In the past few days, the photos of the prototype of the Chengfei J-10D fighter circulating on the Internet are the focus of discussion among netizens, and this J-10D is still using a Russian-made AF31 engine, which can basically be determined to be a modified fighter based on the original J-10B. The biggest difference between the fighter and the J-10C is that it has a long back ridge. Some netizens believe that this is a newly installed conformal fuel tank to increase the combat radius of the J-10, and by the way, liberate the two auxiliary fuel tank pylons in the lower part of its wings, so that the carrying capacity of the J-10 can increase the carrying capacity of 2-4 Thunderbolt 15 air-to-air missiles. Pakistan's think tank PSF also said that the J-10D is an advanced fighter specially tailored for Pakistan, with the ability to improve electronic equipment to increase fuel/weapon carrying capacity, which can further enhance the J-10 fighter's air combat and depth strike capabilities.
Of course, there are also objections, some US military experts said that the J-10D is not necessarily Pakistan's special model, but may also be a new fighter specially developed by Chengfei for the Iranian Air Force. Previously, foreign media have been circulating news about the Iranian Air Force's procurement of J-10C fighters, but this news has been refuted by Deino, a well-known expert in the United States, who believes that the Iranian Air Force will not purchase J-10 series fighters, according to the past experience of the Iranian Air Force, the Iranian Air Force will only purchase fighters, which will only be bigger and heavier guys, that is, flanker series fighters.
Tiger Girl believes that the current Chinese Air Force's flanker fighters only have two heavy fighters, the J-11 and J-16, deino means that the Iranian Air Force obviously needs larger Chinese flanker fighters. And the Iranian Air Force has now entered a transition period, they need a large number of advanced fighters, the Iranian Air Force since the mid-to-late last century, has not received new fighters on a large scale, except for the MiG-29 purchased from Russia. Mainly in the late 1970s, after the collapse of the Pahlavi dynasty, the relations between the newly elected Iranian government and the United States deteriorated rapidly, and the United States began to mobilize other countries around the world to sanction Iran, which continues to this day.
Iran's air force also has many problems, the first problem is the degree of aging of the fighter and its seriousness, such as its equipment F-14, F-4 and other fighters are generally more than decades old, the fuselage service life is close to the limit, now want to F-14 and other fighters to extend life upgrades is not very realistic, the Iranian Air Force does not have enough capabilities, followed by the maintenance of fighters. As we all know, the United States has always imposed severe sanctions on Iran, that is, it is afraid of smuggling advanced weapons and parts into Iran, so the United States has even struck a blow to crack down on arms dealers smuggling equipment to Iran. Iran can only carry out basic maintenance of its U.S.-made fighters, lack of Western-made aircraft parts, and maintenance difficulties are even more difficult to upgrade. Therefore, although the United States delivered a total of 79 of the most advanced F-14 fighters to Iran at that time, only 40 of them can fly so far, and accidents in the Iranian Air Force have occurred repeatedly during this time, first a Chinese-made J-7 crash, and then an F-14 fighter also crashed due to failure.
Therefore, if Iran wants to maintain the continuous development of its air force, it must actively introduce new fighters to connect with the fighter sequence of the Iranian Air Force, and Iran has two choices: one is to introduce Chinese fighters, and the other is to introduce Russian fighters. In fact, Iran is more inclined to import Russia's Su-35, or Su-30 heavy multi-purpose fighters, mainly because heavy multi-purpose fighters, with strong air-to-ground strike capabilities, belong to one aircraft to do two jobs, for the economically strapped Iran is the best choice. However, now this situation everyone knows, Russia because of the Russo-Ukrainian War by the West and the world sanctions, its own military system is also to ensure the Russian military self-use as a priority, the Russian Air and Space Force urgently need to replenish the loss of fighters shot down in the war, this is the most priority of the top priority, foreign orders have to be a little later, Iran's introduction of Russian fighters quick replacement plan, naturally became a bubble.
In view of this, at this stage, if Iran wants to purchase advanced fighters internationally, it can only find China to buy them. Of course, Tiger Lady believes that even if Iran likes the J-11 and J-16, we are impossible to export, the J-11 is a soviet 27 imitation fighter, even if the later J-11B and J-16 fighters, is an innovatively developed domestic fighter, but in the main aerodynamic layout of the aircraft, or inherited the Russian "Flanker" series of fighters. Therefore, due to the original "self-use" agreement between China and Russia on the introduction of flanker fighters, it was decided that the J-11 and J-16 could not be exported at all.
The J-10 fighter, the Dragon Fighter and the FC-31 stealth aircraft are advanced fighters completely independently developed by China, with independent intellectual property rights, and there is no problem in exporting. These fighters are very advanced domestic fighters, although they do not have the characteristics of Russia's Flanker series fighters such as "big size" and long range, but these domestic fighters have considerable advantages in combat capabilities. Therefore, at this stage, Iran can fully try to purchase China's exported light/medium multi-role fighters, which is believed to bring a different surprise to the Iranian Air Force.