SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
China’s reported offer to supply 40 J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighter jets to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) at a heavily discounted price has hit a roadblock, with Beijing seeking a U.S.-style monitoring system to prevent potential access by American personnel, according to an intelligence source cited by the Indian Defence Research Wing (idrw.org). The move, driven by Chinese concerns over Pakistan’s deepening defense ties with the United States, reflects Beijing’s unease about the PAF’s American-supplied F-16 fleet, which is monitored by U.S. ground staff to restrict Chinese access and ensure compliance with U.S. end-use agreements.
Reports from June 2025, including a now-deleted Pakistani government post on X, indicated that China offered 40 J-35A jets, alongside KJ-500 AWACS and HQ-19 air defense systems, with deliveries potentially starting in August 2025 at a near 50% discount, valued at approximately $4.6 billion.
However, an intelligence source close to idrw.org reveals that China is now demanding a U.S.-style monitoring system for the J-35A, similar to the oversight applied to Pakistan’s F-16 fleet. The U.S. monitors its F-16s, supplied at heavy discounts or funded by American taxpayers, through ground staff and technical agreements to prevent Chinese access to sensitive technologies and restrict their use against India, as seen during Operation Sindoor. China’s insistence on monitoring stems from fears that Pakistan, which recently sought to bolster U.S. defense ties through a visit by PAF chief Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu to Washington, might allow American personnel to inspect the J-35A, compromising China’s proprietary stealth and avionics technologies.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has twice publicly denied plans to induct the J-35A anytime soon, dismissing media reports as “hype” and stating, in interviews with Arab News and other outlets. These denials, made in late June 2025, contrast with earlier reports, including a June 6 X post by Pakistan’s government and an Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) image showing a PAF pilot in a J-35A cockpit, suggesting advanced negotiations and pilot training in China. The sudden U-turn has fueled speculation of discord, with Asif’s statements hinting at unresolved issues over China’s monitoring demands or financial terms.
The J-35A deal, initially hailed as a game-changer for the PAF, was expected to provide a temporary edge over the Indian Air Force (IAF), which lacks a fifth-generation fighter until its Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is operational around 2030. However, Air Forces Monthly reported that Pakistan may not be the first recipient, with an unnamed country—possibly Egypt, Algeria, or Saudi Arabia—prioritized for the J-35A’s Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) phase, potentially delaying PAF deliveries until 2026 or later. This shift, coupled with Chinese social media backlash over the 50% discount and Pakistan’s history of delayed payments, suggests financial and strategic tensions.
The U.S. monitors Pakistan’s 76 F-16A/B/C/D jets through strict end-use agreements, limiting their deployment against India and requiring U.S. personnel to oversee maintenance and operations at bases like Mushaf (Sargodha) and Shahbaz. This prevents Chinese engineers from accessing sensitive avionics, such as the APG-68 radar, and ensures compliance with U.S. foreign military sales (FMS) terms. China’s demand for a similar monitoring system for the J-35A, likely involving Chinese technical teams or embedded systems to track usage, is a response to Pakistan’s recent outreach to the U.S. for additional F-16 Block 70 jets, AIM-7 Sparrow missiles, and HIMARS rocket systems, reflecting dissatisfaction with Chinese equipment performance during Operation Sindoor.
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