Doesn’t look that big. Maybe it’s undisclosed ISR

F414 is currently 9:1 just like EJ200. The former originated in 1970s and the latter was developed in the 80s. 110 kN F414 is still 10:1. By comparison F135 is 11.5:1 and J-20’s WS-15 is supposed to be over 10.5:1 when matured. I think it’s quite likely 5+ years from now FC-31’s WS-13 engines will be comparable to 9:1 F414. It’ll be a fairly conservative program for China. Two 100 kN engines should be quite enough for this plane.

They´ll team with anyone in Europe who doesnt buy American or Russian. The Germans in a pinch (read Putin goes semi berserk in Ukraine or something like that) might go for the F-35A for part of their fleet, but they wont kill their own industry and they´ll go European for the lions share of the Luftwaffe, thats policy, its written and no one wich has a shot at being government in Berlin wants to change. So, that means in the next decade we are going to see “ZeGermans” teaming up with France and/or GB and a few others.
There´s one thing that has not been mentioned, if the German MOD gets its “2% of the GDP” till 2024 has promised… well, they dont need to team with anyone, their defense budget almost doubles, outstriping (by a fair margin) everyone in Europe (yes, everyone).

I guess this rules out Turkey 😎

First trainers

30 PAC MFI-17 2 Squadrons
20 KA-1 1 Squadron
20 twin trainers 1 Squadron
15 Helicopters 1 Squadron

Combat aircraft

150 JF-17 120 single 30 two seat 8 Squadrons 1 OCU
60 FC-31 3 Squadrons 1 OCU

Transport aircraft

8 C-2 1 Squadron ( with palleted refuelling system)
16 CN-235-100M 1 Squadron

MPA

16 CN-235 MPA 1 Squadron

Helicopters

40 Surion 2 Squadron 1 OCU

Air force Regiment 6 Squadrons

Looks alright, but missing AWACS.

I think this would be a sensible approach.. An entirely new airframe powered by mature engines, with most subsystems borrowed from MiG-35, Su-35 and PAK-FA..

If that’s the case there’s no reason they would mention this aircraft is based on the MiG-29 at all. It has the impression of a new stealthy airframe only because the sales phrase ‘5th generation’ is being thrown around. But that could just mean a MiG-35 with radar blocker in the inlets and an enclosed weapons pod, plus 5th generation sensors.

If the Russians have an ambitious plan to produce a true F-35 competitor, why would it be a mysterious partnership exclusive to the UAE? There would be mock-ups at airshows soliciting investers all over by now.

It’s simply bizarre Trump wants to scalp the F-35 program which actually deliver US dominance while paying for expansion of nuclear weapons which will do nothing to that end. In fact it will most likely reduce US nuclear leverage as it incentivize other countries to pursue their own build up.

One gets the sense this man thinks the cause of American relative decline is somehow linked to reduction of nuclear arsenal.

compared to Soviets China has unlimited resources to built aviation products. China has world largest diaspora. China can create huge debt. China 1.3b compared to 200m Soviets at time of Su-24. still the products coming out from china are uncompetitive at time of induction.

It’s about how much resources you invested into the programs over decades, not how much you are spending now. China has came further and faster than anyone expected this last 20 years and their harvest is just starting to come in.

Helicopters are certainly one area they just badly mismanaged. In the 80s they purchased licenses for Super Frelon and Dauphin, filling requirements for heavy and light helicopters, but passed on the Puma for medium weight in favor of the S-70. The Americans cut China off after the Cold War and it took until now for the Z-20 to be built, after a long interim service with Hips.

One wonders where they would now be had they licensed Pumas. Even the Romanians got a license in the late 70s.