Photo: Screenshot from China Central Television (CCTV) News

China's made-for-export warplane, the J-10CE, has recently achieved its first real combat success, drawing significant attention from the public, China Central Television (CCTV) News reported on Saturday.

It is reported that the J-10CE fighter jet successfully shot down multiple warplanes in air combat while sustaining no looses of its own, CCTV News said.

CCTV News raised the question: Why can the made-for-export J-10CE warplane achieve these results compared to its comparable products on the international market, and what advantages does it have in air combat? Chinese military affairs expert Zhang Xuefeng explained that the J-10CE is an all-weather, single-engine, single-seat multirole fighter jet independently developed by China's aviation industry. It features system-integrated combat capabilities, enabling beyond-visual-range multi-target engagement and multi-mode precision ground strikes capabilities in intense electromagnetic confrontational environments, Zhang noted.

The aircraft excels in medium and low-altitude maneuverability, supersonic flight, and short takeoff and landing, while also offering an extended combat radius and endurance with aerial refueling capability. Equipped with advanced integrated avionics and weapon systems, it boasts a superior external payload capacity, Zhang noted.

The expert continued by stating that the J-10 series fighter jets boast an excellent foundational design, featuring a canard aerodynamic configuration that delivers outstanding maneuverability. The J-10CE, as an upgraded variant, incorporates several enhancements built upon this solid foundation.

It employs multiple measures to reduce its radar cross-section (RCS). The canopy is coated with a special film, and the aircraft utilizes a diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI). Additionally, its radar antenna is mounted at an inclined angle. Through these comprehensive improvements, the J-10CE's RCS has been reduced by an order of magnitude, Zhang said, noting that the J-10CE's avionics system is highly advanced, equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. China's AESA radar technology has seen continuous improvements in detection range and boasts strong anti-jamming capabilities, enabling stable target acquisition and engagement in beyond-visual-range air combat. This ensures the ability to detect the enemy first. Furthermore, the J-10CE is armed with advanced missiles, achieving "detecting the enemy first, tracking the enemy first, and striking the enemy first."

Global Times