The recent high-level visit of Pakistan’s Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar, to Beijing has reignited intense speculation that Islamabad is moving rapidly toward the acquisition of China’s next-generation stealth fighter, the J-35A. The timing of the visit — amid rising regional tensions and a shifting Indo-Pacific security landscape — suggests that Pakistan is positioning itself to enter the elite club of nations equipped with fifth-generation airpower capabilities.
The implications of such a move could be transformational, not only for Pakistan’s strategic posture but also for South Asia’s military balance — particularly given India’s delayed efforts to field a comparable platform.
Air Chief Marshal Zaheer’s visit on April 8 featured a high-profile meeting with Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun. The discussion, according to state-run media Global Times, emphasized closer military cooperation between the two allies against the backdrop of what both sides perceive as increasingly fluid and unpredictable regional security dynamics.
Pakistan’s pivot toward deeper defence alignment with China has been underway for over a decade, but recent developments mark a decisive new chapter. While military hardware deals, like the co-production of the JF-17 Thunder, laid the foundation, the potential J-35A acquisition elevates this partnership into the rarefied realm of fifth-generation stealth aviation.
According to multiple sources, discussions to procure up to 40 J-35As are in an advanced phase, with an accelerated delivery timeline reportedly under review. If finalized, the deal would make Pakistan the first-ever foreign operator of a Chinese-built fifth-generation combat aircraft—a landmark in Beijing’s ambitions to challenge the Western monopoly in next-gen fighter exports.
The timing of Pakistan’s J-35A pursuit is not coincidental. India recently inked a $36 billion deal to purchase 26 Rafale Marine and additional Rafale B fighter jets for its naval aviation wing. This expansion complements India’s existing fleet of Dassault Rafales and Sukhoi Su-30MKIs, already considered the backbone of its air superiority strategy.
For Islamabad, the move signals an urgent need to bridge a widening technological gap. Indian fifth-generation capabilities remain years—if not decades—away from operational readiness, giving Pakistan a potential strategic edge if it acquires the J-35A ahead of New Delhi.
Retired Air Commodore Zia Ul Haque Shamshi emphasized this emerging gap in an interview with The Daily Times:
“India is not expected to induct a fifth-generation platform for another 12 to 14 years. If the J-35A enters Pakistani service within the next two years, it would create a window of aerial superiority.”
While neither Islamabad nor Beijing has officially confirmed the J-35A deal, circumstantial evidence suggests that preparations are already well underway. Pakistani media outlets have reported that PAF pilots are undergoing training in China, familiarizing themselves with the operational systems and flight protocols of the new stealth platform.
This training, likely part of a conversion program, signifies not only Pakistan’s intent but also a strong indicator that China considers the aircraft export-ready. Beijing’s willingness to fast-track deliveries aligns with broader regional goals of counterbalancing India and asserting China’s own aerospace prowess on the global stage.
Developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), the J-35A is the second fifth-generation stealth aircraft in China’s arsenal, following the Chengdu J-20 “Mighty Dragon.” Designed with both land-based and carrier-capable variants, the J-35A is a twin-engine, multi-role combat aircraft optimized for high survivability, stealth, and battlefield flexibility.
- Speed: Estimated top speed of Mach 2.0, outpacing the American F-35’s Mach 1.6, making it highly competitive in high-speed engagement scenarios.
- Engines: Dual-engine design ensures higher thrust, greater manoeuvrability, and improved combat survivability.
- Stealth Profile: Low radar cross-section, internal weapons bays, and radar-absorbent coatings enable operations in contested airspace.
- Sensor Suite: Advanced avionics with active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and sensor fusion for real-time battlefield awareness.
- Combat Role: Equally adept at air superiority, deep-strike missions, electronic warfare, and intelligence gathering.
While technical specifics remain classified, leaked images and data suggest a platform designed to rival — if not surpass — Western equivalents in cost-effectiveness and mission adaptability.
For the Pakistan Air Force, acquiring the J-35A would represent the most significant modernization leap in decades. The current fleet — composed primarily of F-16s, French Mirages, and the locally-developed JF-17s — lacks the stealth and networked warfare features of fifth-generation aircraft.
The J-35A would not only replace legacy fighters but also integrate seamlessly with other Chinese-origin platforms like the J-10C and the forthcoming Block III JF-17, creating a cohesive, data-linked combat network.
This modernization also has a broader industrial dimension. Reports suggest potential for localized assembly or maintenance facilities, which would deepen Sino-Pakistani aerospace collaboration and reduce future dependence on Western military support—a strategic shift that aligns with Islamabad’s current geopolitical orientation.
From China’s perspective, the J-35A deal with Pakistan could be a watershed moment in its ambition to reshape the global defense export market. Western companies like Lockheed Martin and Dassault have long dominated the high-end fighter jet industry, bolstered by export controls that often exclude nations like Pakistan.
A successful delivery of the J-35A would not only validate the platform’s export readiness but also demonstrate China’s emergence as a viable supplier of cutting-edge military technology.
Furthermore, with the J-35A projected to be significantly more affordable than the F-35 (which costs upward of $80 million per unit), China may find a ready market among nations seeking advanced airpower without Western political strings.
India, despite its expanding defense budget and recent purchases, still finds itself on the back foot in the fifth-generation race. Its own Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program has faced funding delays, design revisions, and shifting timelines.
In the short-to-medium term, India’s airpower modernization will rely on upgrading existing fourth-generation platforms and enhancing indigenous capabilities like the Tejas Mk2. This leaves a critical window where Pakistan could hold a technological advantage, reshaping the South Asian security calculus.
Moreover, the possible future of being flanked by two fifth-generation-equipped air forces — China’s PLA Air Force and Pakistan’s PAF — could compel India to expedite its defense modernization, possibly revisiting foreign fifth-gen options like the F-35 or revising AMCA priorities.
The unfolding developments around the J-35A acquisition reflect a deeper shift in the geopolitical geometry of South Asia. No longer content with reactive strategies, Pakistan appears to be proactively recalibrating its defense posture, leaning on China’s industrial and technological clout to forge a modernized, survivable, and lethal air force.
For Beijing, the deal is about more than arms sales. It’s a strategic instrument—projecting influence, cementing partnerships, and challenging the U.S.-led security architecture in Asia.
As retired Indian Air Marshal Pranab Kumar Roy noted in an interview with India Strategic Review:
“China’s decision to export the J-35A to Pakistan, if finalized, is a clear move to tilt the regional balance and test India’s strategic response framework.”
Pakistan’s pursuit of the J-35A signals a high-stakes bet on the future of aerial warfare in South Asia. With stealth, speed, and multi-domain flexibility, the aircraft could redefine how Islamabad asserts itself in a region increasingly defined by rapid militarization and asymmetric threats.
However, challenges remain. Cost, maintenance complexity, pilot retraining, and integration into existing command-and-control networks are formidable hurdles. But if Pakistan manages to overcome them, it will not only alter the subcontinent’s airpower landscape but also become the first true case study of Chinese fifth-generation aerospace exports transforming global military alliances.
Whether the J-35A becomes a game-changer or a costly gamble will depend on the coming months—but the strategic chessboard of South Asia has undeniably shifted.
