A global push towards fifth-generation stealth fighter jets is visible as great powers are producing them. Particularly, China has metamorphosed J-35, its stealthy fighter, into a global export product. This was seen when it was presented globally at the 2026 Singapore Airshow. Moreover, Pakistan is expecting a tranche of 40 J-35 from China, meaning that the PAF will become the first foreign operator of the platform after inducting it into its fleet. This follows a historical precedent of the PAF, which maintains its technologically superior fleet to offset the quantitative advantage of the IAF.As a cost-competitive alternative to the Western fifth-generation platforms, the Shenyang J-35 Gyrfalcon is particularly attractive for the countries that cannot afford Western fifth-generation fighter jets, are confined by political limitations on US arms procurements, and data sovereignty issues. Also, the combat-proven capability of the J-10, as seen against the Rafale during the Pakistan-India May 2025 war, speaks volumes about Chinese technological prowess and advancement, proving that it is at par with Western technology. In the same vein, J-35’s capability will further turn the perception of Western technology’s superiority into a misnomer. Pakistan’s acquisition of the J-35 will also effectively counterbalance the much-created hype and optics around the Indian acquisition of the 114........

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