With the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, European countries have strengthened their air defense capabilities, among which Spain announced the purchase of 40 F-35 stealth fighters from the United States, including 20 F-35A and 20 F-35B, which will greatly enhance its air force strength. It is noteworthy that Middle Eastern countries have also expressed interest in the purchase of American-made F-35s, but at the moment export plans are shelved due to the attitude of the United States towards the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Against this background, Chinese-made FC-31 fighters became the only option for Middle Eastern countries to fill the vacancy of stealth fighters.
Although the only country in the Middle East that has an F-35 is currently Israel, oil giants such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia have the financial resources to buy an F-35. Due to differences between the United States and the two countries over the Yemeni civil war, the F-35 export program was put on hold. Against this background, the Chinese FC-31 fighter became an alternative to fill the vacancy. Middle Eastern countries are looking to strengthen their fighter fleets, with China's J-10C fighter jets already on display in the Middle East, while FC-31 fighter jets were also shown in mock-up form at the World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia.
The FC-31 fighter is a Chinese-made stealth fighter, the main task of which is to meet the needs of the use of aircraft carriers. To adapt to carrier combat, the FC-31 received a number of improvements and upgrades and was called the J-35 fighter. Although the J-35 is not currently in service, it is widely believed that it will quickly exert its combat effectiveness. As the conflict in the Middle East continues, the demand for fifth-generation aircraft in Middle Eastern countries is also increasing.
The FC-31 differs from the F-35 in appearance, with the former having a twin-engine design, while the latter having a single-engine design. As the J-35 continues to improve, its appearance is becoming more and more similar to the F-35, and there are even claims that it is called a twin-engine version of the F-35. According to US media reports, the maximum flight speed of the FC-31 is 1Mach 8, slightly higher than the 35 of the F-1Mach 6. The maximum range of the two is not much different, only about 30 units. The FC-31 is expected to become an option for Middle Eastern countries to strengthen their air and air defense capabilities.
For Middle Eastern countries, the purchase of Chinese-made FC-31s has become a viable option as the possibility of purchasing American-made F-35s has gradually decreased. If successful acquisition and localization, it will not only help reduce costs, but also give these countries more exposure to fifth-generation aircraft technology. In the current geopolitical environment, the FC-31 fighter may be a key step in modernizing the air force of Middle Eastern countries.
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