THE induction of Chinese made J-10C fighter jets into the fleet of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is a historic moment for the whole nation which clearly reflects that our civilian and military leadership are fully cognizant of country’s defence needs keeping in view contemporary warfare.
The PAF has always remained up to the task and one saw its manifestation during a dogfight with India back in 2019 during which PAF shot down two Indian aircrafts.
The addition of multi role J-10c aircraft equipped with state of the art technology and weaponry will further add to its capability to foil designs of the enemy.
India has made several big ticket defence deals over the last decade or so and equipped itself with French made fighter jet Rafale and Russian S-400 air defence system which is considered one of the most powerful air defence systems in the world and is reported to be effective against various weapons including aircraft, rockets, missiles.
Experts believe that J-10cs possess capabilities that make them best option to counter this air defence system.
In addition, despite being single engine, it is being described as a better aircraft than Rafale in many ways.
According to a Chinese expert, the J-10C is significantly more powerful than the old US-made F-16 fighter jet and can rival the Rafale fighter jet.
And most importantly when this machine will be in the hands of our adept pilots, we will have an edge over the adversaries.
The provision of these fighter jets by China and that too in a record period of eight months is yet another reflection of how strong the bonds between the two countries are and with passage of time, these are further growing.
Given our limited resources we cannot indulge in an arms race but as Prime Minister Imran Khan stated during the induction ceremony of J-10c, more resources will be provided to improve defence capabilities.
And doing so indeed is the best way to deter any open aggression from the enemy. Our domestic defence industry has achieved many milestones in the past and the process of this development must continue with much more vigour to achieve self-reliance as well as export defence related products to earn valuable foreign exchange.
