PAF J-35AE - News, Updates and Discussions

[东风夜放花千树]

According to news on April 7, India hopes to purchase Russia's SU-57, with a procurement quantity of 40 units. An agreement was also signed to license the production of 100 SU-57s at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Nashik factory, for equipping five squadrons.

If India and Russia reach an agreement, then the news of Pakistan purchasing the J-35A would be true. The first batch is also 40 units.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

According to news on April 7, India hopes to purchase Russia's SU-57, with a procurement quantity of 40 units. An agreement was also signed to license the production of 100 SU-57s at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Nashik factory, for equipping five squadrons.

If India and Russia reach an agreement, then the news of Pakistan purchasing the J-35A would be true. The first batch is also 40 units.

Russia right now still cannot mass produce the Su-57.

Also, a Su-57 might be nearly twice the price tag of a J-35.

Pakistan's acquisition of the J-35 is not only for countering against India, but also to secure the middle east.

 

[RealNapster]

According to some Chinese media, it is 80 million per unit for Pakistan.

That would be the plane itself i believe. But what about training, logistics, spare engines, maintenence infrastructure, weapons package. It will easily cross 100 million.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

That would be the plane itself i believe. But what about training, logistics, spare engines, maintenence infrastructure, weapons package. It will easily cross 100 million.

Just like the J-10C was 40 million per plane, and if you add up all the cost, it is 76 million per plane.

And the J-35 gonna end up as a war-tested aircraft like the J-10C.

 

[ety]

According to news on April 7, India hopes to purchase Russia's SU-57, with a procurement quantity of 40 units. An agreement was also signed to license the production of 100 SU-57s at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Nashik factory, for equipping five squadrons.

If India and Russia reach an agreement, then the news of Pakistan purchasing the J-35A would be true. The first batch is also 40 units.

So no new Rafales then ?

 

[Ibbi32]

Just like the J-10C was 40 million per plane, and if you add up all the cost, it is 76 million per plane.

And the J-35 gonna end up as a war-tested aircraft like the J-10C.

Pakistan got those j-10s at roughly 75 mil per unit but that deal also included 10 pl-15 per aircraft along with an unknown ammount of support as well

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Pakistan got those j-10s at roughly 75 mil per unit but that deal also included 10 pl-15 per aircraft along with an unknown ammount of support as well

China knows that Pakistan has limited funds to maintain a strong military.

Therefore, it is more for the strategic alliance rather money making.

 

[Ali_Baba]

So no new Rafales then ?

India will try and get Rafales too, they want to bulk up their airforce as quickly as possible.

 

[Ibbi32]

India will try and get Rafales too, they want to bulk up their airforce as quickly as possible.

Rafale is the worst possible option to get quickly

 

[Ali_Baba]

Rafale is the worst possible option to get quickly

Only if they don't get bogged down with talk of source code, and TOT over engines technology. Old habits, don't go away quickly.

 

[Ibbi32]

Only if they don't get bogged down with talk of source code, and TOT over engines technology. Old habits, don't go away quickly.

Nah. Dassault already denied them source code multiple times including after signing of this deal. There are no facilities in India currently able to assemble rafales and even if there was it would still be heavily dependent on french production which is also struggling to keep with the ridiculous demand. Dassault simply cant scale up production easily and all their increase production plans are optimistic and based on french supply chains that are still not keeping pace. India wont get any of these 114 rafales before mid 2030s.

 

[rafale]

I would say expand the J10CP fleet its battle proven

add 36 x J35AE

expand the fleet of J10CP to 76 units

continue to upgrade the JF17 I and II to the III standard to over 250+ units

J35AE is also only as good as the AWACS cover it comes with , so either we get KJ-500 or even better if China allows KJ-600 or KJ-700 AWACS we get 6 units

You are missing out on the funding crunch and the potential game changer F-16V upgrades depending on how well Pakistan plays its cards in washington.

F-16s need to soldier on as well and be brought up to long range 200km BVR standard as well.....plus if anything, Pakistan can utilize the current goodwill in Washington to get some strike weapons for F-16s as well.

 

[rafale]

Nah. Dassault already denied them source code multiple times including after signing of this deal. There are no facilities in India currently able to assemble rafales and even if there was it would still be heavily dependent on french production which is also struggling to keep with the ridiculous demand. Dassault simply cant scale up production easily and all their increase production plans are optimistic and based on french supply chains that are still not keeping pace. India wont get any of these 114 rafales before mid 2030s.

True,

First Rafales are due in 2030 if the deal is signed right now.

Delays will always happen and they will not have full 114 Rafales by 2035.....by which time 60-70% of their fleet would already be obsolete infront PAF J-35/J-10CEs

 

[Ibbi32]

True,

First Rafales are due in 2030 if the deal is signed right now.

Delays will always happen and they will not have full 114 Rafales by 2035.....by which time 60-70% of their fleet would already be obsolete infront PAF J-35/J-10CEs

Brother at current rate dassault wont start on Indian production before 2034-36. Likely HAL can start production on airframes by early 2030s but that still requires immediate effort and wont lead to servicable aircraft until those rafale components can be shipped from france. Even if france is willing to shelve some of its own orders for india theres just too much of an export backlog to get through and france really needs those aircraft ad well. Before 2035 they might get those rafale Ms but they wont get those ones IAF orders until later on

 

[东风夜放花千树]

So no new Rafales then ?

My friend, these are not two mutually exclusive events.

The air force of any country needs to be equipped with high-end, mid-range, and low-end fighter jets to form an iterative replacement structure. Among them, the number of high-end fighter jets is small and used to confront major powers. Mid-range fighter jets are the most numerous and are the main models of the air force. Low-end fighter jets are used for training pilots and performing duty missions.

Since India cannot manufacture high-end and mid-range fighter jets, it can only procure them from other countries. Low-end fighter jets can use the Tejas fighter jet.

According to news reports, French President Macron visited India in February but did not reach an agreement for 114 Rafale fighter jets. Reports claiming that this contract was reached come from Indian media and are not reliable.

In April 2025, Modi visited France and signed a contract for 26 Rafale-M carrier-based aircraft, with an order value of 7.5 billion USD.

According to information after May 2025, due to India defaulting on the payment for 36 Rafale fighter jets and losing at least 3 Rafale jets in the May war, cooperation between France and India may change.

India should now have 29-33 Rafale fighter jets, Rafale-M carrier-based aircraft have not been delivered, and the cooperation agreement for 114 Rafale fighter jets has not been reached.