Pakistan Signs Initial J-35 Agreement as Stealth Fighter Plans Take Shape

An Initial Agreement, With Major Details Still Open

Pakistan has signed an initial collaborative agreement to acquire China's Shenyang J-35 stealth fighter, placing a new generation of combat aircraft at the center of its plans to modernize the air force. Air Vice-Marshal Tariq Ghazi, the deputy chief of air staff, confirmed the agreement at a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, as Pakistan marked the first anniversary of the aerial engagements of Operation Sindoor.

As of May 8, 2026, the announcement brings Pakistan closer to a fighter designed to be harder for radar to detect than its current aircraft. The number of jets covered by the agreement, financing arrangements, delivery schedule and extent of the final purchasing commitment remain undisclosed. Expectations of deliveries beginning late this year are therefore forecasts, while the initial agreement is the development Ghazi has confirmed.

Ghazi placed the acquisition within a wider program involving precision weapons, additional Chinese J-10C fighters and substantial upgrades to the JF-17. Describing the preparations already under way, he said:

Foundations have been laid for the acquisition of advanced capabilities, including long range precision weapons, next generation platforms, additional J-10C aircraft and much upgraded JF-17s.

The announcement follows a conflict in which Chinese supplied aircraft and missiles played a central role in Pakistan's response to a large Indian air assault. Islamabad's message at the anniversary briefing was that its defense relationship with Beijing would deepen across several areas, extending beyond the fourth generation aircraft that currently form its fleet.

For India, the prospect introduces a pressing planning problem: Pakistan could begin receiving stealth fighters within the next two years, while India's own Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft program is not expected to become operational before the mid-2030s. Whether that gap develops depends on Pakistan turning its initial agreement into funded deliveries and aircraft ready for service.

Why China's Latest Fighter Footage Matters

China Central Television aired footage last week showing what was described as a fully operational export version of the J-35. Military observers noted that the aircraft carried the logo of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, rather than Chinese air force markings. They interpreted that detail as a strong indication that the jet had been built for a foreign buyer.

Pakistan, described as the only confirmed overseas customer so far, is the leading candidate associated with that aircraft. The footage increased expectations that an initial batch could arrive before the end of 2026. A second possibility, raised by Chinese military aviation researcher Andreas Rupprecht, is that an undisclosed customer helped finance the export program from its beginning.

China Central Television has also indicated that the Shenyang production line can produce a new J-35 every 72 hours. That stated pace suggests factory capacity may be less of a constraint on exports than the political and financial agreements needed to authorize and pay for them.

Production, delivery and entry into service are different stages. A completed aircraft must still reach its customer, and the receiving air force needs trained pilots, maintenance staff and supporting facilities before it can operate the jet as part of a combat force. Those requirements are especially relevant to Pakistan's financing and infrastructure decisions.

What the J-35AE Is Designed to Do

The aircraft intended for export is the J-35AE, a version of the J-35A fighter designed for operations from land. Developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, it belongs to a family serving China's air force and navy. The J-35 family is China's second fifth generation combat jet to enter production, after the larger Chengdu J-20.

Beijing has kept the J-20 out of the export market. The J-35, by contrast, was conceived from the beginning for both Chinese military use and foreign sales. That makes it the platform through which China could supply stealth fighters to countries seeking an alternative to Western aircraft.

The J-35AE has two engines, internal weapons bays and materials that absorb radar energy. Its blended wing and body shape, diverterless supersonic air inlets and aligned surface edges are intended to reduce radar reflections. In simple terms, stealth combines the aircraft's shape and materials to make it harder for radar systems to detect and track.

Internal weapons bays serve that same purpose. Missiles carried inside the aircraft preserve its intended radar profile, while weapons mounted outside change that profile. The J-35AE can carry air combat weapons such as the PL-15 internally, with external attachment points available when a mission places less weight on stealth.

The fighter also carries an active electronically scanned array radar, which can track several targets at once. Its electro optical targeting system is built into the fuselage rather than carried in an external pod, allowing the equipment to fit within the aircraft's overall design.

Performance estimates circulated by defense analysts put its maximum speed at Mach 1.8, or 1.8 times the speed of sound, its combat radius at about 1,200 kilometers and its service ceiling near 16,000 meters. Combat radius describes how far an aircraft can operate from its base while allowing for the mission and return journey.

Estimated prices range from $35 million to $80 million per aircraft. China has reportedly kept manufacturing costs competitive, and the American F-35 Lightning II typically costs substantially more per jet. That price positioning could appeal to countries unable to obtain Western stealth technology, although Pakistan's final aircraft price and supporting costs have not been disclosed.

A Possible Package Beyond the Fighter

Pakistan's interest may extend to KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft and HQ-19 missile defense systems. Defense assessments have pointed to both as possible parts of a broader Chinese package, potentially linking fighters, airborne surveillance and missile interception into a coordinated combat network.

