China to equip Pakistan Air Force with KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft
In a brief official statement shared via social
media, the Pakistani government announced that China has offered to equip the
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) with the Shaanxi KJ-500 Airborne Early Warning and
Control (AEW&C) aircraft. The potential acquisition marks a significant step
forward in Pakistan’s aerial surveillance, battle management, and
command-and-control capabilities.
The offer comes as Pakistan also prepares to
induct China’s next-generation J-35 stealth fighters, reinforcing a broader
modernization effort within the PAF. The KJ-500 would complement existing
combat platforms such as the JF-17 Thunder and Chengdu J-10CE by providing
critical airborne situational awareness and enhancing network-centric warfare
capabilities.
The KJ-500, developed by Xi’an Aircraft
Industrial Corporation, is one of China’s most advanced AEW&C platforms.
Based on the Y-9 transport aircraft, it features a fixed phased-array radar
mounted on a distinctive dorsal dome, providing 360-degree detection coverage.
Capable of tracking both airborne and surface targets, the aircraft also
integrates electronic warfare suites and secure data links, enabling its crew
of 10 to relay real-time intelligence across air and ground assets.
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The aircraft recently made its first overseas
appearance during the “Eagles of Civilization” joint exercise between China and
Egypt. The exercise, which also involved deployment of China’s YY-20A aerial
refuelers and J-10 fighters alongside Egypt’s MiG-29s, underscored Beijing’s
growing defense outreach, particularly across the Middle East and Africa.
Deepening
Sino-Pakistani Defense Ties
The offer of the KJ-500 further highlights the
expanding defense cooperation between China and Pakistan. Beyond aerial
platforms, the two countries are collaborating across a range of strategic
systems. Pakistan recently procured China’s HQ-19 ballistic missile defense
system—capable of intercepting ballistic threats during their terminal
phase—adding to its existing HQ-9B and HQ-16FE-based air defense network,
primarily aimed at countering regional threats.
Naval cooperation is also deepening. China is
currently supplying Hangor-class submarines and Tughril-class frigates to
Pakistan’s Navy, significantly boosting its maritime deterrence capabilities.
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Together, these developments point to a
comprehensive and evolving defense partnership that continues to reshape
Pakistan’s military posture, with China playing a central role in its
modernization across all domains—air, land, sea, and missile defense.
Source: Zona Militar