AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
I read about that exact rumor but it was for the Wing Loong 2 not the FC-31.
Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator
- Thread starter RedSky
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TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
I think that's a letter of understanding, a Expression of interests is more like asking to be called if something happens. the Next step is a Letter of Understanding that a Buy may happen. then it's negotiations until money and product is exchanged.
Yes, and I don't consider that to be a surprise or a particularly tall tale if it is true...
Equation
Lieutenant General
Gotta have Israel's permission and good faith first or else no. In other words the Middle Eastern world revolves around Israel for some reason.
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
Right now The situation has changed a bit with A lot of Arab states partnering with Israel for security.
Also consider the Other buys the Saudis have Made they are not a Single nation buyer. Thy buy a little bit from everybody. US, French, Austrian, German, UK, Pakistani, Ukrainian, Swiss, Swed, Belgian, PRC ( there rocket forces are all Chinese made), Brazilian,Italian, Some Russian, Even Canadian drones.
Also consider the Other buys the Saudis have Made they are not a Single nation buyer. Thy buy a little bit from everybody. US, French, Austrian, German, UK, Pakistani, Ukrainian, Swiss, Swed, Belgian, PRC ( there rocket forces are all Chinese made), Brazilian,Italian, Some Russian, Even Canadian drones.
Skywatcher
Captain
Wonder if Egypt would also be interested as well (Egypt assembles a J-31 with heavy western content, with the Saudis supplying a degree of sub-components)? Given how Cairo and Riyadh feel about Ankara, they're probably not going to go for the TF-X, and frankly, the J-31 is probably the only midweight 5th generation fighter designed for air superiority first.
Blackstone
Brigadier
SW- given the expense of developing a Gen 5 fighter and no evidence of interest from PLAAF/PLANAF, is it likely the J-31 will ever go into production? I think chances are low the J-31 will ever go into volume production.
PLA was and still is not interested in JF-17 but it went to volume production anyway. So J-31 may (only a may).
Developing J-31 is more costly than something like JF-17, but KSA has much deeper pocket than Pakistan. It may not be expensive (relatively speaking) to KSA (and maybe plus others).
The bottom line is eventually all these major countries KSA, Egypt, Pakistan etc. will need a 5th Gen fighter, if F-35 is not available to them J-31 is the only other option, except maybe Egypt has another option PAKFA. KSA may be offered F-35 in the long run after Israel and Turkey, but nobody is going to bet their security on something long latter in time.
Blackstone
Brigadier
You made my point on the JF-17, because it had a partner providing both some funding for development and demand for the finished product from the PAF. Neither case is true for the J-31.
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