Fighter jet show and a new milestone in trade with China - weekly digest
A new page in the defense sector: Uzbekistan demonstrated J-10 fighters acquired from China. Changes in visa-free regimes: travel to Thailand and Kazakhstan will become more expensive for citizens of Uzbekistan. Car accident involving a district khokim: claims that his son was at the wheel have been denied. Mysterious explosion under the asphalt in Tashkent: a criminal case has been initiated regarding the incident.
Fighter jets demonstration and a new milestone in trade with China - weekly digest
Modern fighter jets in the Uzbek army
Uzbekistan has for the first time publicly demonstrated new generation fighter jets purchased from China. A short video published by the Ministry of Defense on August 30 features Chengdu J-10CE fighters manufactured in China. One of the frames shows that the number of new aircraft is six. The Ministry did not disclose the details of this sensational purchase. Earlier, there were reports that Uzbekistan had ordered 24 of these aircraft, and Uzbek pilots were undergoing retraining in China.
According to analysts, these 4+ generation fighters will bring the Uzbek army to a qualitatively new level. The J-10CE is a single-seat, single-engine, multi-role aircraft with a maximum speed of approximately Mach 1.8. Equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, the aircraft can track and strike multiple targets simultaneously. In this regard, the J-10CE is considered more modern than the old radars on Soviet-era MiG-29 and Su-27 aircraft.
The Chinese fighter can use air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. In particular, its PL-15E long-range air-to-air missile is said to have a maximum flight range of over 100 kilometers.
Various sources note that the estimated export price of the J-10CE is 40-50 million dollars. Pilot training, ammunition, and maintenance are also included in this price. This is significantly cheaper compared to Western counterparts, which start at 100 million dollars each.
Uzbekistan has become the second country after Pakistan to officially confirm the purchase of these Chinese fighters. The increase in demand for the J-10CE on the world market was associated with the air clashes between India and Pakistan in May 2025. At that time, Pakistan claimed to have shot down India's Rafale and Su-30 fighters using these aircraft. In its December 2025 report, the US Department of Defense confirmed the delivery of 36 J-10Cs to Pakistan, noting that Egypt, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Iran had also expressed interest in these aircraft.