China replacing old J-7 ‘Flying Leopards’ with J-16 multirole jets as challenges from US, allies grow: analysts
- First batch of J-16s already deployed to the PLA’s Western Theatre Command, CCTV reports
- Military experts say the planes have joined all five PLA theatre commands, amid increasing provocations from the US and its allies in the South and East China seas
State broadcaster CCTV confirmed earlier this week that the first batch of J-16s had been deployed to the People’s Liberation Army’s Western Theatre Command, which includes the Xinjiang and Tibet military districts, and is responsible for border security along the contested Himalayan frontier with India.
But defence experts said the J-16 had now been deployed to all five PLA theatre commands, noting that the new generation aircraft was going to replace the ageing J-7, or JH-7 “Flying Leopard” fighter bomber, which had served the armed forces for three decades.
“Chinese old generation military aircraft like the J-7 and J-8 are not enough to deal with the increasing security challenges around its periphery,” Fu Qianshao, a retired PLA Air Force equipment specialist, said.
“Aircraft replacement is not taking place just in the western border, as China needs more long-range advanced warplanes to deal with increasing provocations from the United States and its allies in the South and East China seas, where the PLA’s key strategic focuses are.”
A military source told the Post that the production of J-16 jets could be boosted by the home-grown WS-10 engine, which could be fitted for several aircraft like the J-16, J-11, J-10 and J-20.