China’s J-10C Jets Deemed Low Quality; Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Serbia Cancel Orders
Summary
TLDRIn August 2024, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced a $3 billion defense deal to purchase 12 French-made Rafale fighter jets, marking a strategic shift for Serbia away from Chinese-made J-10C jets, despite Serbia's close ties with China. The deal signals Serbia's military pivot toward Europe, aligning with its EU ambitions. This decision sparked disappointment in China, which views Serbia as a key ally. Additionally, China has struggled to secure fighter jet orders internationally, facing setbacks in markets like Saudi Arabia and Thailand due to concerns over engine reliability and limited payload capacities.
Takeaways
- 🇫🇷 French President Emmanuel Macron visited Belgrade on August 19th.
- 🤝 Serbia signed a $3 billion deal with France to purchase 12 Rafale fighter jets.
- 🛩️ The Rafale jets will replace Serbia's aging Russian-made MiG-29 and MiG-21 aircraft.
- 🇨🇳 China is disappointed as Serbia chose the Rafale jets over the Chinese J-10C fighter jets.
- 🇷🇺 Serbia is moving away from its traditional reliance on Russian-made military equipment.
- 🇪🇺 Serbia's purchase of Rafale jets is seen as a shift towards closer ties with the European Union.
- 📉 China has faced difficulties securing international buyers for its J-10C jets despite offering competitive prices.
- 🇷🇸 Serbia, while traditionally pro-China and pro-Russia, is seeking to balance relations with the EU.
- 🇷🇸 Serbia remains the only European country not to impose sanctions on Russia amid the Ukraine conflict.
- 🛡️ The Rafale deal reflects Serbia's strategic military realignment and a possible move towards further cooperation with European nations.
Q & A
What is the significance of Serbia's decision to purchase French-made Rafale jets?
-Serbia's purchase of 12 Rafale jets from France marks a strategic shift away from its reliance on Russian military equipment. It is seen as an effort to strengthen ties with the European Union, especially as Serbia continues its bid for EU membership.
Why did Serbia choose Rafale jets over China’s J-10C fighter jets?
-Serbia opted for the Rafale jets despite the J-10C being significantly cheaper because of the Rafale's superior payload capacity, reliability, and combat experience. The choice also suggests a political decision to align more closely with Europe, particularly France, which is a key EU member.
What impact did Serbia's decision have on China?
-China was disappointed by Serbia's decision to choose the Rafale jets, as Serbia is seen as a close ally. Chinese media and citizens expressed frustration, especially since China has struggled to secure international buyers for its J-10C jets.
What is the role of the Rafale fighter jet in global military operations?
-The Rafale is a highly maneuverable, multi-role fighter jet used in air-to-air, air-to-ground, and air-to-sea missions. It has proven its effectiveness in various conflicts, including airstrikes in Libya, the Afghan Civil War, and operations against ISIS.
How has China fared in selling its J-10C fighter jets globally?
-China has faced difficulties in securing international orders for its J-10C jets, with Serbia being the latest disappointment. The J-10C has reliability issues, especially with its engines, and has only found a buyer in Pakistan.
Why has China struggled to compete with Western fighter jets in the international market?
-Chinese fighter jets, like the J-10C, have been criticized for engine reliability, limited payload capacity, and lack of after-sales services. These issues, combined with China's relatively new presence in the arms export market, make it hard for Chinese jets to compete with Western alternatives.
What are the political implications of Serbia's purchase of Rafale jets?
-Serbia's decision is seen as an effort to distance itself from Russia and China while moving closer to the EU. The deal is also viewed as a way to gain support from France for Serbia’s EU accession process.
How does Serbia’s relationship with China affect its military decisions?
-Although Serbia has strong ties with China, especially through the Belt and Road Initiative, its decision to purchase French jets over Chinese ones indicates a shift in its defense strategy, possibly motivated by a desire to align more with Europe.
What are the technical differences between the J-10C and Rafale jets?
-The J-10C, while cheaper, is less reliable in terms of engine performance and payload capacity. The Rafale, on the other hand, is more versatile, has a higher payload capacity, and has proven its capabilities in real combat scenarios.
What are the broader geopolitical implications of Serbia's military shift toward European equipment?
