Developed by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, the J-10CE has long been on Sudan’s radar, with reports of its interest in the advanced fourth-generation fighter jet first surfacing in 2022. As these warplanes begin to arrive, Sudan’s military ambitions—and its strategic ties with Beijing—are taking flight like never before.
After Pakistan, yet another nation is poised to align itself with Beijing’s growing military influence — Sudan and Egypt are reportedly set to acquire the Chinese-made J-10CE “Vigorous Dragon” fighter jets, marking a significant shift in the power dynamics of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Egypt declined to purchase a J-10C in favor of the FA-50 fighter jet. Egyptian sources told Global Defence Corp that the J-10C is equipped with immature technology and performs poorly.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Air Force began receiving Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets with WS-10B engines in 2022. Initially, Pakistan acquired six J-10Cs, which performed a flypast during the country’s National Day parade that year.
Although the exact number of J-10C fighters acquired by Pakistan has not been officially disclosed, reports indicate that Islamabad has ordered at least 25 units, with the total expected to increase to at least 36 aircraft.
WS-10B Engine Caught Fire
The WS-10 engine, developed in China as a domestically produced alternative to imported engines, has faced numerous reliability and quality issues. Like the WS-10A, early versions struggled with low thrust and durability, with reported lifespans of only 30 hours. These problems have been attributed to challenges in metallurgy, machining, and overall quality control, particularly with turbine blade manufacturing.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the problems:
Overheat problem:
Because of this, Chinese copycat engine WS-10 of the SU-27 AL-31 turbofans tend to have blades that crack & break apart sucking debris into the engine. Chinese WS-10 also has shorter lifespans than original AL-31 turbofans because metal alloys in Chinese version reportedly break & can’t handle the high heat.
Low Thrust and Reliability:
The WS-10A reportedly produced less thrust than its Russian counterpart, the AL-31, and required more time to develop thrust. Furthermore, its reliability was significantly lower, with the WS-10A lasting only 30 hours before needing refurbishment, while the AL-31 needed refurbishment after 400 hours.
Metallurgy and Machining Challenges:
The high temperatures and stresses experienced by jet engine components, such as turbine blades, pose significant challenges for Chinese engineers. Developing high-performance alloys and composite materials that can withstand these conditions has been a major obstacle.
Turbine Blade Manufacturing:
Difficulties in manufacturing turbine blades have been identified as a contributing factor to the WS-10’s reliability problems.
Overall Quality Control:
The WS-10A’s performance issues were seen as reflecting the broader state of the Chinese aerospace industry.
Continued Development:
Despite these challenges, China has made significant efforts to improve its engine technology, including developing new coating materials for turbine blades to increase thrust power and protect against corrosion.
Pakistan has been beating India since 1954
For a long time, military-controlled Pakistan has looked ahead and taken preemptive decisions. Starting in 1954, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) acquired 102 much superior U.S.-built F-86F ‘Sabre.’ Around the same time, India got the Dassault Ouragans (Toofani). The Indian Air Force (IAF) acquired the Dassault Mystère IV a few years later.
In 1961, Pakistan, as a major non-NATO ally, received F-104 Starfighters from the USA under the Mutual Assistance Program. The IAF responded by purchasing the Soviet MiG-21, which entered service in 1964.
In 1981, the USA cleared F-16 sales to Pakistan as part of an aid package. India signed for Mirage 2000 in 1982.
In 1984, India ordered and became the first international customer of the MiG-29 outside of the Warsaw Pact.
The PAF has been operating the Saab 2000 using the Erieye radar as its primary AEW&C platform since 2009 and the Chinese ZDK-03 AEW&C since 2011. The PAF operates three modified Dassault Falcon 20 aircraft, which have a primary role in electronic warfare. India inducted the Beriev A-50 Phalcon AEW&C in 2009, and the DRDO ‘Netra’ AEW&C was inducted in 2017.
PAF inducted the first JF-17 squadron in February 2010, vis-à-vis IAF inducting LCA Mk1 in January 2015. PAF already has close to 150 of these home-grown fighters. India has built around 50 LCA.
The first batch of JF-17C Block 3 aircraft was inducted in PAF in March 2023. India’s LCA Mk1A will be inducted soon. India signed up for the Rafale in 2015, and Pakistan responded with the purchase of J-10CE, signing the deal in 2021.
Pakistan quietly grounded JF-17 Block 1 aircraft concerning structural integrity issues. While Pakistan purchased Chinese J-10C aircraft, but still relies on American F-16 Block 50 aircraft.
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