Key Points and Summary – After its aging air force was decimated and its air defenses dismantled by Israel’s F-35s and other advanced jets during the recent conflict, Iran is reportedly looking to China to rebuild its aerial capabilities.
-With Western sanctions blocking access to modern fighters and Russia’s own military stretched thin, Tehran is now eyeing China’s 4.5-generation J-10C “Vigorous Dragon” as its most viable option.
-While not a true stealth fighter, the J-10C would still represent a massive technological leap for Iran, providing advanced radar and missile capabilities that could help restore some measure of deterrence.
Following the Israel War, Iran Looks to China’s J-10C Fighters
After being thoroughly outmatched in the skies during this year’s brief but brutal conflict with Israel, Iran is now eyeing China’s J-10C fighter jet as its best hope to rebuild its battered air force.
Iran is Adrift Following Israel’s Huge Wins
The Iran-Israel conflict of 2025 was short-lived but intense. It saw Israel launch a wave of deep-strike missions on Iranian nuclear facilities and senior military officials, using its cutting-edge F-35 stealth jets to punch through Iran’s outdated air defenses.
In response, Iran fired off volleys of ballistic missiles at Israeli cities.
But in the air, Iran barely managed to put up a fight. Within just four days, Israel had commanded full control of Iranian skies, flying missions with impunity, even over the capital city Tehran.
The imbalance was stark. Israel’s F-35s, undetected and unchallenged, dismantled key Iranian radar and air defense systems in the early days of the war.
Once those were gone, Israel deployed older aircraft like F-15s and F-16s for follow-up missions, including a symbolic strike on Iran’s national TV headquarters—while it was still on air.
Iran’s Air Fleet: Outgunned and Outdated
Now, Iran is desperately scrambling for answers, and Beijing could be one of them. Iran’s current air fleet is made up of Cold War-era relics—F-4 Phantoms, MiG-29s, Su-24s, even a few F-14 Tomcats left over from before the 1979 revolution.
Most of these aircraft are decades past their prime and running on cannibalized parts. Buying replacements from the West is off the table due to long-standing U.S. sanctions.
And while Iran has been in talks with Russia about buying more Su-35s, Moscow’s war in Ukraine has made those deals look increasingly unlikely.
J-10C V F-35
That leaves China. Beijing’s J-10C model is far from being as stealthy as the F-35, but does it need to be? Its radar and missile advantages would still be a massive upgrade for Iran and at least help restore some basic air deterrence.
Still, this would not massively change Iran’s capabilities. The J-10C is not the equivalent of the F-35, by a long stretch: especially in a war scenario in contested airspace.
But even a mere handful of spanking new J-10Cs could allow Tehran to fly new patrols, gain domestic propaganda points, and attempt to project some improvement to its enemies.
About the Author:
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
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