Two prototypes of the sixth generation have completed their first flight in 2025.
New Delhi: According to reports, the Chief Marshal of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Zaheer Ahmad Babar, recently met with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in Beijing, where they were assured that Pakistan could acquire China’s sixth-generation fighter jets by 2030.
However, if these reports are correct, it would be considered a significant leap in China-Pakistan military cooperation. Officially, the purpose of Babar’s visit was reportedly to finalize a deal for 40 J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighter jets at am assumed cost of 1.5 to 2 billion dollars and China is expected to deliver them to Pakistan within the next two years.
Claims have been made by Pakistani media outlets that China is rapidly developing its defense industry and aerospace development is also remarkable, but the question is whether Pakistan has the capacity to keep pace with China.
Claims are being made in Pakistan that as soon as China develops sixth-generation fighter jets, Pakistan will also get advanced jets. According to media reports, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun has informed Babar that China is willing to equip the Pakistani Air Force with its next-generation fighter jets. It should be noted that there is currently no information about what China’s sixth-generation fighter jet will be like or what its features will be. However, China claimed a few weeks ago to be developing sixth-generation fighter aircraft.
Pakistani sources claim that two prototypes of the sixth generation, one fighter jet and the other a fighter-bomber, have completed their first flight in 2025, and this is a milestone that demonstrates China’s capability to outpace global competitors like the United States and Europe in next-generation aviation.
However, experts opine that the likelihood of Pakistan receiving sixth-generation fighter jets by 2030 is low. If China manages to develop its own sixth-generation aircraft by 2030, it would be significant. Even if China succeeds, it will prioritize equipping its own air force with advanced jets first.
