J-10 series fighter jets of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force's Bayi Aerobatic Team conduct an inspection flight training at Singapore Changi Airport on February 1, 2026, in preparation for the 10th Singapore Airshow. Photo: VCG

Some of China’s top military aviation products, including the J-35A stealth fighter and the J-10CE, are being exhibited at the Singapore Airshow that kicked off on Tuesday, with the J-10C fighters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force’s Bayi Aerobatic Team making their flight-performance debut in Singapore. A Chinese aviation expert said Chinese warplanes offer high performance, reliability and reasonable pricing, giving them strong potential in the international market.

At the indoor exhibition area, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) showcased a wide range of products including fighter jets, training aircraft, transport aircraft, helicopters and drones, China Aviation News, a media outlet affiliated with AVIC, reported on Tuesday. 

A scale model of the J-35A stealth fighter jet took the center stage at the AVIC booth, while models of the J-10CE and JF-17 fighter jets, the L-15 advanced trainer jet, the Y-20 large transport aircraft, the Z-20 utility helicopter, and the Wing Loong series drones were seen in photos in the China Aviation News report.

Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the J-35A, J-10CE and JF-17 are expected to attract particular attention from potential foreign users. 

The J-35A is the second type of fifth-generation stealth fighter jet independently developed by China, based on the experience and the PLA Air Force’s feedback on the J-20, China’s first type of stealth fighter jet. The J-35A is designed with a balanced consideration of performance, reliability, maintainability and cost, Wang said.

Wang further noted that the J-10CE and JF-17 fighter jets also have good market potential, especially following a foreign air combat in May last year in which they performed well. For countries that do not have urgent demands for fifth-generation stealth fighter jets, advanced fourth-generation fighter jets like the J-10CE and JF-17 could just meet foreign users’ national defense needs.

The PLA Air Force’s Bayi Aerobatic Team is also participating in the Singapore Airshow, with the team’s J-10C fighter jets making their debut at the Singapore Airshow. The team have conducted adaptive training and inspection flights ahead of the airshow, according to the PLA Daily.

Wang said that the flight performance of the Bayi Aerobatic Team showcased the flight qualities of the J-10C, including its maneuverability and controllability. The flight performance could give potential foreign users and the general public a more direct impression of the J-10C, and attract them to learn more about Chinese aviation equipment, including the J-10CE, the export version of the J-10C.

The military channel of China Central Television reported previously that the Bayi Aerobatic Team arrived in Singapore on January 27. The team reportedly took off from an airfield in Southwestern China and flew directly to Singapore without making a transfer stop thanks to the in-flight refueling support provided by a YU-20A tanker aircraft of the PLA Air Force.

To the Bayi Aerobatic Team, flight performances at foreign airshows are also military missions. Its long-range flight and in-flight refueling showed that relevant skill sets and approaches have been widely adopted by the PLA Air Force, reflecting a high level of combat orientation in training, Wang said.