-Serbia's shift toward European military equipment, like the Rafale jets, could lead to stronger political and military ties with EU nations. This shift may reduce Serbia's reliance on Russia and China, aligning its defense strategy more closely with European standards.
Outlines
✈️ Serbia Signs Major Defense Deal with France
On August 19th, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and French President Emmanuel Macron announced a significant $3 billion defense contract for Serbia to purchase 12 French-made Rafale fighter jets. This strategic move, marking a shift from Serbian reliance on Russian military aircraft, was celebrated by Macron but disappointed China, as Serbia rejected Chinese J10C jets in favor of the Rafales. The deal signifies Serbia's growing military alignment with the EU and a possible cooling of relations with traditional allies, Russia and China.
⚔️ The Political Implications of Serbia’s Rafale Deal
Serbia's choice to purchase French Rafale jets over Chinese J10C models could have broader political ramifications. Traditionally aligned with Russia and China, Serbia’s move may signal a shift toward European Union (EU) integration, particularly as France, a key EU member, supports Serbia's EU accession. The Rafale deal may indicate Serbia’s intention to balance its historical ties with Russia and China while strengthening its relationships with EU countries.
💥 Challenges Faced by Chinese Fighter Jets
Chinese fighter jets, including the J10C, face numerous challenges in securing international orders due to concerns over engine reliability, limited payload capacity, and a lack of combat experience. Despite offering a lower price, Chinese jets struggle to compete with Western alternatives like the Rafale or F-16, and potential buyers often opt for jets with better track records and more reliable after-sale service.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Chooses French Jets Over Chinese Options
Despite rumors of Saudi Arabia potentially purchasing Chinese J10C jets, the country ultimately opted to buy 54 French Rafale fighter jets. This decision highlights the difficulties Chinese military equipment faces in gaining a foothold in the Middle Eastern arms market, especially as Saudi Arabia continues to prioritize higher-end Western-made systems.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Rafale fighter jets
💡J10C fighter jets
💡Serbia
💡China-Serbia relations
💡Kosovo
💡EU membership
💡France-Serbia defense deal
💡Chinese military exports
💡One China policy
💡Saudi Arabia-China relations
Highlights
Serbia signed a $3 billion contract to purchase 12 French-made Rafale fighter jets, marking a shift in its defense strategy.
The Rafale jets deal includes 9 single-seat and 3 twin-seat jets, with deliveries scheduled for 2029.
The Rafale jets will replace Serbia's aging Russian-made MiG-29 and MiG-21 aircraft.
This is China's third failed attempt to secure an international order for its J-10C fighter jets after setbacks in Saudi Arabia and Thailand.
Chinese social media reacted with disappointment and criticism after Serbia chose the Rafale jets over the cheaper J-10C.
China's J-10C is reportedly four times cheaper than the Rafale but faces challenges in payload capacity, engine reliability, and combat experience.
Serbia is seen as one of China's closest allies in Europe, alongside Pakistan, yet it still opted for the French Rafale over China's J-10C.
Serbia actively supports China's Belt and Road Initiative and adheres to the One China policy, yet its decision to purchase the Rafale is viewed as a political shift.
The Royal United Services Institute noted that China has improved in air power technologies but still faces significant issues in engine reliability.
The decision to buy French jets may be a strategic move for Serbia as it seeks to strengthen ties with the European Union.
China has been attempting to enter the arms export market, but uncertainties in after-sale services, maintenance, and reliability have hindered progress.
President Macron reiterated his support for Serbia's EU accession during his visit to Belgrade.
Chinese authorities have struggled to sell J-10C jets due to engine performance issues, especially in terms of power sustainability and fuel efficiency.
Serbia's decision to buy Rafale jets is seen as a political shift, moving away from traditional ties with Russia and China.
Saudi Arabia has also opted for French Rafale jets over Chinese fighter jets, reflecting China’s ongoing difficulties in securing military contracts.
