China is rapidly boosting its influence in the global fighter jet market, banking on economical pricing, adjustable financing options, and almost no political restrictions.
While still trailing dominant players such as the United States, France, and Russia, and far from achieving market dominance, China is increasingly well-positioned to emerge as a major exporter of fighter jets and other military aircraft.
This was highlighted by the annual Department of Defence (DoD) report to Congress on China’s military, published on December 23, 2025, which states that Beijing is actively marketing three of its advanced combat aircraft for export.
China was the fourth-largest arms supplier in the world, primarily using state-run organizations such as Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) for its exports, as of December 2024, according to the Pentagon report.
“Arms transfers are a component of China’s foreign policy and complement assistance and initiatives that are part of the Belt and Road Initiative,” it added.
China fields some of the most advanced fighter jets in the world, including two stealth fighters: the J-20 and the J-35. It also operates what is touted as the most advanced flanker in the world—the J-16—and the indigenously developed J-10 series of multi-role fighters. And, if this was not enough, it is already flying two different prototypes of sixth-generation fighter jets, colloquially known as the J-36 and the J-50.
Notably, despite possessing some of the world’s most cutting-edge fighters, China’s fighter jet exports have remained somewhat limited, whereas its drone exports have achieved tremendous success.
The Pentagon report states, ”China offers three combat aircraft for export, including the fifth-generation FC-31 and the fourth-generation J-10C multirole combat aircraft, and the China-Pakistan co-produced JF-17 light combat aircraft. In addition to manned aircraft, China has supplied strike-capable Caihong and Wing Loong UAVs to Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Morocco, Myanmar, Pakistan, Serbia, and the UAE.”
The report does not mention the potential sale of FC-31 to Pakistan, which has found widespread global coverage. Speaking to Janes earlier this year, an unidentified senior Pakistani official said that China will soon begin supplying the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) with its Shenyang FC-31 “Gyrfalcon” multirole stealth fighter aircraft.
The official stated that the aircraft “will begin arriving within months,” and confirmed that PAF pilots are currently in China training to fly the aircraft. However, the reports dissipated quickly, and the Pakistan Defence Ministry in July 2025 denied that an agreement had been signed.
The Pentagon report stated that as of May 2025, China had not yet sold the FC-31 to a customer, but noted that countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE had shown interest in the aircraft.
As for the J-10C 4.5th-generation fighter jet, the Pentagon report stated that China had delivered about 20 of the 36 J-10Cs purchased by Pakistan.
The J-17, which is jointly produced by China and Pakistan and, surprisingly, listed as a light combat aircraft, has been sold to Azerbaijan, Burma [Myanmar], and Nigeria as of May 2024, the Pentagon report stated, adding that negotiations for a potential sale were underway with Iraq in 2024.
China—The Next Big Fighter Jet Exporter?
China is banking on its immense social and economic capital to bag new orders. In fact, analysts believe that China’s aerospace industry is rapidly innovating, offering cost-effective alternatives with fewer political restrictions than Western suppliers.
The effort may challenge the dominant players in the fighter jet export market—the US, Russia, and France.
Of these, Russia’s exports have seen a consistent decline since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine due to international sanctions, production bottlenecks, and reliability concerns.
Despite a desperate marketing campaign for the Su-57, there are no takers (with the exception of Algeria) for the first Russian fifth-generation fighter jet. In fact, countries that traditionally bought Russian military equipment have been exploring alternatives.
Exploiting the shrinking appeal of Russian equipment, China has positioned itself as an alternative supplier, offering cost-effective, advanced jets that can be manufactured and delivered promptly, bypassing CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act).
For instance, it has been promoting the J-10C to Egypt, a country that previously ordered two dozen Su-35 fighters from Russia and later backtracked due to fears of attracting US sanctions.
Similarly, China has offered the J-10C to Iran, which was expected to receive Su-35 from Russia, but has instead been waiting since 2023 for the first aircraft to arrive.
