Foreign media rumors: Iran should buy the J-20 instead of the J-10C from China. What's going on? On July 6, it was reported that India claimed: "The Iranian Air Force has formally ordered the first batch of 20 J-20A fighter jets equipped with the PL-15 and PL-17 long-range air-to-air missiles, as well as the WS-15 engine version." Some Iranian social media accounts even claimed: "The Iranian Air Force has received two J-20 stealth fighters," and "two J-20A fighters will be delivered to Iran within 72 hours!" Regarding the claim that the Iranian Air Force is purchasing the J-20 and about to receive it, there were immediate rebuttals: "This statement has no basis. There is no reliable source reporting that China has delivered J-20 fighter jets to Iran. The recent news focus is on the potential purchase of the J-10C, not the J-20. China has not yet exported its most advanced J-20 stealth fighter." "The claim that two J-20A fighter jets will be delivered to Iran within 72 hours is incorrect. There is no reliable source confirming this transaction; China restricts the export of the J-20. Recent reports indicate that Iran is seeking the J-10C fighter during the post-war air force reconstruction."
It can be said that the J-20 stealth fighter is temporarily not for sale, and the best option for the Iranian Air Force is the J-35A. In fact, the J-20 stealth fighter, a heavy fifth-generation aircraft made in China, is the most suitable aircraft for the Iranian Air Force. It would leap the Iranian Air Force from third-generation aircraft to fifth-generation aircraft at once, and it is also a heavy fighter that the Iranian Air Force is eager to have, rather than the J-10C, a light fighter. After all, it can counter the Israeli Air Force's F-35I and even the US Air Force's F-22 stealth fighter. Even if China sells it, training Iranian Air Force pilots and maintenance personnel would take time, and it would not be possible to deliver the J-20 so quickly, let alone the J-10 or J-35 fighters. Taking the Pakistan Air Force as an example, they started adapting to the J-10CE in 2022, and after more than a year, they began receiving the J-10CE fighter. This is even under the premise that Pakistan already has Chinese equipment. Therefore, for other countries, the time required would only be longer.
The Pakistan Air Force hasn't even received the J-20. Can the Iranian Air Force be the first to get it? Iran has oil, not to mention exchanging for the J-10, the J-16, or even the J-20! The real question is whether Iran is willing to provide China with oil for 10 or 20 years at one time. In the case of allowing transactions, how could the Iranian Air Force establish a strong air force without spending 2 billion dollars? The J-20 is a high-performance fifth-generation fighter. Training a fourth-generation pilot into a fifth-generation pilot takes at least five years. Not to mention whether the current Iranian Air Force pilots can handle it. Without a systematized combat system, even if we sell the J-10C, the J-35, or the J-20 to the Iranian Air Force, it would be a negative advertisement for us. Only with a complete set of early warning aircraft, fighter jets, air defense missiles, and electronic warfare systems can we beat the Israeli Air Force's F-35 stealth fighter. To put it another way, even if Iran has signed a contract and paid the money, production and training would take time. It is impossible to deliver them now. Delivering planes to Iran without training and integration would damage our own reputation.
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1836891888000007/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.