Indonesia Set to Receive China's Chengdu J-10 Fighter Jets: Here's What to Know

October 16, 2025 | 02:32 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has hinted that Indonesia plans to acquire Chengdu J-10 fighter jets from China, signaling a new step in the country’s ongoing effort to modernize its air defense system.

“The J-10C will fly to Jakarta soon,” Sjafrie told reporters at the Ministry of Defense office in Jakarta on Wednesday, October 15, 2025. He did not disclose further details regarding the delivery schedule or the number of aircraft to be purchased.

Earlier, Deputy Defense Minister Donny Ermawan said the government was considering integrating the Chinese-made J-10 into Indonesia’s national defense system.

As a non-aligned nation, he emphasized, Indonesia remains open to cooperation with any country in its defense procurement.

“We are evaluating whether the J-10 can be adopted as part of our defense equipment. Indonesia is a neutral country. We do not align with any particular bloc or alliance, so we can acquire weapons from any nation, including China,” Donny said at the Defense Ministry office in Central Jakarta on June 4, 2025.

Chengdu J-10: Overview and Capabilities

According to The War Zone, China began developing the Chengdu J-10 in the early 1980s to create a single-engine, multirole fighter that could replace the J-7, a Chinese variant of the MiG-21 Fishbed, and fulfill both air defense and ground attack missions.

Development was delayed for years due to challenges in securing a suitable engine.

The final design featured a delta wing with forward canards, chin-mounted air intakes, and a fly-by-wire flight control system. The J-10’s overall configuration bears some resemblance to Israel’s Lavi fighter, though it is larger and heavier.

Analysts note that while Chengdu did have limited contact with Israel, the J-10 also drew inspiration from China’s earlier, discontinued J-9 project.

The J-10’s cockpit is equipped with advanced systems, including a wide-angle head-up display (HUD), two monochrome multifunction displays (MFDs), and one color MFD. The pilot uses a helmet-mounted targeting system and a hands-on throttle and stick (HOTAS) setup for better control during combat.

Initially, the aircraft carried PL-11 radar-guided medium-range missiles and PL-8 infrared-guided short-range missiles. Later variants were upgraded with newer weaponry, including the PL-12 active radar-guided missile. The latest models now use the PL-10 and PL-15, offering greater precision and range.

J-10C: Advanced Features

The J-10C variant introduces a key enhancement: an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. AESA systems offer improved detection range, faster target tracking, and better resistance to electronic jamming compared to conventional radar.

The radar’s lack of moving parts allows it to scan wide airspace rapidly while maintaining high reliability.

However, experts note that the full extent of the J-10C’s radar performance, particularly its ability to manage energy in low probability of intercept and detection (LPI/LPD) modes, remains uncertain.

This feature is vital for stealth operations because it allows the radar to scan targets without being easily detected.

Since the aircraft has seen limited combat use, its real-world performance is still largely theoretical. Analysts believe that Pakistan’s operation of the J-10C, especially in potential encounters with India, could provide valuable insights into the fighter’s effectiveness in modern warfare.

Achmad Ghiffary Mannan contributed to the writing of this article.

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