A week ago, the Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon was a multi-role fighter aircraft that was essentially an “unknown” in actual combat. While China has long touted the Vigorous Dragon’s capabilities, it has been limited to simulated engagements.
Only last year was it finally employed in ground strikes carried out by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) against Baluch Liberation Front forces based in Iran.
Then, last week, PAF J-10Cs were sortied against Indian Air Force (IAF) fighters, and as many as four IAF aircraft, including French-made Dassault Rafale omnivore fighters, were shot down. Though it was a stunning and even unexpected victory for the PAF, the biggest winner following last week’s aerial dogfight wasn’t the Pakistan military or the government in Islamabad.
Chinese aerospace giant Chengdu is now flying high.
As Maya Carlin wrote for The National Interest on Friday, “Chinese defense stocks have surged following Islamabad’s assessment of the aircraft. According to Chinese state-run media outlets, Shenzhen-listed stocks of AVIC Chengdu Aircraft increased more than 17 percent, marking the most significant gain since last fall.”
The stock price has continued to soar, while the jet has become an Internet sensation in China, with a viral video mocking the downed Indian aircraft and the IAF.
China and Pakistan Praise the J-10’s Superiority over Indian Fighter Jets
Beijing has remained reserved, not publicly commenting on the conflict. However, Chinese citizens have been far more vocal, thanks to Chinese netizens.
The South China Morning Post reported that soon after news broke that the Vigorous Dragon scored its aerial victory, Chinese influencer Brother Halo released a remix of the popular Indian pop song “Tunak Tunak Tun.”
The new lyrics offered the line, “Our newly purchased jets were shot down, none returned home, nine billion all wasted.”
Similar videos have been making the rounds on Pakistani social media, which has only resulted in increased anger on Indian social media.
As seen in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, social media has provided real-time and often uncensored reporting from the frontlines. Russia’s military bloggers have even been especially critical of the Kremlin’s handling of the war, while acknowledging losses that state media do not.
At the same time, military bloggers have still supported Russian President Vladimir Putin. Social media has been employed by Moscow, Kyiv, and third parties to broadcast propaganda to the masses.
The same is undoubtedly happening in India and Pakistan, with China seeing a wave of nationalist fervor due to the success the Chengdu J-10 saw last week.
This Is Valuable Combat Experience for the J-10
The recent exchange between the PAF and IAF will also provide Beijing with data on the J-10 fighter and other weapons now in use with the Pakistani military.
“Security analysts and diplomats say China’s military modernization has reached a point where it can deeply scrutinize Indian actions in real time from its border installations and Indian Ocean fleets,” Reuters reported. In addition, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will likely monitor how its other platforms employed by Pakistan will perform.
Whether it results in more viral videos isn’t clear. Still, social media will closely monitor how the J-10 continues to perform—and so will New Delhi, Islamabad, Beijing, and every military analyst and defense contractor.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: Shutterstock/ Falcons Spotters.
