities. Its export to Pakistan signals a new phase in Chinese defence diplomacy.
Earlier iterations of the J-35A featured Russian-supplied RD-93 engines—also used in the JF-17 Thunder, a joint Sino-Pakistani platform—but the latest variants boast China’s indigenous WS-13E engines. These powerplants offer improved thrust and endurance, enhancing the fighter’s long-range mission viability and combat versatility.
The decision to accelerate the delivery schedule has further raised eyebrows. Originally slated for late 2026, Beijing now aims to complete the initial batch deliveries by the first quarter of the same year. According to sources within the Pakistan Air Force, this fast-tracking is driven by strategic imperatives to counterbalance India’s burgeoning fleet of Rafale and Su-30MKI aircraft.
India’s recent defence acquisitions, including advanced Rafale jets from France and ongoing upgrades to its Su-30MKI fleet, have significantly modernised the Indian Air Force (IAF). In response, Pakistan’s push for stealth capabilities through the J-35A seeks to establish qualitative parity. The move not only adds cutting-edge technologies to Pakistan’s air arsenal but also reshapes regional deterrence dynamics.
Adding to its formidable profile, the J-35A bound for Pakistan is reported to be integrated with the PL-17—China’s latest beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM). With a reported range exceeding 400 kilometers, the PL-17 (also known as PL-XX) is engineered to destroy high-value targets such as AWACS, aerial refuelling aircraft, and electronic warfare platforms. This capability allows Pakistan to target key aerial enablers of adversaries at standoff distances that current Western analogues such as the AIM-120D or the European Meteor cannot match.
The missile employs a multi-mode seeker that integrates active radar, infrared guidance, and satellite navigation, enabling it to perform complex mid-course corrections and final-phase terminal guidance. With this capability, the J-35A transforms from a conventional stealth fighter into a strategic interceptor capable of degrading adversary battle networks from extended ranges.
While neither the Government of Pakistan nor SAC has publicly confirmed the procurement details, sources indicate that Islamabad plans to acquire approximately 40 J-35A units over a two-year delivery window. The full complement is expected to be operational by the end of 2026. Pakistani defence sources suggest the acquisition has been in motion since at least 2024, when Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar openly acknowledged the aircraft’s impending induction.
“Negotiations have already taken place to acquire the J-35A, which will become part of the Pakistan Air Force in the near future,” he had stated, offering a rare public affirmation of a deal that had largely been shrouded in strategic opacity.
For Pakistan, the J-35A represents more than an incremental upgrade. It is a technological and doctrinal leap. Built as a twin-engine, single-seat stealth platform, the J-35A is tailored for survivability in contested environments. It features internal weapons bays, low radar cross-section, advanced electronic warfare systems, and sophisticated data-link connectivity, allowing it to act as a force multiplier in network-centric warfare scenarios.
The platform is designed to detect and engage adversary stealth aircraft, seamlessly relay sensor data to ground-based systems, and enable cooperative targeting—a concept akin to the U.S. military’s JADC2 (Joint All-Domain Command and Control) architecture. In this sense, the J-35A not only enhances Pakistan’s air combat capabilities but also integrates the PAF more deeply into future-oriented battle networks.
Interestingly, the J-35A’s induction also hints at broader regional shifts, especially in maritime air power. China has developed navalised variants of the J-35 for CATOBAR operations on carriers like the Type 003 Fujian-class. These variants feature folding wings, reinforced landing gear, and a broader canopy—key attributes for carrier-based functionality.
These models are powered by the WS-19 turbofan engine, an evolution offering enhanced thrust, reduced infrared signatures, and potential thrust vectoring for superior manoeuvrability. Coupled with an AESA radar and advanced EW capabilities, these variants directly challenge the U.S. Navy’s F-35C, particularly in contested maritime zones such as the South China Sea.
The wider J-35 project forms a central pillar in China’s strategy to build a robust fifth-generation fighter force that is both domestically sufficient and export-ready. The willingness to share this technology with Pakistan not only cements the China-Pakistan defence relationship but positions Beijing as a formidable competitor to Western arms exporters.
The implications of the J-35A sale extend well beyond South Asia. For China, it marks a geopolitical coup—projecting its defence manufacturing prowess into the export market at the highest level of technological sophistication. For Pakistan, it is a leap into the exclusive club of nations operating fifth-generation stealth fighters, a group hitherto dominated by the United States and its allies.
For India, the induction presents a serious recalibration of its security matrix. New Delhi will be compelled to accelerate its own fifth-generation fighter projects, including the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme, and deepen strategic partnerships with countries like France, the United States, and Russia.
Washington and its allies may also reassess regional arms sales and technology transfers. The delivery of the J-35A could prompt a wider effort to expand F-35 sales in Asia or expedite India’s access to next-generation platforms. Meanwhile, Russia might seek to reassert its role in the region through its Su-57 and Su-75 programmes.
As the global aerial battlespace becomes increasingly defined by stealth, long-range precision, and networked warfare, the China-Pakistan axis is clearly intent on keeping pace. The J-35A’s arrival in South Asia not only realigns regional power equations but introduces a new dimension of high-tech competition to one of the world’s most volatile security theatres.
From a doctrinal perspective, Pakistan’s embrace of fifth-generation technologies could redefine its warfighting concepts. Air operations may evolve from traditional sortie-based models to multi-domain, high-speed, networked engagements designed to disrupt adversary command and control from the outset.
Moreover, the J-35A opens doors for further technology sharing, including stealth drones, hypersonic weapons, and AI-assisted avionics. It also strengthens Islamabad’s long-term ability to independently project power, gather intelligence, and enforce air dominance.
The impending arrival of the J-35A in Pakistan is more than a procurement—it is a strategic pivot. As China emerges as a credible exporter of fifth-generation combat aircraft, and Pakistan becomes the first international operator of this new generation of stealth fighters, the foundations of future air conflict in Asia are being redrawn.
