In military warfare, Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor was a seismic event whose reverberations are still felt today. This event not only sucked the US into Second World War, which eventually changed the direction of the battle, but it also marked the arrival of an Asian Naval superpower, hitherto the exclusive domain of Europeans and North Americans.
Japan achieved this by adopting a platform that has been around since World War I, but no one has gauged its true potential–the aircraft carriers.
During the Pearl Harbor attack, Japan employed as many as six aircraft carriers. Together, they sank eight US battleships on December 7, 1941.
Though few realized it at the moment, this was a pivotal moment in modern warfare. It marked the end of battleships, which had risen to prominence in the early 1800s and dominated naval warfare for nearly 150 years. It also marked the rise of aircraft carriers, which still define blue-water navy capabilities and are crucial to power projection at sea.
We might be witnessing a similar epoch-defining moment today. The 25-minute air duel between India and Pakistan on May 6 was a night of many historical firsts.
According to Pakistani sources, as many as 125 aircraft fought for aerial domination during those 25 minutes. An intensity that we have not witnessed since World War II.
It was the first time, if Pakistani military and Western sources quoted by the media are to be believed, that a Rafale fighter jet was shot down in a combat situation. It was also the first time that the Chinese 4.5-generation fighter jet, the J-10CE, saw combat.
Again, if the media reports are correct, then the Rafale, France’s pride and one of the most advanced 4.5-generation fighter jets in the world, was brought down by J-10C aircraft equipped with a Chinese-made air-to-air missile, the PL-15.
This might be the Pearl Harbor of the 21st century—China’s ‘Deep Seek’ moment in military technology.
What we have seen might only be a foreshadow. It might be one or two decades before its ramifications are fully apparent in aviation. However, this air duel in South Asia might be the beginning of the end of Western fighter jets’ unchallenged domination.
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The Early Mover Advantage
The West, particularly the US and its allies, has consistently led fighter jet technology since the advent of jet aircraft in the mid-20th century due to a combination of industrial capacity, technological innovation, economic resources, and strategic priorities.
Germany and Britain laid the groundwork for jet propulsion during World War II.
A young German physicist, Hans von Ohain, worked for Ernst Heinkel, specializing in advanced engines, to develop the world’s first jet plane, the experimental Heinkel He 178. It first flew on August 27, 1939.
Almost simultaneously, and independently of the German advancements, Frank Whittle in England invented a jet engine entirely on his own.
The Me 262, built by Messerschmitt, was the first German jet fighter. The British developed and deployed the Gloster Meteor. However, these fighter jets saw limited combat during the Second World War.
The British shared Whittle’s technology with the U.S., allowing General Electric (GE) to build jet engines for America’s first jet fighter, the Bell XP-59.
In Britain, Rolls-Royce further developed Whittle’s jet engines and produced the Nene engine, which was later sold to the Soviets.
It was a version of this jet engine that powered the Soviet MiG-15.
Following the war, the U.S. and the UK leveraged captured German technology and their own research to advance jet engines, with companies like Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney setting global standards.
The unmatched US industrial capacity, technological advancements, and economic resources ensured that the US consistently led in fighter jet technology following World War II.
The F-86 Sabre, introduced during the Korean War, outperformed the early Soviet MiG-15s in key areas, such as avionics, thereby establishing U.S. air superiority.
The US Navy’s Skyknight fighter jet, carrying the Sparrow 1 missile, is credited with having the world’s first operational Beyond-Visual-Range (BVR) missile system in 1954. This marked the beginning of BVR warfare, where missiles could be launched at targets beyond the pilot’s visual range.
During the Cold War, Western jets, such as the F-4 Phantom II and later the F-15 Eagle, integrated cutting-edge radar, fire-control systems, and beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles, giving US fighter jets a crucial edge in situational awareness and engagement capabilities.
The US also produced the world’s first operational fourth-generation jet fighter, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, which first flew on December 21, 1970.
These were the first combat jets to regularly use Fly-by-Wire control systems. Then came the US-made F-16, the F/A-18 Hornet, the Rafale, the MiG-29 Fulcrum, and the Sukhoi Su-30. The Eurofighter Typhoon followed with its first flight in 1994.
The Chinese were the last to join the bandwagon with their Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon. These same jets were later developed into 4.5th-generation fighter jets, which are still flying today.
The US was also the first to introduce stealth technology with its Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk in the 1980s.
By the time China introduced its fourth-generation fighter jet, the J-10, the US had already flown its fifth-generation fighter, the F-22.
With the introduction of the F-35 Lightning II in 2006, the US became the only country to fly two 5th-generation stealth fighters.
In contrast, Russia’s first fifth-generation fighter, the Su-57, made its first flight in 2010 and has yet to enter mass production. China’s 5th-generation fighter, the J-20, followed in 2011.
This shows that the West has consistently dominated and controlled innovation in fighter jet technology.
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union somewhat challenged Western domination in fighter jets. Still, Soviet jet engines were no match for the refinement of Western jet engines.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia struggled to compete with the West in fighter jets. The fact that Russia is still struggling with its fifth-generation fighter jet, the Su-57, while the US and China are testing their sixth-generation fighters, highlights how far Russia has fallen behind in this race.
Western Jets Bite The Dust
While China developed its own fourth and fifth-generation fighters, hardly anyone took Beijing seriously. This was primarily due to two reasons.
Most of the Chinese fighter jets were copies of Western or Russian fighters, developed through reverse engineering. For instance, the Chinese J-11 and J-15 are believed to be based on the Russian Su-27 and Su-33, respectively.
