The J-10C fighter once again appeared in Pakistan's important military exercises, demonstrating its strong combat capability and advanced technological level. The exercise, which kicked off on Feb. 9, is the biennial "Sea Spark" series. During the week-long exercise, Pakistan's army, navy and air force, as well as special forces, marines and other services, will participate in a joint maritime combat operation. 
The purpose of the exercise was not only to test Pakistan's ability to expand the range of anti-ship operations by expanding the radius of action and using the out-of-zone**, but also to conduct an actual combat exercise on aerial refueling at sea. The implementation of this module will further enhance the radius of action of the Pakistan Air Force's most advanced fighter jets, providing strong support for future maritime operations. Although it is not clearly indicated which model of fighter it is, according to many speculations, it is likely to be a J-10CE fighter with air refueling capabilities. 
This exercise is the first time that Pakistani J-10CE fighters have participated in an exercise focusing on maritime operations, which is of great significance. The focus of the exercise was on the show 4Integrated extended-range over-the-horizon capabilities of the 5th generation fighter in the maritime domain. Specifically, the J-10CE fighter uses advanced air-to-air missiles and excellent air supremacy capabilities to provide cover for the "Thunder" fighter, enabling it to safely launch C802AK or CM400AK missiles to carry out precision strikes against enemy sea or near-shore targets. The application of this tactic will greatly enhance the maritime combat capability of the Pakistan Air Force and provide a strong guarantee for the defense of the country's maritime rights and interests. 
At present, the Pakistan Air Force has purchased the first batch of 36 J-10CE fighters, of which the first batch of 6 was officially delivered in March 2022. As one of the most powerful fourth-generation and a half fighters in the world today, the J-10CE fighter has advanced avionics systems and powerful equipment. It features a unique DSI stealth inlet design, a powerful active phased array radar, and an advanced integrated avionics system. The application of these advanced technologies makes the J-10CE fighter have extremely high combat effectiveness and survivability in air combat. In addition, the J-10CE fighter is also equipped with domestically produced air-to-air missiles such as the Thunderbolt-10 and Thunderbolt-15, as well as a variety of precision-guided air-to-ground munitions. The blessing of these advanced equipment makes the J-10CE fighter have stronger firepower strike capabilities and higher combat flexibility in air combat. 
Since the J-10CE fighter officially joined the Pakistan Air Force, its powerful air combat capabilities have been fully demonstrated. This fighter has not only participated in all major training exercises in Pakistan, but has also conducted confrontation exercises with Western fourth-generation and a half fighter jets, accumulating a lot of valuable experience data for Pakistan and China. During the Indus River 2023 exercise, the J-10CE fighter successfully spotted the target before the enemy F-15SA fighter with its advanced active phased array radar. In the exercise with Qatar's "Typhoon" fighter jets, the J-10CE won an overwhelming victory with a score of 9-0 with its excellent radar, missile and maneuverability. 
In this exercise, the J-10CE fighter participated in the maritime combat exercise for the first time, and formed a perfect cooperation with the "Thunder" fighter. During the exercise, the J-10CE was mainly responsible for seizing air supremacy, while the "Thunder" carried C802AK and even CM400AK supersonic anti-ship missiles to strike at enemy ships. This tactical layout is clearly aimed at India's maritime forces. At present, the Indian Navy is much more powerful than Pakistan, with two carrier battle groups, including the MiG-29K and the upcoming Rafale carrier-based fighter jets. Although the Rafale is also a fourth-and-a-half-generation fighter with excellent performance, the J-10CE and the Thunder have advantages in radar, avionics equipment, etc. In addition, Pakistan's J-10CE can also be equipped with PL-15E and even PL-17E long-range air-to-air missiles, which makes it also have a crushing advantage against advanced fighters such as Rafale. Therefore, in naval operations, Pakistan prefers the J-10CE as a fighter to seize air supremacy and cover the "Thunder" to carry out anti-ship missions. After all, air supremacy is a prerequisite for seizing sea supremacy. 
The "Sea Spark" series of exercises will not only demonstrate the strength and tactical level of the Pakistan Air Force in the field of maritime operations, but will also further tap the potential of the J-10CE fighter. At present, the Pakistan Air Force is actively promoting a comprehensive refitting program, and its construction goals are both clear and ambitious. They plan to equip more than 100 J-10C and JF-17C fighters to replace the F-16 and J-7E series fighters that are still in service. The move is aimed at giving the Pakistan Air Force a numerical advantage over the Indian Air Force in terms of four-and-a-half-generation fighters, further enhancing its position in the regional air power balance. At the same time, the Pakistan Air Force also plans to introduce the J-31 "Falcon Eagle" fighter in order to also achieve a lead in quality. This series of initiatives shows that the Pakistan Air Force is committed to building a more advanced and powerful air power system to meet the challenge from India. February** Dynamic Incentive Program