The PAF must have been exposed to the J-10, so I don’t buy that they don’t know anything about it. I am sure if it was that good and could match the F-16’s PAF would have simply gone for J-10 alone which are politically and economically a much simpler option.
J10 in PLAAF doctrine is for air superiority, F16 now in USAF doctrine is more for multi-role, A2G mission etc. If PAF want an A2G platform, of course F16 is still their preferred choice. That’s the simple reason PAF don’t want all their F16 being replaced by J10. However, PAF intends to buy J10 is also a confirmation that now PAF besides PLAAF itself, recognize J10’s air-superiority because as what you have said in your own post, PAF most probably has been briefed about J10’s performance and convinced it’s capable to handle the Su30MKs in the air combat. So the add-in of J10s is just to replace air-superiority part of job previously designed to F16 fleet
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