Countries that fly Chinese fighter jets, including one that operates a 70-year-old design
Chinese fighter jets have been purchased by several countries. Some of them are flying extremely old fighter jets. The Chengdu J-10 is known for its delta wing. The J-35 fighter jet is said to have entered mass production.
Old Chinese jets purchased by other countries
Many countries low on finances are still buying older Chinese jets. These include the Shenyang F-5, the Shenyang J-6 and the Chengdu J-7. All three of them are based on the designs of fighter jets made by other countries. The Shenyang F-5 is a copy of the Soviet MiG-17, the Shenyang J-6 is based on the MiG-19, and the Chengdu J-7 is a license-built copy of the MiG-21. The F-5 is the oldest of the three, and the MiG-17 on which it is based first flew in 1952. China continued the export production of the J-7 until 2013, with Bangladesh receiving the last of them. North Korea flies all three of them.
Chinese J-35
China's fighter jet export market for years concentrated on countries in Africa. This has changed now, and many other countries are buying Chinese jets. Some of their fighter jets, like the new J-35, are perceived to be even better than Russian jets.
Chengdu J-10
Pakistan still flies the F-16 Fighting Falcons it bought from the United States. Now, it has moved on to Chinese fighter jets and today Pakistan is the only export operator of China's Chengdu J-10 multirole fighter jet. It has around 20 Chengdu J-10s and has placed an order for 16 more, according to reports.
Chengdu J-10 design
Chengdu J-10 is believed to be based on the cancelled Israeli IAI Lavi fighter, whose designs were reportedly sold to China in the 1980s. According to The War Zone, its design, technology, and blueprints were sent over to China, although the Chengdu J-10 is much heavier and larger.
Chinese J-35 is in mass production
The FC-1 Xiaolong in China has also been purchased by Azerbaijan, Myanmar, and Nigeria. The Nanchang JL-8 or Karakorum-8 is operated by Angola, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Egypt, Ghana, Laos, Myanmar, Namibia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
China's Hongdu JL-10 advanced trainer/light fighter jet
Several countries are also looking for light fighters. The UAE and Zambia bought China's Hongdu JL-10 advanced trainer/light fighter. Other Chinese fighter jets include the J-10, the J-20 Mighty Dragon, and the J-35. The J-35 is said to have entered mass production, although there are no reports of whether any country has placed an order for it.
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