The KJ-500 would act as a flying command center. Its active electronically scanned array radar could detect distant threats and pass targeting information to stealth fighters operating in contested airspace. That would allow aircraft and controllers to work from information gathered across the force, rather than relying only on each fighter's own sensors.

The HQ-19 would add a different layer of protection. It is designed for interception at high altitude, including outside the atmosphere, and is conceptually comparable to the American THAAD missile defense architecture. Its role would be defense against ballistic missiles, alongside the air combat and strike roles of the J-35.

Retired Pakistan Air Force Group Captain Sultan M. Hali described the potential acquisition as Pakistan entering the fifth generation era with an entire combat ecosystem. His assessment was that Islamabad's interest centers on integrated, network centric warfare, meaning aircraft and other systems share information and coordinate their actions, rather than simply adding another fighter type.

Combining the J-35's reduced radar visibility and ability to strike at long distances with KJ-500 surveillance and HQ-19 missile interception would represent a substantial change for an air force historically dependent on American F-16s and French Mirage aircraft. The proposed trio has been presented as Pakistan's first full capability of this kind.

A Pakistani government social media post in June 2025 briefly stated that China had offered about 40 J-35 fighters, KJ-500 aircraft and HQ-19 systems in a package worth roughly $4.6 billion. The post was deleted without explanation. Its description nevertheless matched the broader modernization plan outlined in independent defense assessments.

How Pakistan's Public Position Has Changed

Pakistani officials have sent different signals about the purchase. The air force chief publicly confirmed preparations for acquiring the aircraft in early 2024, and information attributed to defense intelligence sources in June 2025 indicated that Pakistani pilots had begun training in China for J-35 induction.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif took a different position in July 2025. After the deletion of the government's June post, he dismissed accounts of a J-35 purchase, saying the speculation existed only in the media and primarily benefited Chinese defense sales. Ghazi's latest statement now confirms an initial collaborative agreement, a more specific commitment than the earlier public discussion of preparations.

The developments span several stages:

• Early 2024: The Pakistan Air Force chief publicly confirmed preparations for acquiring the J-35.
• June 2025: Information attributed to defense intelligence sources indicated Pakistani pilots had started training in China.
• June 2025: A government social media post described an offer of about 40 fighters and supporting systems worth roughly $4.6 billion, before being deleted.
• July 2025: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif dismissed accounts of a J-35 purchase.
• The week before May 8, 2026: Chinese television showed an aircraft described as an operational export version.
• Thursday, ahead of May 8, 2026: Air Vice-Marshal Tariq Ghazi confirmed the initial collaborative agreement in Islamabad.

The shift matters because preparations, an offer and an initial agreement each represent a different stage in an acquisition. Pakistan's current announcement advances the program, while the terms needed to determine its final scale remain open.

India Faces a Potential Gap in Stealth Capability

India's air force operates French Rafales, Russian Su-30MKIs and upgraded Mirage 2000s, giving it a substantial fleet of fourth generation and 4.5 generation fighters. Those labels describe successive stages of aircraft technology, with the latter generally referring to upgraded conventional designs. India currently has no operational fifth generation stealth fighter.

The indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, or AMCA, is not expected to reach operational status before the mid-2030s. Pakistani J-35 deliveries during 2026 or 2027 could therefore create a period in which both Pakistan and China field stealth aircraft while India continues to depend on conventional fighters.

Military analysts describe the concern as a challenge on two fronts: Chinese J-20s along India's northern frontier and Pakistani J-35s along its western border. Reduced radar visibility could help those aircraft approach valuable targets, including airborne warning aircraft, refueling tankers and radar stations on the ground, before defenders organize a response.

Retired Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Vijainder K. Thakur previously warned that Pakistan could operate around 40 J-35s by 2030, while India could still have no stealth fighters. In his assessment, that situation would require India to assign a larger share of its combat fleet to detecting and intercepting threats, leaving fewer aircraft for offensive operations.

Indian defense specialists have advocated several interim responses. Some favor acquiring Russia's Su-57, while others favor increasing Rafale purchases and using the S-400 air defense network to detect aircraft with reduced radar visibility. These proposals reflect different ways to address the period before AMCA becomes operational.

The competition already has a recent precedent. India's introduction of Rafale fighters prompted Pakistan to acquire the J-10C, making it the first and only foreign operator of that Chinese aircraft. India's planned acquisition of another 114 Rafales now appears to be encouraging Islamabad to pursue stealth technology as a way to maintain qualitative parity.

Paying for the Fleet Means More Than Buying Jets

Pakistan's economic constraints could affect both the purchase and the sustained operation of a fifth generation fleet. Stealth aircraft require specialized facilities and maintenance, including hangars with climate control, hardened shelters, equipment for maintaining coatings that reduce radar visibility, and secure data links connecting aircraft and other military systems.

