J-10 Thread IV
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
The thing about Chinese state media is that they often report stuff from foreign media -- that doesn't mean state media is "confirming" that what foreign media is saying is true.
It's a rare occurrence when we get a real exclusive scoop on chinese defence matters from chinese state media.
lcloo
Captain
I will give it more than a grain of salt. The news article started with " Taiwan Media : ........"
Well, the Chinese site actually reported only that "Taiwan Media" is reporting it.
I do not view that as any kind of official Chinese government confirmation, only that this information is being reported in the Taiwan Media.
I will believe that J-10s have been sold to Iran only when an official PRC government agency confirms it.
Iraq is not friendly with Pakistan, who is a major importer of Chinese aircraft. I do not believe China would offer Iran something better than what Pakistan is getting.
Also, despite new aircraft coming to the for, the J-10 is in the the most modern and most advance, wholly Chinese indigenous production fighter aircraft. it is true that the J-11Bs, the J-15s, and the J-16s are Chinese built...but they are not a wholly indigenous Chinese design.
The J-20 is...but it is not in production. The J-10 is in production, with the J-10B soon to be a production reality.
Stranger things have happened in the world so I am not completely discounting it...I just will not believe it until the Chinese government confirms it.
Sort of like the SU-35 purchase that China is supposedly making from Russia that we have heard about over and over again for years. When the Chinese government announces that purchase is when I will believe it too.
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Blackstone
Brigadier
You know Jeff, I don't see Beijing upsetting Tel Aviv with the J-10 sales to Iran because the two countries have good relations and China needs Israeli technology. Anything is possible, since China also has good relations with Iran, but it's not at all clear China gains more from J-10 sales than from losing Israeli technological assistance.
There's that too.
I really have serious doubts given the fact that arms embargoes are still in place form the international community for another five years.
The fact that it would torque Pakistan off which is a valued Chinese friend.
The fact that it would torque Israel off who deals amiably with China.
And the fact that it is a top of the line, front line Chinese aircraft right now.
I just have more and more serious reservations that this is a real deal.
SinoSoldier
Colonel
I'm sure the J-10's performance can be extrapolated by using data from other delta canard fighters, such as the Gripen or Rafale, if analysts wish so. New Chinese-developed Flankers differ from earlier iterations mostly in electronics and beneath-the-skin aspects, so I'm not sure how you deduced that their parameters can be so easily predicted. The appearance of the J-10 at exhibitions in both model and full form speaks to me that CAC wishes to export these fighters.
Unfortunately for Tehran, foreign maintenance of the aircraft and supply of spare parts are still subject to arms embargos against Iran, to which China has agreed (this brings up a whole new question of how China could sell arms to Iran in the first place, but that's another story). Sudan purchased the Chinese Q-5s but could barely service them precisely due to a chokehold of spare parts and service due to an embargo.
SinoSoldier
Colonel
That's not the crux of the argument. There is no conclusive evidence that the J-10 had anything to do with Israeli technology, so there should be no reason why Israel should even respond to this alleged sale in business terms.
EDIT: Sorry Blackstone, I think I misunderstood your post.
I don't think that Israeli (military) technology would be such an issue for China at this day and age; we haven't heard of any significant Chinese purchases of Israeli products within the past decade or so.
SinoSoldier
Colonel
I'm not an expert on geopolitics, but I do remember reading that China herself had agreed to the arms embargo against Iran (hence the cancellation of the C-802 deal). China wouldn't likely to sell such high-profile assets to Iran even such a deal falls out of the jurisdiction of other P5+1 members.