According to Reuters, Iran's deputy defense minister said that Iran had finalized an order from RussiaSu-35 fighterwithMi-28 heavily armed***。This has raised concerns among some who believe that this could mean that Iran will no longer buy Chinese onesJ-10CFighterswithZ-10 armament***。But in fact, this does not have to be pessimistic. The cooperative relationship between China and Iran has been strengthened, and ChinaThe likelihood of entry into Iran remains high. It's just that the specific model and time may be different from what everyone expects.
Iran has already decided to introduce 24 aircraftSu-35 fighter, which is not very large in terms of scale. Currently IranAir ForceThere are still about 24 F-14a/amHeavy fighterIn service. These Tomcat fighters have been in service for more than 40 years, and their condition and combat performance are already poor. Therefore, it is a very reasonable decision for Iran to introduce the Su-35 to replace these fighters.
AboutHeavy fighterIran's next update will focus on 36 aircraftMiG-29A and 47 F-4 seriesFighters。This is also ChinaJ-10CFightersOne of the target markets. Although Russia also has a modernized upgraded versionMiG-29withMiG-35Fighters, but performance and ChinaJ-10CThere is still a gap in comparison. ChinaJ-10CThe gallium nitride carried is activePhased array radarThe performance is better than that of RussiaFightersThe gallium arsenide is activePhased array radar。Therefore, if Iran choosesMiG-35And willing to pay an additional fee, the radar upgrade can be carried out, but limited by the space position, this upgrade is less likely.
Although Iran procured the Russian-madeFighters, but this does not mean that China has lost opportunities. IranAir ForceStill hope to updateSu-22Su-24And Su-25 theseFightersThere is a high probability that these fighters will be replaced by Russian-made Su-34 fighter-bombers. In addition, if other countries in the Middle East, such as the UAE, continue to buy ChineseJ-10CFighters, which will also boost Iran's purchase of this type of fighter.
ForZ-10 armament***Due to the large gap between the physique and the heavy-duty Ka-52, Mi-28, etc., China has been promoting various types of UAVs in the Middle East market. However, it was shown at the Dubai AirshowY-20B Strategic Transportmachine andJ-35StealthFightersModels have the potential to change that. The comprehensive performance of the Y-20B is better than that of the RussianIl-76Be strong,J-35Also more than the Russian single-shot versionSu-75More powerful. If Iran has a large strategic transport aircraft and fifth-generation stealthFightersInterested, ChineseJ-35And the Y-20B also has a good chance of getting orders.
Iran procures Russian-madeSu-35 fighterwithMi-28 heavily armed***It will definitely have a certain impact on the export of Chinese workers. However, the Chinese oneJ-10CFighterswithZ-10 armament***There are still other markets and opportunities. IranianMilitaryModernization requires replacing aging equipment and adding modern warplanes to meet regional security challenges. ChineseThe equipment is competitive in terms of performance and quality, and the cooperation between China and Iran has been continuously strengthened in recent years.
In addition, there are many other countries in the Middle EastMilitaryThe need for modernization, some of which countries may have on ChinaGear shows interest. By providing high-performance and reasonable products, China has the opportunity to get more orders in the Middle East market. The need for stability and modernization in the Middle East will promote the development and cooperation of Chinese and Chinese workers in the region.
In short, Iran procures Russian-madeSu-35 fighterwithMi-28 heavily armed***The decision does not mean that China has lost access to the Iranian market. The cooperative relationship between China and Iran has developed strongly, and China'sThe equipment is still competitive. Through reasonable positioning and strategic layout, Zhong** industry can still gain more market share in the Middle East.