Currently, whether it is the United States, the West, or within Iran itself, there is a lot of discussion about Iran purchasing Chinese-made fighter jets. During the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, the Israeli Air Force faced the main aircraft of the Iranian Air Force, which were no match for the J-8F fighter jet. They had no beyond-visual-range interception capability, nor any strong ground air defense forces, long-range early warning capabilities, or electronic jamming support. In short, the actions of the Iranian Air Force are not even as good as the Iraqi Air Force during the Gulf War. Iran had the opportunity to enjoy the treatment of the Pakistan Air Force, by purchasing fighter jets to improve its fleet, modernize its aging fleet, and gain modern air combat capabilities. Negotiations had started as early as 2015, and in 2016, the former commander of the Iranian Air Force, now the Iranian Minister of Defense, personally led a delegation to China, but this was halted by the Iranian authorities.
It's a pity that not everyone has the same vision as the Pakistan Air Force when it comes to advanced weapons procurement, being willing to spend money without hesitation. Iran has billions of military funds, but it looks down on everything, looking down on this and that, and it's unclear where these billions of dollars are wasted every year. If Iran is a major power with strong R&D capabilities, this is understandable. However, the problem is that Iran is a medium-sized country, and if it doesn't purchase advanced high-end weapons, it will be attacked. When war breaks out, it will be too late to purchase them. It can be said that even if the Iranian Air Force places an order now and purchases the J-10CE fighter jet, it would take at least 3-5 years before the Iranian Air Force version of the J-10CE fighter jet is delivered. This is too late for Iran because the next round of war with Israel and the United States could break out at any time.
The most suitable option for the Iranian Air Force would be to purchase a large number of retired second-hand fighter jets from the Chinese Air Force, including the J-8 fighter jet, the JH-7 FeiBao fighter-bomber, and the Qiang-5 attack aircraft. These aircraft have not yet reached their service age, and after improvements, they can be quickly delivered to the Iranian Air Force within a few weeks. The Iranian Air Force's priority should be to replace various fighter jets that have been in service for over 30, 40, or even 50 years, especially American-made fighters such as the F-14, F-4, and F-5. At the same time, they should upgrade the MiG-29 fighter jets from Russia. Iranian netizens also believe that the J-10, J-16, and J-35 fighter jets must be ordered, but they also need to be upgraded quickly and purchase a large number of Russian second-hand fighter jets. "Considering that the ceasefire may be fragile and considering the importance of the first Mehraabad and the second Tabriz fighter bases, I would buy about 60 second-generation Russian MiG-29s and upgrade them later! With these 60 aircraft, our fighter jets will always be circling over the northwest region and Tehran, making it difficult for the enemy to enter Tehran. Moreover, by providing aerial protection for the missile bases in the northwest region, we can launch more intense missile attacks."
"The recommendation is to upgrade the MiG-29 fighter jets to the specific standards of the Iranian Air Force (similar to the MiG-29SMT). India did the same before, calling it the MiG-29UPG fighter jet, replacing the cockpit HDD display with an MFD display to view radar and weapon information, and adding another MFD to display digital navigation systems, maps, and the use of optical guidance weapons (such as the MiG-29SMT)." "Upgrades can be completed in a maximum of three years, allowing the MiG-29 fighter jets to continue serving for many years. Furthermore, by purchasing used MiG-29s from other countries and upgrading them according to these standards, the number of fighter jets in the Iranian Air Force can also be increased."
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1836807474454787/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.