Those supporting investments often exceed the cost of the aircraft themselves. The financial challenge therefore extends beyond paying for individual jets: Pakistan would also need to establish and maintain the infrastructure that keeps them available for operations.

Analysts consider an initial delivery of between four and twelve aircraft during 2026 or 2027 the most likely scenario, followed by expansion as funding and facilities permit. A small first batch would allow the air force to begin building an operational fleet while managing the costs of training, maintenance and infrastructure.

If Pakistan eventually obtains the full complement of 40 aircraft discussed in 2025, the wider package could become one of the largest defense investments in the country's history. Financing might require assistance from Gulf partners or preferential loans from Beijing.

The aircraft estimates of $35 million to $80 million each and the roughly $4.6 billion package described in the deleted post refer to different scopes of spending. The proposed package included airborne warning aircraft and missile defense systems alongside fighters, making the supporting equipment central to understanding the scale of the investment.

Could Another Country Become the First Buyer?

Andreas Rupprecht, a researcher of Chinese military aviation, has suggested that an undisclosed customer may have helped finance the J-35 export program from its inception. He identified the United Arab Emirates as a possible launch customer, introducing an alternative to the expectation that Pakistan will receive the first export aircraft.

The United States Pentagon listed the Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt as interested clients in a 2025 report to Congress. The Emirates had previously sought the American F-35 but encountered restrictive export rules intended to preserve Israel's qualitative military edge in the Middle East.

With access to Western stealth technology restricted, Abu Dhabi could view the J-35AE as an alternative. Rupprecht also noted that international buyers tend to expect reliable support and maintenance networks before committing to sophisticated aircraft. China may therefore need to demonstrate that it can provide comprehensive service after a sale to secure demanding Gulf customers.

Pakistan still appears best placed to receive the first operational export jets. Its air force already uses Chinese J-10C and JF-17 fighters, giving it established maintenance arrangements, experience converting pilots to Chinese aircraft and existing supply relationships.

Those connections reduce the practical risks involved in introducing another Chinese platform. Even if the Emirates eventually purchases the J-35AE, Pakistan's existing military relationship with Beijing makes it a natural early operator of the wider group of Chinese combat systems under discussion.

Pakistan's Plans Reach Beyond South Asia

Pakistan has already extended the geographic reach of its air force into the Gulf. In April 2026, it deployed a squadron that included JF-17 fighters to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defense pact signed the previous September.

The addition of stealth fighters and precision weapons capable of striking at long distances would increase Pakistan's ability to project force into the Persian Gulf. Regional monarchies and global powers with interests in the Middle East would have reason to watch how that capability develops alongside Islamabad's defense relationships.

The military change would also reach beyond replacing older jets. Fifth generation aircraft are designed to enter heavily defended airspace, evade detection and attack critical targets before an opposing force can organize an effective response. Linking them with airborne warning aircraft and missile defenses would allow sensors across the force to contribute to a shared picture of threats and targets.

China has its own strategic and commercial interests in the program. A successful J-35 export would validate its ability to sell a complete fifth generation combat ecosystem, making it the first power outside the Western world to do so.

Such a sale could strengthen the standing of China's defense industry and encourage interest across Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Beijing's partnership with Pakistan serves both as a strategic counterweight to India and as a practical demonstration of Chinese aerospace technology for other prospective customers.

The immediate development is an initial agreement, backed by preparations for a much wider modernization effort. The eventual effect on regional air power will depend on how many aircraft Pakistan receives, how quickly it can operate them and whether the surveillance and missile defense systems discussed alongside the fighters become part of the final purchase.

The Essentials

• Air Vice-Marshal Tariq Ghazi confirmed that Pakistan has signed an initial collaborative agreement to acquire Chinese J-35 stealth fighters.
• Pakistan's plans also include precision weapons, additional J-10C aircraft and upgraded JF-17s.
• The J-35AE export fighter has two engines, internal weapons bays, advanced radar and a built in electro optical targeting system.
• Analyst estimates put its speed at Mach 1.8, combat radius at about 1,200 kilometers, service ceiling near 16,000 meters and price between $35 million and $80 million.
• A deleted government post in June 2025 described about 40 fighters, KJ-500 aircraft and HQ-19 systems in a package worth roughly $4.6 billion.
• Analysts consider an initial batch of four to twelve aircraft during 2026 or 2027 the most likely delivery scenario.
• India has no operational stealth fighters, and its AMCA program is not expected to enter service before the mid-2030s.
• The United Arab Emirates is another possible launch customer, while Pakistan's existing Chinese aircraft give it an advantage in introducing the J-35.
• Pakistan's financing, infrastructure and final purchase terms will determine how quickly its initial agreement becomes an operational capability.