China's "J-10C" fighter jet is a "fourth-generation" supersonic multi-purpose, all-weather medium fighter jet produced by the "AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Corporation". It is also an upgraded version of the "J-10" fighter jet, nicknamed "Menglong". The Chinese Air Force has given it the number (J-10C or F-10C).

The "J-10C" fighter jet uses the domestically produced high-thrust "Taihang FWS-10A" aircraft engine and canard aerodynamic layout, and is equipped with advanced "active phased array radar" and advanced automatic switching "avionics system", as well as a variety of advanced "airborne weapons" and "precision-guided" ammunition. The cockpit is also equipped with the most advanced "diffraction head-up display" and a new "radar system" with a greater detection range and the ability to track 12 targets simultaneously and strike the six most threatening target points.

The combat mission of the "J-10C" is to seize air superiority and carry out combat assaults. It has the ability to "precision strike" against the ground and sea. Its comprehensive combat effectiveness has reached the level of a "four-and-a-half-generation" fighter.

The "Taihang FWS-10A" aircraft engine equipped with the "J-10C" is "China's first large-thrust afterburning turbofan engine" independently developed by China with independent intellectual property rights. It was developed by the "Shenyang Engine Design Institute of China Aviation Industry Corporation I" and is also the supporting power unit for the "People's Liberation Army"'s fourth-generation main combat aircraft.

The engine adopts the design of "3-stage fan + 9-stage high-pressure compressor + 1-stage high-pressure turbine + 2-stage low-pressure turbine", with a thrust of about 13.5 tons (about 132 kilonewtons), a bypass ratio close to 0.76, and adopts a "condition-based maintenance" system. Its overhaul life is up to 450 hours and the total life is about 1,500 hours.

This represents a significant improvement over the Russian AL-31F engine initially used on the J-10 fighter jet. The AL-31F boasts a 300-hour overhaul life and a total lifespan of 900 hours. In actual use, my country's Taihang FWS-10A engine will be adjusted and optimized based on the needs of different aircraft.

The J-10C fighter jet uses a twin composite pylon, three large auxiliary fuel tanks, a forward-looking infrared pod, and a total of 11 weapon attachment points. Compared with the J-10 and J-10B, it is not compatible with the PL-15 air-to-air missile due to its backward radar and fire control systems.

The J-10C can carry my country's latest Eagle Strike-91 anti-radiation missiles, four PL-15 air-to-air missiles, two PL-10 close-range combat missiles, anti-ship missiles, and a variety of new precision-guided weapons. All of these can be integrated into the J-10C's airborne weapon system, marking that the J-10C has completely gotten rid of the defect of insufficient mounting capacity and has entered combat "beast mode".

The specific parameters of the "J-10C" fighter are shown in the public information of the "J-10CE" exported to Pakistan. The fuselage length is 16.91 meters, the height is 5.66 meters, the maximum take-off weight is 19.277 tons, the speed is 1.8 Mach (about 2175 kilometers per hour), the maximum cruising speed is 1350 kilometers per hour, the combat radius can reach 1240 kilometers, and the endurance transfer capability is 3389 kilometers.

Although the "J-10CE" fighter does not have stealth capabilities, its comprehensive performance and parameters, as well as speed and endurance, are relatively outstanding. It can be said that some of its performance is comparable to the "US F-35 fighter."

The J-10C utilizes a DIS air intake. Compared to the J-10's dual-element, three-wave adjustable air intake, this not only helps reduce the fighter's overall weight but also improves its air intake efficiency and flight performance.

The J-10C also features an optimized aerodynamic layout, replacing the traditional conical radome with a flattened cone. This streamlines the internal structure and equipment layout, significantly improving both flight performance and stealth.

In particular, the glass cockpit coating technology of the "J-10C" has a newly added gold film that can not only absorb radar waves, but also last for many years once coated, and can enhance stealth performance. The key is that its chemical properties are relatively stable, and its maintainability is better than the "indium tin oxide film" used in the "US F-22" fighter.

The J-10C fighter jet is not only equipped with a variety of advanced systems and a new active phased array radar, but also utilizes numerous independent transmitter/receiver modules and power amplifiers. Each antenna element functions as a miniature radar.

As a result, it not only enables flexible and rapid search and beam pointing, but also possesses strong anti-interference capabilities, long search range, high reliability, high power, and the ability to perform multiple tasks, including tracking, identification, and guidance.

The J-10C fighter jet made its public debut in July 2017 at the military parade celebrating the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

On April 16, 2018, the J-10C entered service with the Air Force and began to undertake combat missions and formally participated in actual combat training. It played a significant role in the Air Force's "Red Sword-2016" and "Red Sword-2017" system-to-system confrontation exercises, demonstrating its performance and combat capabilities, which play a crucial role in modern air combat.

J-10C