Pakistan has decided to purchase fifth generation fighter jet FC-31 from China to increase its military strength. However, it is not yet clear when these fighter jets will reach India, but before that, big claims are being made and efforts are being made to portray India as more powerful than India. A Pakistani defense expert has claimed that with FC-31, Pakistan will be many years ahead of India. He has even claimed that during this period, there is no possibility of India getting fifth generation fighter jets, hence the arrival of Chinese fighter jets to Pakistan will help it in gaining edge over the Indian Air Force.
Retired Commander of Pakistani Air Force Zia Ul Haq Shamshi says that with FC-31, Pakistani Army will be 12-14 years ahead of Indian Army and thus it will help in gaining strategic edge over India. He said, ‘It does not seem that India will be able to get fifth generation fighter aircraft during this period.’
Pakistani pilots taking FC-31 training in China?
At the beginning of the year, there were indications from Pakistan that it could buy FC-31 from China. Chief of Staff of Pakistani Air Force, Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu had said in a program last year that this fighter aircraft will soon join the army. He had said that discussions have started with China for the acquisition of the aircraft. The FC-31 is manufactured by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China. Pakistani media has claimed that Pakistan has sent its pilots to China for training on FC-31.
What are the features of FC-31 that Pak experts are making such claims?
According to Beijing’s military experts, the FC-31 fighter jet has better air fighting capabilities and is also capable of secretly tracking the enemy’s activities and attacking him suddenly. With the inclusion of FC-31, the count of Chinese weapons in the Pakistani Army’s fleet will further increase. It already has J-10C, JF-17, which have been jointly developed by Beijing and Islamabad. Experts believe that Pakistan will include FC-31 by removing American F-16s and French Mirage-5 fighter jets from its fleet.
When will India have 5th generation fighter jet?
There are reports that Pakistani pilots are taking training in China, which is a matter of concern for India. The Indian Air Force currently has 4.5 generation fighter aircraft like Sukhoi Su-30 MKI and Rafale. The first prototype of India’s fifth generation fighter jet Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) will be ready in the next four or five years and its production will start by 2032-33. In July, Defense Department officials had said that the design of AMCA was ready.
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