Uzbekistan Becomes China’s Second J-10CE Export Customer

Uzbekistan has publicly confirmed the delivery of Chengdu J-10CE multirole fighters, becoming only the second export customer for China’s frontline 4.5-generation jet after Pakistan and the first air force in Central Asia to fly it — a purchase that ends Tashkent’s decades-long dependence on Russian-built combat aircraft.

State broadcaster O’zbekiston 24 aired footage on August 28, 2026, showing at least six Chengdu J-10CE fighters landing at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base (K2) in southeastern Uzbekistan, greeted with a traditional water-cannon salute. Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Defense followed with an official statement on August 30 confirming the aircraft had entered service, according to Uzbek outlets Zamin.uz and Daryo.uz. The ministry did not disclose the total number of aircraft on order, their unit cost, or the delivery schedule for further batches.

What Happened

The aircraft flew roughly 3,000 kilometers from Chengdu Aircraft Corporation’s facilities in China’s Sichuan province, arriving with external fuel tanks still fitted, indicating a direct ferry flight rather than a staged delivery. Independent aviation outlet The Aviationist noted the aircraft lacked an inflight-refueling probe in the released footage, consistent with the standard J-10CE export configuration.

The rollout followed months of unconfirmed reporting. Uzbek outlet Kun.uz first raised the possibility of a Chinese fighter deal earlier in 2026; when it asked the Ministry of Defense to confirm the purchase at the time, the ministry said it “had no information it could provide on the matter.” Photographs of an unmarked J-10CE carrying the serial number 1020 at a Chengdu facility, reported by defense-industry analysis site Quwa, had already pointed to an Uzbek-bound aircraft before the official unveiling. Russian outlets including Interfax and Izvestia reported on August 31 that the jets had already begun combat air patrol duty, citing the Uzbek Ministry of Defense’s own release, though Moscow offered no separate commentary on the acquisition.

The timing placed the unveiling squarely inside a diplomatically dense week for Tashkent: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Uzbekistan on a state visit from August 29-30, ahead of Uzbekistan’s September 1 independence day and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek. None of the available reporting ties the fighter announcement directly to the Modi visit, and Defense & Tech found no official statement linking the two events.

The Product/System

The J-10CE is the export variant of the Chengdu J-10C, a single-engine, single-seat 4.5-generation multirole fighter built by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). It is powered by the domestically produced WS-10B turbofan, generating an estimated 135-145 kilonewtons of thrust with afterburner, giving it a thrust-to-weight ratio above 1.0 in typical air-to-air configurations.

The export version carries the KLJ-10 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, which China’s manufacturers claim offers better resistance to jamming and longer detection range than the mechanically scanned radars fitted to many older Russian-built fighters still in Central Asian service. Its weapons suite typically includes the PL-10 high-off-boresight short-range missile and the PL-15E export-standard beyond-visual-range missile, which industry sources credit with an engagement range in the range of 150-200 kilometers depending on flight profile. Neither Beijing nor Tashkent has published the specific weapons package fitted to the Uzbek aircraft.

Who Uses It

Confirmed operators of the J-10C/CE family are limited to two air forces:

• Pakistan Air Force — the original and largest export customer, having inducted the type from 2022 with a fleet now reported at more than 20 aircraft, with additional units on order. The Pentagon’s 2026 assessment credited China with having delivered 36 J-10C-family jets to Pakistan.
• Uzbekistan — confirmed August 30, 2026, with at least six aircraft publicly shown at Karshi-Khanabad and additional deliveries reported as ongoing.

Bangladesh has been reported by regional outlets to be preparing paperwork toward its own J-10CE purchase of up to 24 aircraft, which would make it a third operator, but no contract has been confirmed by Dhaka or Beijing. Indonesia has discussed and budgeted funds toward a J-10-family purchase but has not finalized an order.

Export/Procurement History

Reports of an Uzbek-Chinese fighter deal circulated in defense-industry circles through mid-2026, with figures as high as 24 aircraft and a total contract value around $1 billion cited by regional press, though these numbers have not been officially confirmed by either government. China first established a defense-industrial relationship with Uzbekistan around 2015, supplying HQ-9B long-range, FM-90 medium-range and KS-1C air-defense systems — a foundation that appears to have paved the way for the fighter sale. Karshi-Khanabad itself has a notable history: the base was used by United States forces between 2001 and 2005 in support of operations in Afghanistan before Tashkent ended that arrangement.

The purchase replaces part of a fleet composed of Soviet-era MiG-29s, Su-27s and Su-25 “Frogfoot” attack aircraft, many of which have been in service for several decades and face increasingly difficult sourcing for spare parts, since Uzbekistan is not a member of Russia’s CSTO military bloc (it withdrew in 2012) even as it maintains an active bilateral military-technical relationship with Moscow, including a 2025 strategic-partnership plan covering dozens of joint activities through 2030.

