China is steadily boosting its influence in the global fighter jet market, banking on competitive pricing, flexible financing options, and minimal political restrictions to attract buyers across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. While Beijing still trails dominant exporters such as the United States, France, and Russia—and remains far from achieving outright market dominance—it is increasingly well-positioned to emerge as a major exporter of combat aircraft in the coming decade.
This trajectory was underscored by the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) annual report to Congress on China’s military power, published on December 23, 2025. The report states that Beijing is actively marketing three of its most advanced combat aircraft for export, reflecting a more assertive effort to convert China’s rapid aerospace modernization into geopolitical and economic leverage.
According to the Pentagon, China ranked as the world’s fourth-largest arms supplier as of December 2024, primarily using state-run conglomerates such as the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) to manage exports. “Arms transfers are a component of China’s foreign policy and complement assistance and initiatives that are part of the Belt and Road Initiative,” the report noted, highlighting how military sales are increasingly woven into Beijing’s broader strategic outreach.
China today fields some of the world’s most advanced fighter jets. These include two stealth aircraft—the J-20 “Mighty Dragon” and the carrier-capable J-35—as well as the J-16, which Beijing touts as the most advanced derivative of the Russian-origin Flanker family. The indigenously developed J-10 series of multirole fighters rounds out the backbone of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). Beyond this, China has already flown two distinct prototypes of sixth-generation fighters, informally dubbed the J-36 and J-50, signaling ambitions to leapfrog Western and Russian competitors in future air combat technologies.
Yet despite this impressive inventory, China’s success in exporting manned fighter aircraft has so far been modest, especially when compared with its remarkable achievements in the global drone market. Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become ubiquitous in conflict zones and developing militaries, thanks to low costs and few political strings.
The Pentagon report states that China currently offers three combat aircraft for export: the fifth-generation FC-31 stealth fighter, the fourth-generation-plus J-10C multirole fighter, and the jointly produced China–Pakistan JF-17 light combat aircraft. In parallel, Beijing has supplied strike-capable Caihong and Wing Loong UAVs to a growing list of countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Morocco, Myanmar, Pakistan, Serbia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Notably, the Pentagon report makes no reference to the widely reported potential sale of the FC-31 to Pakistan. Earlier in 2025, an unidentified senior Pakistani official told Janes that China would soon begin supplying the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) with the Shenyang FC-31 “Gyrfalcon,” adding that Pakistani pilots were already training in China. Those reports quickly faded, and in July 2025 Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence denied that any agreement had been signed.
According to the DoD, as of May 2025 China had not yet sold the FC-31 to any customer, though it acknowledged that Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE had expressed interest. The lack of confirmed buyers underscores the gap between China’s technological ambitions and its still-developing credibility as a supplier of high-end stealth aircraft.
China’s most tangible success in fighter exports remains the J-10C. The Pentagon report states that Beijing has delivered around 20 of the 36 J-10C aircraft ordered by Pakistan. The jet, often described as a 4.5-generation fighter, features an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, advanced electronic warfare systems, and compatibility with long-range air-to-air missiles such as the PL-15.
The jointly produced JF-17—surprisingly classified by the Pentagon as a light combat aircraft—has been exported to Azerbaijan, Myanmar, and Nigeria as of May 2024, with negotiations reportedly underway with Iraq. While less capable than the J-10C, the JF-17’s low cost and ease of maintenance have made it attractive to air forces with limited budgets.
Analysts argue that China’s growing appeal stems as much from the decline of its competitors as from its own advances. Russia, once a dominant player in the fighter export market, has seen its sales slump sharply since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. International sanctions, production bottlenecks, battlefield losses, and reliability concerns have eroded confidence in Russian platforms.
Despite aggressive marketing of the Su-57, Russia’s first fifth-generation fighter, there have been virtually no confirmed buyers beyond Algeria. Traditional customers of Russian arms are increasingly exploring alternatives, creating an opening that China has been quick to exploit.
Beijing has positioned itself as a cost-effective alternative supplier capable of delivering advanced jets relatively quickly and without triggering U.S. sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Egypt, for example, previously ordered two dozen Su-35 fighters from Russia but reportedly stepped back due to fears of U.S. sanctions. China has since promoted the J-10C as a viable alternative.
Similarly, Iran—long expected to receive Su-35s from Russia—has been waiting since 2023 for deliveries that have yet to materialize. Iran’s aging air force, battered by decades of sanctions and reportedly weakened further by clashes with Israel earlier in 2025, faces an urgent need for modern fighters. China has sought to capitalize on Russian delays and Tehran’s deepening isolation by offering the J-10C as a stopgap solution.
China’s broader ambition is to establish itself as the leading non-Western exporter of advanced combat aircraft. Central to this strategy is the J-10C, which Beijing markets as a credible alternative to the U.S. F-16, the European Eurofighter Typhoon, and France’s Rafale.
With an estimated unit cost of $40–50 million—roughly half the price of comparable Western jets—the J-10C is particularly attractive to budget-constrained buyers. Countries such as Egypt, Iran, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and Bangladesh have all reportedly shown interest in recent years.
While the United States retains unchallenged dominance through platforms like the F-35, F-16, and F-15, China appears focused on eroding France’s position in price-sensitive markets and among states wary of Western political conditions. Beijing emphasizes competitive pricing, flexible financing, rapid delivery schedules, and minimal conditionality—an appealing package for governments seeking advanced capabilities without diplomatic entanglements.
France’s Dassault Rafale has enjoyed extraordinary export success. By late 2025, firm orders totaled around 533 aircraft, including domestic French units, with exports to India, Egypt, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the UAE, Serbia, and Indonesia. Rafale sales have propelled France into the top tier of global arms exporters.
China is now directly challenging Rafale operators by positioning the J-10C as a cheaper, sanction-free alternative. Beijing has amplified marketing claims following the May 2025 Indo-Pakistan conflict, during which Pakistan asserted that J-10C fighters armed with PL-15 missiles downed multiple Indian Rafales. India acknowledged the loss of one Rafale due to a technical failure and firmly rejected any shootdown claims.
Despite the lack of independent verification, Chinese narratives portraying the J-10C as “combat-proven” against Western fighters have featured prominently in export pitches.
Beyond replacing Russia, China is also targeting countries seeking stealth capabilities. It is promoting the J-35/FC-31 as the next-best option after the F-35 for states unable to afford—or obtain approval for—the American jet.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have sought access to the F-35 since at least 2017, but U.S. export controls and concerns over protecting sensitive technology and Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge have posed major obstacles. The UAE ultimately abandoned F-35 talks in 2021, opting instead for a $17.2 billion Rafale deal.
A potential shift emerged in November 2025, when President Donald Trump approved a possible F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia as part of a broader defense package. However, as of late December 2025, no formal contract had been signed, and congressional approval remains uncertain.
The episode underscores how U.S. export restrictions can open doors for competitors like France—and increasingly China—in the Gulf and other markets seeking advanced fighter jets without heavy political baggage. As geopolitical rivalries intensify and traditional suppliers falter, China’s blend of affordability, flexibility, and strategic opportunism may reshape the global fighter jet market in the years ahead.
