YANGCUN AIR BASE, China (Reuters) - Four Chinese J-10 fighter
jets banked and sported in perfect formation in the blue skies near
Tianjin on Tuesday, before executing a neat landing, their braking
parachutes billowing out just in front of a viewing stand filled
with military attaches.
Many of the 51 attaches, some from Africa and the Middle East,
may be future customers for the Made-in-China fighter jet.
So far no other country's air force has the J-10, but China
hopes the plane's manoeuverability and price can compete with the
U.S. and others in sales to third countries, many of them allies
through whom Beijing is courting global influence.
Ever since the early 1990s, China has been working to slim and
upgrade its military into a modern fighting force. That means
developing fighters for the People's Liberation Army Air Force, and
also planes that others would want.
"Yes, we have been given the option of getting this aircraft,
and we are studying this option," said Salman Ahsan Bokhari, the
Beijing-based air attache from Pakistan, tipped as a potential bulk
buyer of the J-10.
"Until this time, we haven't seen it physically flying... It's a
good time for all the world's air force to know the PLA has a
valuable and important aircraft flying in the skies."
Many military analysts watch the Chinese air force for clues to
how it would perform in an attack on Taiwan, the self-ruled island
Beijing views as a breakaway province and that the United States is
obligated to defend.
For China's allies, particularly in the developing world, the
issue isn't so much the Chinese forces' performance as it is the
hardware itself and the diplomatic strategy behind its
purchase.
"We came to see the performance of this J-10 aircraft. I think
it's quite impressive but we still have to see how it compares to
others in its class," said Derek Mwendaofyo, the Beijing-based
defence attache for Zambia, which has historical and mining
investment ties to China.
DEFENSE AT HOME, SALES OVERSEAS
At the moment, the Chinese air force itself is still short of
planes, with outside analysts noting Chinese pilots often have less
flying time under their belts than Western forces.
The Yangcun base, on a flat plain about two hours drive from
Beijing and near to Tianjin, has a ratio of 1.2 pilots to planes,
said Yan Feng, commander of the 24th division based there.
"A lot of people look at hours in the air and quality of
simulators and China still lags behind," said Matthew Durnin, a
Beijing-based researcher with the World Security Institute.
"More importantly, their exercises are carefully scripted and
controlled from the ground, which isn't very applicable to actual
combat."
But for Pakistan, the geo-political balance between China, the
United States, Japan and Taiwan in Northeast Asia is less important
than that of South Asia, where it is balancing the Americans'
desire for an ally against the Taliban in Afganistan with China's
desire for better sea access to the energy-rich Middle East.
It is negotiating with the United States to buy 14 more F-16
fighter planes, Pakistan defence officials said in March after
talks aimed at reversing tempestuous ties between the allies.
"In Pakistan we have Western aircraft, French aircraft and
Chinese aircraft, so we will be able to see how we can position
this in," Bokhari said, referring to possible purchases of the
J-10. The Alabama-trained pilot said he wanted to try flying
it.
"Price-wise, this is a point which is still under discussion,
the main point."
For pilots like Yan Feng, the beauty of the J-10 lies in its
manoeuverability, its stability, and its integrated avionics
system.
Compared to a J-7 plane, which China has already exported, the
J-10 "is like an adult to a child," Yan said.
"As a pilot and a division chief, I am very proud to have J-10
aircraft."
Yan estimated a J-10 cost the PLA Air Force, which he noted is
also a consumer, about 190 million yuan ($27.84 million). That's
pricey compared to the $15 million-plus price tag on a U.S. F-16
fighter, a favourite of world air forces.
"I believe the vendors know how to put it across to whoever the
buyer is," said K Gambo, military attache from Nigeria, who said
his country might consider buying from China.
"With good bargaining the price can come down."