Pakistan announces its intention to acquire the J-31/FC-31 “Gyrfalcon,” China’s upcoming fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.

The Chief of the Pakistan Air Force has disclosed the force's intention to acquire the Chinese fifth-generation fighter jet J-31/FC-31 "Gyrfalcon" in the near future.

During a ceremony at an airbase, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Sidhu, head of the Pakistan Air Force, provided an overview of the latest additions to the PAF's arsenal, including Chinese 4.5-generation J-10C fighters, C-130H military transport aircraft, as well as Airbus-319, Boeing 737, Piper M-600 transport planes, and Beechcraft King Air 350i aircraft. The Air Chief also highlighted recent additions of modern radars, unmanned aerial systems such as Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci (of Turkish origin), and indigenous Shahpar-II drones, along with loitering munitions, swarm drones, and long-range vectors, significantly bolstering the country's air defense capabilities.

The Pakistan Air Force became the first export customer for the J-10C "Vigorous Dragon" and now seeks to become the first foreign operator of the FC-31 "Gyrfalcon" (export designation for the J-35 for the Chinese Navy), a fifth-generation stealth fighter aiming to compete in capabilities with the American F-35.

As per the PAF chief's statements, "the groundwork has already been laid for the acquisition of the stealth combat aircraft J-31."

Similar to how the induction of the J-10C was Pakistan's response to the arrival of the Dassault Rafale in the Indian Air Force (IAF), the PAF aims to continue maintaining technological balance with its adversary, which is developing its own fifth-generation fighter jet program, by adopting the Chinese FC-31.

The recent announcement comes as somewhat surprising, considering that in August 2023, it was announced that Pakistan was close to finalizing an agreement to participate in the development of the Turkish fifth-generation fighter KAAN, which was expected to make its maiden flight on December 27 but was ultimately postponed to an undefined date.

While the longstanding strategic partnership between Beijing and Islamabad is robust, enabling Pakistan to access the latest Chinese military export technology ahead of others, it remains challenging to believe that the FC-31 will bear the PAF insignia in the "near future," given that the aircraft is not yet in production, nor is the J-35, a crucial future component of the air wing for the conventional take-off and landing aircraft carrier 'Fujian'.