Transcripts
on August 19th French president Emanuel
macron visited belgrad where Serbian
President Alexander VC announced a major
defense deal Serbia has signed a
contract to purchase 12 french-made
Rafel fighter jets a move macron hailed
as a strategic shift for the balcon
nation the deal was worth $3 billion
which means each Rafel jet costs around
$250 million us it includes nine single
seat and three twin seat Jets which will
be delivered in 2029 these new Jets will
replace Serbia's aging russian-made
mig29 and mig21 aircraft this marks the
third failed attempt by China to secure
an international order for its j10c
fighter jets following previous setbacks
in Saudi Arabia and Thailand the news
was disappointing for the Chinese
government and angered Chinese citizens
in China Serbia is seen as one of its
closest allies along side Pakistan which
is often called iron brother Serbia too
is known as iron Serbia among Chinese
citizens currently the only foreign
buyer of China's J10 Jets is Pakistan
which has ordered 36 jets with about 10
already delivered the Chinese government
has been confident that Serbia would
purchase the
j10c located on the balcon peninsula
Serbia is considered one of the most
pro-china countries in Eastern Europe it
has actively supported China's belt and
Road initiative and in 2022 vage visited
China and signed a free trade agreement
with Beijing after China's president Xi
Jinping visited France in May 2024 he
also visited Serbia Serbia welcomed Xi
Jinping in exchange for his support on
the kovo issue since the kovo war ended
in 1999 kovo has operated as an
independent entity although Serbia has
not recognized its independence treating
it as one of its two autonomous
provinces as of 2023 104 out of the 193
UN member states have recognized Kosovo
sovereignty in the European Union 22 of
the 27 member states have recognized
Kosovo China has constantly refused to
recognize kosovo's Independence viewing
it as part of Serbia in return Serbia
adheres to the one China policy
recognizing Taiwan as an integrated part
of China besides purchasing weapons from
Russia Serbia also Imports chinese-made
military equipment recently it acquired
the hq17 AE close-range air defense
system fk3 medium to long range air
defense missiles and CH 92a drones from
China earlier reports indicate that
China had prompted the j10c fighter jets
to Serbia through various channels
offering variable pricing despite these
efforts Serbia ultimately chose the
French Rafel Jets over the chin Chinese
offer Chinese social media featured
articles criticizing iron Serbia
questioning how Serbia could choose the
Rafal over the j10c which is reportedly
four times cheaper one article argued
that $3 billion could have bought over
50 j10c Jets expressing surprise at vu's
decision China's J10 is a single engine
fighter jet developed as a counterpart
to the American F-16 it was deployed in
2005 and has similar size and takeoff
weight to the F16 j10c is an upgraded
version introduced in 2018 equipped with
modern electronic systems including
anactive electronically scanned array
radar Korean media analysis indicates
that the j10c when compared to the F16
and the Rafel falls short in payload
capacity and engine reliability it also
lacks combat experience despite its low
price of around 60 million only only a
quarter of what is competitors cost the
j10c has had trouble finding buyers the
Royal United Service Institute a British
Think Tank stated that China is catching
up to and even surpassing Russia in air
power Technologies including fighter jet
development however media commentator
hang Chong sha noted in the Live program
94 needs complaints that while China's
Modern Electric equipment surpasses
Russia's its engines have significant
reliability issues and leg behind
Russian standards former Air Force
Deputy Commander Jang yanting also
identified three structural issues
hindering Chinese military aircraft
sales one economic Reliance on China and
security Reliance on the US create a
difficult dichotomy second Chinese
aircraft are state-owned and lack
competitiveness with uncertainties in
after sale Services maintenance and
repairs and thirdly China is new to the
arms export market and challenges in
production lines structures and engines
are still unresolved the Rafel developed
by Fran's Des salt Aviation is a twin
engine deltawing highly maneuverable
multi-roll fighter jet it has been the
main export fighter jet to countries
like India Egypt and Qatar though a
smaller aircraft the Rafal excels in
payload capacity and maneuverability
capable of air to a air to ground and
air to see missions it has proven its
Effectiveness in real Combat
including air strikes in Libya the
Afghan Civil War and operations against
Isis media analysis indicates that
Serbia's decision to choose the Rafal
over the j10c may carry political
implications despite his traditionally
pro-china and pro Russia stance Serbia
applied for EU membership in 2009 but