Global Competitors

In the segment the J-10CE occupies — a single-engine, radar-guided 4.5-generation multirole fighter aimed at export markets seeking to modernize aging Soviet or first-generation Western fleets — its principal rivals are Russia’s Su-30SM/MKI family and MiG-35, the Pakistani-Chinese JF-17 Thunder co-developed for lower-cost markets, and Western options such as the F-16 Block 70/72, which carry far higher political and export-control barriers for a country like Uzbekistan. The J-10CE’s pitch to non-aligned buyers rests on a lower unit cost than Western fighters, fewer end-use restrictions than U.S. platforms, and a documented AESA radar and PL-15E missile pairing that Chinese state media said scored China’s first publicly claimed combat success during the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, when Pakistani J-10CEs reportedly engaged Indian aircraft — a claim that remains disputed and has not been independently verified by neutral parties.

Why It Matters

For decades, Central Asian air forces have flown almost exclusively Soviet or Russian-built aircraft, sustained by legacy maintenance networks and, in several cases, formal security arrangements with Moscow. Uzbekistan’s move — adopting a Chinese fighter without rejoining any Russian-led security bloc — is a concrete data point in a broader regional trend: Central Asian governments diversifying defense suppliers away from a Russia whose own production capacity and export bandwidth have been strained by its war in Ukraine. It also extends China’s fighter-export footprint beyond its established South Asian anchor customer, Pakistan, into a region bordering both Russia and Afghanistan, at a moment when Chinese arms manufacturers are aggressively marketing combat-proven claims from the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict to prospective buyers worldwide.

What Happens Next

Neither government has confirmed the full contract size, meaning the six aircraft shown publicly may represent only a first tranche of a larger order reported at up to 24 jets. Further deliveries, along with any official confirmation of contract value, would be the next concrete markers to watch, as would any Russian government response to a Central Asian state effectively ending its exclusive reliance on Russian combat aircraft.

FAQ

Is Uzbekistan the first Central Asian country to fly Chinese fighter jets?

Yes. Uzbekistan is the first Central Asian air force to operate the J-10CE, and the first in the region confirmed to operate a Chinese fighter jet of this class, following a defense relationship with China that began with air-defense systems around 2015.

How many J-10CE fighters has Uzbekistan bought?

At least six aircraft have been publicly shown in service at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base as of August 2026. Regional reporting citing unofficial sources has put the total order at up to 24 aircraft, but neither Tashkent nor Beijing has confirmed a specific number or contract value.

What other country flies the J-10CE?

Pakistan is the original export customer, having inducted the J-10C from 2022 onward, with a fleet reported at more than 20 aircraft as of 2026.

Why did Uzbekistan choose a Chinese fighter over a Russian one?

Neither government has stated an official rationale. Analysts point to Uzbekistan’s aging Soviet-era MiG-29, Su-27 and Su-25 fleet, difficulty sourcing spare parts, Russia’s defense-industrial capacity being strained by its war in Ukraine, and Uzbekistan’s status outside the Russian-led CSTO bloc since 2012 as contributing factors.

What weapons does the J-10CE carry?

The export configuration is typically equipped with the PL-10 short-range, high-off-boresight air-to-air missile and the PL-15E beyond-visual-range missile, paired with the KLJ-10 AESA radar, though the specific weapons fitted to Uzbekistan’s aircraft have not been officially detailed.

Sources

• Zamin.uz, “New fighters in the skies of Uzbekistan: J-10CE aircraft purchased from China,” August 30, 2026 — first video confirmation and Uzbek Ministry of Defense statement. Link
• Daryo.uz, “Uzbekistan unveils J-10CE fighter jets as country’s new air defense choice,” August 31, 2026 — base location and fleet context. Link
• The Aviationist, “Uzbekistan Unveils its Chinese J-10CE Fighters,” August 30, 2026, by Parth Satam — imagery analysis and delivery-flight details. Link
• Quwa, “Uzbekistan Is About to Become the J-10CE’s Second Export Buyer” — pre-confirmation reporting and contract-size estimates. Link
• The Print, “Uzbekistan unveils 6 Chinese J-10CE jets, becomes second foreign operator after Pakistan,” August 2026 — base identification and China-Uzbekistan air-defense background. Link
• Interfax, “Минобороны Узбекистана продемонстрировало китайские истребители J-10C на боевом дежурстве,” August 31, 2026 — Russian-language confirmation of combat air patrol status. Link
• Izvestia, “Истребители J-10C в Узбекистане,” August 31, 2026 — Russian media coverage of the announcement. Link
• Jamestown Foundation, “Is Uzbekistan on the Verge of Rejoining the CSTO?” — background on Uzbekistan-Russia security relations. Link
• Prime Minister of India, official visit release, “Visit of PM to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyz Republic (29 August-1 September 2026)” — confirms Modi’s concurrent state visit. Link