Iran’s aging air force has been especially hampered by long-standing arms embargoes and the nation’s growing isolation from the international community. Moreover, its fighter force most likely suffered significant attrition in the conflict with Israel earlier this year, making a capable new fighter jet imperative for the West Asian state.
China has strategically swooped in, exploiting delays in delivery by Russia and the sustained hostility by the United States and Israel.
In an attempt to establish itself as the best non-Western exporter, China has positioned the 4.5th-generation J-10C as a better alternative to the US F-16, the European Eurofighter Typhoon, and the French Rafale.
It has been trying to capitalize on the cost-competitiveness of its aircraft, with each unit costing around US$40–50 million compared to approximately $90-100 million for the above-listed Western jets.
Several nations, including Egypt, Iran, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, have shown active interest in the aircraft in recent times.
While the U.S. maintains unchallenged dominance in the global fighter jet export market, thanks to proven aircraft like the F-35, F-16, and F-15, China is attempting to steadily erode France’s position in price-sensitive markets and among nations wary of Western political strings or sanctions.
Beijing’s strategy emphasizes competitive pricing (often 40–60% lower than equivalents), flexible financing, rapid delivery timelines, and minimal conditionality, making its proposals appealing to potential buyers.
France’s Dassault Rafale, a battle-proven 4.5-generation multirole fighter, has enjoyed remarkable export success in recent years. As of late 2025, firm orders total around 533 aircraft (including domestic French units), with exports to eight countries: India (36+ additional pursuits for MRFA and Navy variants), Egypt, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, UAE (80 F4-standard, first deliveries in 2025), Serbia, and Indonesia.
This has positioned France as one of the world’s top arms exporters, with Rafale deals driving record revenues. However, China is directly challenging Rafale operators by positioning the Chengdu J-10C as a cheaper, sanction-free alternative.
Priced at roughly $40–50 million per unit against $90–100 million for Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, or advanced F-16 variants, the J-10C appeals to budget-constrained buyers.
Pakistan remains the sole confirmed export customer to date.
China has amplified marketing claims of J-10C superiority over the Rafale following the May 2025 Indo-Pakistan conflict, where Islamabad claimed downing multiple Rafale jets using J-10C/PL-15 combinations in beyond-visual-range engagements.
India acknowledged the loss of one Rafale aircraft due to a high-altitude technical failure and outrightly rejected any enemy shootdown.
Beijing has leveraged these unverified narratives in pitches to potential buyers, portraying the J-10C as combat-proven against Western 4.5-gen fighters.
Besides replacing Russia, it is also targeting countries looking to buy a stealth fighter. It is pushing its J-35/FC-31 as the “next best option” after the F-35, particularly to countries that cannot afford the expensive American stealth fighter or are unable to obtain a clearance to purchase them due to stringent US export controls.
For instance, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have sought clearance to acquire the F-35 since at least 2017; however, stringent U.S. export controls, particularly safeguards to protect sensitive technology from potential Chinese access and to preserve Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME), have created massive hurdles.
Frustrated by these restrictions, the UAE effectively walked away from the F-35 negotiations in late 2021 and selected the French Rafales in a massive $17.2 billion deal.
President Donald Trump signalled a major policy shift in November 2025 by approving a potential F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the White House.
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This approval, part of a broader defense package including future F-35 deliveries (up to 48 aircraft) and nearly 300 Abrams tanks, was framed as strengthening U.S.-Saudi strategic ties, countering Iran, and advancing an “America First” agenda.
However, as of late December 2025, no formal contract has been signed. The deal still requires congressional approval. If approved, it would mark the first Arab nation, besides Israel, to acquire the F-35 stealth jets.
This highlights how U.S. export restrictions can open doors for competitors like France and China in the Gulf and other markets seeking advanced jets without political baggage.
- Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari13 (at) outlook.com
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