progress has been hindered by the kovo
conflict and concerns about democracy
and the rule of law in this light
selecting the Rafal is viewed as an
effort to win support from France a key
EU member president vuic told agents
France press that nearly all of Serbia's
reconnaissance aircraft and fighter jets
are Russian made we need to move forward
and change our habits to prepare our
military he said adding that this
represents Serbia's military shift
toward the EU and may lead to further
cooperation with European nations serban
Think Tank scholar Milan ovich told
Europe one that this move has political
significance as it distances Serbia from
Russia some commentators considered the
Rafal purchase contract sensitive given
Serbia's traditional ties with Russia
and China while it continues to pursue
EU membership despite Russia's invasion
of Ukraine Serbia has maintained
friendly relations with Moscow and
Remains the only European country that
has not imposed sanctions on Russia this
has raised concerns that Serbia might be
playing a diplomatic double game however
France's geopolitical benefits from the
deal French Secretary of State for
European Affairs Gan Noel Barrett told
French media that if France does not
replace Serbia's russian-made military
aircraft with the Rael this Enclave
within the EU will become a Gateway for
authoritarian regimes like Russia and
China to disrupt the European continent
president macron reiterated his support
for Serbia's EU accession saying that
Serbia has a special place in the EU
it is understood that France has made
specific demands on Serbia normalizing
relations with Kosovo and advancing in
democracy and the rule of law which are
both major obstacles to EU membership
China has few International allies and
even in countries friendly to China it
has repeatedly failed to secure fighter
jet orders since 2015 China and Thailand
have conducted joint Air Force exercises
with China introducing the J10 c's for
these exercises years ago as Thailand
upgraded its military equipment and plan
to replace its aging American-made f-16s
from the 1980s China recommended the
lowcost j10c to Thailand reports
indicate that Thailand's 47 f-16s have
an average age of 34 years and urgently
needed replacement the th Air Force
initially wanted to purchase the
americanmade f-35a but abandoned the
idea due to high costs eventually the US
Department of Defense and Lockheed
Martin announced they were temporarily
not considering selling the f-35a to
Thailand the Thai Air Force then
considered the f16v the Swedish j39 EF
and the Chinese J10 CE analysts suggest
that the J10 CE may offer similar
performance to the
f16v and a lower unit price compared to
the
j39
EF however opting for the J10 CE would
mean additional expenses for China's
pl15 air-to-air missiles as well as
export Focus data link and early Warning
Systems driving up the overall cost in
contrast the f-16v and j39 EF come with
compatible equipment causing the j10c to
lose its cost advantage and ultimately
be ruled out by the tha Air Force in
July the Thai Air Force chose the
relatively cheaper j39 EF with
compatible equipment reaching an
agreement with Sweden's
sabab Chinese authorities have missed
out on a major military deal with
Thailand resulting in both embarrassment
for Beijing and anger among Chinese
citizens 10-cent military columnist
crazy Warfare show analyzed that while
the Thai Air Force did not select
chinese-made weapons this time it might
still consider purchasing Chinese
military equipment in the future under a
neutral policy the analyst suggested
that the pla's j3e fighter jets could
potentially enter the time Market though
the lower tier j10c seems to have little
chance Chinese fighter jets face
numerous challenges on the global stage
with the biggest issue being the
performance and reliability of the jet
engines specifically the ws10 despite
improvements in power output these
engines still suffer from problems with
power sustainability and fuel efficiency
the J10 C's limited payload capacity of
under 6 tons is another concern a
multi-roll fighter jet must be capable
of carrying various weapons but the J10
C's restricted payload limits its
versatility also its short operational
range is further hampered by the lack of
external fuel tanks a Pakistani Air
Force pilot who has flown the F-15 F16
and j10c stated in a military magazine
the radar detection capability is good
and maneuverability is decent but the
jet suffers from limited payload and
sudden power drops only replacing it
with a more powerful engine can resolve
these issues a similar situation
occurred in Saudi Arabia a key us trade
partner since the early 20th century
Saudi Arabia spends billions annually on
American Arms in 2017 during former
president Trump's visit to rehea the US
and Saudi Arabia signed a decade long
arms deal worth $350 billion the largest
single arms transaction in US history
however under President Biden's
Administration the US imposed a ban on
