China’s FC-31 stealth fighter, J-10CE aircraft, Taihang engine displayed at UAE defense expo

Some of China's top aviation equipment, including the FC-31 stealth fighter jet, the J-10CE fighter jet and the Taihang turbofan engine, are on display at an ongoing defense expo in the UAE, with a Chinese expert seeing good export potential in the Middle Eastern market. 

Representing the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) showcased a diverse range of aviation equipment, including fighter jets, drones, transport aircraft, helicopters, trainer aircraft, anti-drone equipment and aero engines at the 17th International Defense Exhibition and Conference, which kicked off on Monday in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, AVIC said on its official Weibo account on Tuesday.

Among the products are the FC-31 fighter jet, the J-10CE fighter jet, the Y-20 transport aircraft, the Y-9E transport aircraft and the L15 advanced trainer aircraft, AVIC said.

Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times on Tuesday that China is displaying both its fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets at the expo, allowing countries in the region access to the cutting-edge aviation technology at the same event.

The US and European countries have been traditional suppliers of aviation equipment in the Middle East, but amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, things are changing, Wang said. He noted that, for example, regional countries might be unable to obtain the US' fifth-generation fighter jet like the F-35 because of complicated country-to-country relations in the region as well as the US' security interests. Many countries might also be worried about the reliability of Western equipment as well after some recent incidents.

China's fourth-generation J-10 series fighter jet has been widely deployed domestically, and the J-10CE variant has already been exported. The fifth-generation J-35 stealth fighter jet, which shares origins with the FC-31, has also been commissioned in China, according to Wang. 

Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC), another Chinese aviation industry firm, said in a WeChat post on Monday that it for the first time brought top products including the Taihang engine and the AES100 engine to the expo.

Taihang is a high thrust turbofan engine independently developed by China that has been commissioned in numbers and has been successfully exported. This type of engine has reached the advanced level of international products of the same generation, featuring fuel efficiency during cruise, strong combat power in aerial engagements, and low maintenance workload, AECC said.

Leading Chinese defense companies are also participating in the event, which will run until Friday, to exhibit a range of naval equipment, including surface vessels, submarines, underwater weapons and unmanned systems, as well as products from other defense sectors such as land, air and space, the Xinhua News Agency reported.