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China’s J-10CE vs Eurofighter Typhoon: jets face off in Pakistan-Qatar air drills
- Military bloggers in China claim the Chinese 4.5-generation aircraft outperformed its European-made rival in the Zilzal-II exercise
- The upgraded version of the Avic-made jet has been promoted as a cheaper alternative to Western technology
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Chinese military enthusiasts are claiming a win for a Chinese-made fighter jet against a European counterpart in a military exercise between Pakistan and Qatar.
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The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fielded its Chinese-made J-10CE jets against Qatar’s Eurofighter Typhoon fighters for the first time in the Zilzal-II air exercise, which got under way in Qatar on January 10.
Chinese social media users saw the exercise as a test for the Chinese 4.5-generation fighter against a European-made jet of the same generation.
Military influencers and bloggers, in particular, celebrated an unverified claim that the J-10CE prevailed over the Typhoon in all nine drills against each other.
The J-10CE is the export variant of the J-10C, a jet made by state-owned Avic Chengdu Aircraft Industrial (Group).
The aircraft is at the forefront of China’s efforts to promote military exports, particularly to developing countries that are looking for cheaper alternatives to Western weapons.
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