The second reason, and perhaps the most significant one, was that the Chinese fighter jets were still untested in actual combat. While Western fighters had seen combat in the Gulf War, the Middle East, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, and Russian fighter jets had also seen combat in multiple conflicts, the Chinese jets were still untested in real combat situations.
That changed on the night of May 6. And if the claims by Pakistani military officials are to be believed, then the Chinese fighters have multiple kills to their name, including French and Russian fighter jets.
However, India is not the only place where Western fighter jets have been humbled.
In Ukraine, at least two F-16s have been lost since their delivery began in August 2024. The first loss in August 2024 was attributed to friendly fire. For the second confirmed loss in April 2025, there is strong suspicion that a Russian R-37M missile brought it down.
Additionally, the Russian air defense systems have compelled Ukraine to utilize these F-16s solely for defensive purposes.
Similarly, the US has lost three F/A-18 Super Hornets in the Red Sea, all associated with the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.
In May, an F/A-18F Super Hornet, from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11 (“Red Rippers”), crashed into the Red Sea after an arrestment failure during a nighttime landing. Another F/A-18F Super Hornet was lost in December 2024, reportedly due to a case of friendly fire.
Whatever the reason may be behind the mishaps, Western jets appear to be losing their reputation.
The Rise Of The Chinese Dragon
Until the first decade of the 21st century, China mainly followed the US lead in fighter jet technology. However, Beijing has completely changed the game since 2020.
In November 2024, during the Zhuhai Airshow, China unveiled its second fifth-generation fighter jet, the J-35, becoming only the second country in the world to operate two fifth-generation stealth fighter jets.
In December 2024, China surprised the world by flying two sixth-generation fighter jets, tentatively named the J-36 and J-50. Since then, China has flown these jets multiple times.
In the US, there is apprehension that China might become the first country in the world to field a sixth-generation fighter jet.
Also, the J-36 is quite unique in its design approach and has not been compared with any known fighter jet. It showcases a rare three-engine layout and distinctive twin split ruddervators positioned on each wing in an unusual configuration for tactical fighter aircraft.
China is also taking the lead in fighter jet manufacturing.
Earlier this year, Brigadier General Doug Wickert, commander of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base, warned that by 2027, China’s modern fighter jet fleet will outnumber US forces about 12 to 1 in key regions of the Western Pacific.
Similarly, last month, Admiral Samuel Paparo, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, told the US Senate Armed Services Committee that China has gained a 1.2 to 1 production rate advantage over the US in fighter jets.
He also warned that China is rapidly advancing its air combat capabilities, and Beijing is in a position to “deny” the US air superiority in the first island chain, the strategic archipelagos in East Asia comprising Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines.
All these dire warnings by senior US officials show that China has flipped the game. It is no longer a follower of the West; rather, it is setting the agenda when it comes to fighter jet technology.
New Kids On The Block: India, South Korea, Turkey
There was a time, not long ago, when fighter jet manufacturing was an exclusively Western domain. That is no longer the case. Many Asian countries are no longer satisfied with just importing Western fighter jets, and they’re investing in indigenous platforms.
South Korea has fielded the FA-50, a fourth-generation light combat aircraft developed in partnership with Lockheed Martin. The country has already received significant export orders from the Philippines, Poland, Malaysia, Iraq, Indonesia, and Thailand.
In April, the EurAsian Times reported that Egypt is considering ordering as many as 100 Korean FA-50 fighter jets. They are also exploring Chinese J-10C fighters, as per reports.
South Korea is also developing its own fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, the KF-21 Boramae. The prototype’s first flight took place on July 19, 2022.
Similarly, after being kicked out of the F-35 program for purchasing the Russian S-400 air defense system, Turkey is developing its own fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, the TF-Kaan.
Many countries, such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Pakistan, have reportedly expressed initial interest in joining the program.
India has also developed and inducted its fourth-generation light combat aircraft, the Tejas. A 4.5-generation version, the Tejas MK2 variant is scheduled for rollout next year.
India is also developing its fifth-generation fighter jet, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
However, a crucial handicap for all these Asian fighter jet programs is their critical dependence on Western jet engine technology.
Consider, for example, Turkey’s curious case. In 2019, the country was kicked out of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program for purchasing the Russian S-400 Triumf air defense system. However, Ankara decided to challenge US dictates and developed its own fifth-generation fighter jet, TF KAAN.
In February 2024, KAAN conducted its maiden flight, an impressive feat by any standards. However, there is just one lacuna. Turkey’s so-called Indigenous fighter jet prototype is powered by a US-made General Electric F110 turbofan engine.
Similarly, the South Korean KF-21 Boramae is powered by General Electric’s F414-GE-400K engine.
India’s Tejas program is also dependent on the GE-F404 engine.
By the 2030s, many Asian countries could be flying indigenously developed combat aircraft, boosting their self-reliance in defense production and reducing their dependence on Western technology.
However, while some countries have successfully designed and developed their own combat aircraft, they still rely on Western technology, particularly US technology, for combat jet engines.
Russian and Chinese (Shenyang WS-10 “Taihang”) jet engines are available but are considered less reliable than US-made jet engines.
For now, it can be safely said that while Western fighter jets no longer enjoy the unchallenged air dominance they once enjoyed, many Asian fighter jets are still critically dependent on Western jet engine technology.
- Sumit Ahlawat has over a decade of experience in news media. He has worked with Press Trust of India, Times Now, Zee News, Economic Times, and Microsoft News. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Media and Modern History from The University of Sheffield, UK. He is interested in studying Geopolitics from a historical perspective.
- He can be reached at ahlawat.sumit85 (at) gmail.com
