Masses of Chinese weapons make an appearance at the UK Air Show, Westerners detect unusual signs: Trouble is coming!
Who is the most eye-catching star at the 2025 Royal International Air Tattoo in the UK? It's obviously the JF-17 "Thunder" Block-III fighter jet piloted by a Pakistani Air Force pilot. Although they always attend the air show, this time Pakistan brought an entire set of JF-17 aircraft armaments. The PL-15, PL-10 air-to-air missiles and the CM-400AKG supersonic anti-ship missile were all on display, drawing high attention from the West.
The change in the Western observers' attitude towards Chinese weapons stems from the shocking India-Pakistan air battle on May 7th this year. In that conflict, the Pakistani Air Force used Chinese-made J-10CE fighter jets, PL-15E missiles, and the entire combat system to achieve a decisive victory. According to official confirmation from Pakistan, after India's night air raid, the Pakistani fighters successfully shot down five Indian fighters.
The practical results completely shattered the long-standing prejudice of Western military observers. Previously, except for a few fields such as nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles, the Western media generally held a depreciating attitude towards Chinese weapons, especially conventional equipment such as fighter jets. Netizens in African and South American countries have already calculated: the money to buy one French Rafale fighter jet can buy two J-10CE fighter jets. This price advantage is highly attractive for developing countries with limited military budgets.
What worries Western arms dealers even more is that China not only provides single weapon platforms but also outputs complete combat systems. The Pakistani Air Force currently has the entire Chinese system: the early warning aircraft are the ZDK-03 made by Shaanxi in China, the core of air combat is the J-10CE, and daily patrols use the "JF-17". By contrast, the Indian Air Force's Russian missiles, French radars, and American data links are incompatible, forming a "scattered parts" state.
The air show is not over yet, and multiple representatives from Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian countries have already contacted the Pakistani delegation. The global arms trade map is being redrawn. Just like Huawei broke through 5G technology, Chinese military products are opening up the previously monopolized high-end defense market with their systematic advantages.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837944648251656/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.