Pakistani national media channel, "BOL NEWS", claims that Pakistan Air Force fighter pilots have started training on the Chinese J-31 stealth (as per Chinese claims) jets in China.

Pakistan recently announced a plan to purchase the FC-31 stealth fighter jet from China, a move that experts say will not only significantly enhance the capabilities of the Pakistan Air Force but also open up the international market for the Chinese aircraft, marking a win-win cooperation.

Air Force Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Saidu had said on January 2 at a ceremony to present new equipment to the country's air force - which included J-10C Firebird fighters - that the FC-31 would enter service in the near future.

The commander did not disclose the timeline for the acquisition, the number of aircraft Pakistan would acquire, or what the purchase would mean for Pakistan's previously expressed interest in the Turkish-made fifth-generation Kaan fighter.

In fact, it is not clear what this purchase means for the fleet, nor how it will affect the military balance between arch-rivals Pakistan and India, said Justin Bronk, an aviation expert at the Royal United Services Institute in London.

“It is difficult to predict the impact of Pakistan’s acquisition of the J-31/FC-31 at this point because the capabilities and delivery timelines are so vague,” he told US based Defense News.

The PAF said that a major milestone in this strategic shift is the acquisition of a fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft, the foundation for which has already been laid for its induction into the PAF.

Earlier media reports confirmed that Pakistan was seeking to purchase the FC-31.

Independently developed by the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the FC-31 is a single-seat, twin-engine, medium-stealth fighter that analysts say is comparable to, if not superior to, the US F-35.

The FC-31 has comprehensive and powerful air combat capabilities, including stealth advantages that allow it to detect opponents first and launch surprise attacks, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times.

Agencies