arm sales to Saudi Arabia in 2021 due to
the Kingdom's alleged military support
for human rights violations in Yemen
China then seized this opportunity to
strengthen its relations with Saudi
Arabia attempting to replace US
influence in the Middle East in December
2022 Chinese leader chin ping visited
rehea and signed a strategic partnership
agreement with Saudi Arabia this deal
covered broad military cooperation and
bolstered the belt and Road initiative
China is Saudi Arabia's largest trading
partner while Saudi Arabia is China's
largest oil supplier commentators
suppose that these two authoritarian
states have come together over shared
interests dozens of European countries
and some Asian Nations including turkey
have condemned China's treatment of
wager Muslims in Shin Jang however Saudi
Arabia has remained silent on the issue
in exchange chines officials have not
criticized the Saudi government over the
killing of Jamal kosi accepting the
official explanation that he was the
victim of a rogue operation unlike the
US China Saudi trade relations come with
almost no strings attached professor
masin of international relations at
jjang International Studies University
stated as a trade partner China does not
impose any demands on Saudi Arabia
regarding sovereignty values or ideology
he added Saudi Arabia trusts China
however James dorsy a senior fellow at
Singapore's s rajaratnam School of
International Studies remarked Xi
Jinping clearly wants to take a stand
amidst the strained relations between
the US and Saudi Arabia Muhammad Alayah
a Saudi researcher at Harvard's belfer
Center and a senior fellow at the
Houston Institute commented that the
notion of Saudi Arabia replacing the US
with China today is far-fetched in
November 2022 during the duai air show
in China Saudi Arabia accounted for 10%
of the total 40 billion US do
transactions signing a new weapons
agreement worth4
billion these deals included arms drones
ballistic missiles and anti-drone Laser
systems several Chinese media Outlets
reported on the 4 billion US Dollars
ordered from Saudi Arabia describing it
as a significant investment and a sign
that Chinese weapons could gain a
stronger foothold in the Middle Eastern
Market they portrayed the order as a
clear vote of confidence in Chinese
military
equipment however some users
sarcastically commented if you
understood the scale of Saudi us arms
deals you won't be laughing one of their
deals is $350 billion and they spent $4
billion that's just pocket changed to
them in October 2023 China and Saudi
Arabia conducted a joint Naval Special
Operations exercise named Blue sword
2023 in jjang guangong as part of their
military cooperation plan Jen Jang is a
key base from the South China Sea Fleet
of the Chinese Navy after the exercises
rumors spread online that Saudi Arabia
was eyeing chinese-made military
equipment planning to purchase 81 j10c
fighter jets and 13 type 052d
guided missile destroyers Chinese
internet users celebrated claiming China
has won another victory in the Middle
East however by the end of 2023 Francis
La Tribune reported that Saudi Arabia's
fighter jet procurement plan did not
include Chinese products instead the
country opted to purchase 54 french-made
Rafel fighter jets dispelling earlier
rumors about potential Chinese
involvement some commented that given
Saudi Arabia as well it is unlikely the
country would choose Chinese aircraft
solely for their lower cost in February
2024 Saudi Arabia hosted the World
defense show 2024 where China presented
a wide range of advanced Weaponry
focusing on both armed and unarmed
drones as well as fighter jets
air-to-air missiles longrange air
defense and missile defense systems
among others the pla also sent the
August 1st aerobatic team to perform
with J10 fighter jets some Chinese media
reported that aside from Israel
acquiring American-made F35 stealth
fighter jets remains a distant dream for
Middle Eastern countries Beijing aims to
fill this Gap by offering the fifth
generation fc31 fighter jets helping
these countries achieve their defense
goals however Us Media Outlet breaking
defense reported that China's close
military ties with Saudi Arabia
including joint Naval exercises in
recent years have drawn significant
atten ion from the US and its Western
allies still there is almost no evidence
that Beijing can influence us Saudi
defense business in August 2024 news
emerged from the US Congress that the
Biden administration had decided to lift
the ban on defense weapon sales in Saudi
Arabia this move marks a reversal of the
three-year policy pressuring Saudi
Arabia to end the war in Yemen for China
this is unwelcome news making its
ambitions to expand influence in the
Middle East even more challenging
commentators suggest that Saudi Arabia's
cooperation with the US is focused on
defense while its partnership with China
revolves around trade indicating that
China may not fully grasp the situation
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