J-35A Deal Fuels Surge in Chinese Defence Stocks Amid Mega Pakistan Pact – by DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA

Shares of AVIC Shenyang Aircraft Corporation—the state-owned aerospace giant behind the carrier-capable J-35A stealth fighter—soared by the daily 10 percent limit in Shanghai, continuing a bullish trend now entering its third consecutive session.

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Chinese defence stocks surged on Monday following Pakistan’s confirmation of a historic arms acquisition that includes the fifth-generation J-35A stealth fighter jet, redefining Islamabad’s future aerial warfare capabilities.

Shares of AVIC Shenyang Aircraft Corporation—the state-owned aerospace giant behind the carrier-capable J-35A stealth fighter—soared by the daily 10 percent limit in Shanghai, continuing a bullish trend now entering its third consecutive session.

The stock rally was mirrored by significant gains across China’s broader defence sector, including a 15 percent spike in Aerospace Nanhu Electronic Information Technology Co., amid growing investor confidence in the Chinese military-industrial complex’s expanding global footprint.

The broader market optimism extended gains across the Chinese defence sector, with shares of Aerospace Nanhu Electronic Information Technology surging by 15 percent, while Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group, Jiangxi Hongdu Aviation Industry, AVIC Heavy Machinery, and AVIC Chengdu Aircraft advanced between 2 percent and 4 percent.

Meanwhile, the Hang Seng China A Aerospace & Defence Index climbed close to 2 percent.

At the heart of the procurement package lies the J-35A stealth multirole fighter, the HQ-19 long-range anti-missile shield, and the KJ-500 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft—systems that collectively position Pakistan to contest regional aerial superiority in a way never seen before.

This trilateral delivery of cutting-edge platforms comes at a time of acute military tension between nuclear-armed rivals Pakistan and India, and is emblematic of the deepening Beijing-Islamabad strategic convergence in the face of a rapidly evolving Indo-Pacific security landscape.

In an official announcement, the Pakistani government hailed the agreement as “a significant diplomatic and defence milestone under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,” adding that the incoming assets would “exponentially elevate the Pakistan Air Force’s capabilities and missile defence posture in accordance with the demands of modern high-intensity warfare.”

The deal also comes with a crucial economic lifeline—Islamabad has secured the deferment of a $3.7 billion Chinese loan, offering rare financial breathing room as Pakistan struggles with mounting external debt and a fragile economic outlook.

Chinese defence equities began their upward climb last month after Pakistan claimed that six Indian Air Force jets—including French-made Rafales—were shot down in a high-altitude engagement with J-10C fighters equipped with Chinese long-range air-to-air missiles.

The Shenyang-developed J-35A, featuring advanced stealth shaping, internal weapons bays, and a next-generation sensor fusion suite, is widely believed to be a carrier-capable export variant of China’s most advanced stealth jet—now poised to shift South Asia’s aerial balance.

Senior Pakistani defence officials have confirmed that the first batch of these fifth-generation fighters will be delivered within the coming months, marking Pakistan’s entry into the exclusive club of stealth fighter operators.

Under the terms of the agreement, Pakistan is slated to receive 40 J-35A airframes, becoming the first foreign operator of the aircraft and the second global user of a Chinese fifth-generation fighter platform after the J-20, which remains in service with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

“PAF pilots are currently undergoing training in China to operate and integrate the J-35A platform into frontline squadrons,” a senior Pakistani government official revealed in a statement to Janes, underscoring the rapid induction timeline.

Notably, Pakistan’s variant of the J-35A is expected to be armed with the formidable PL-17 long-range air-to-air missile, believed to have a range in excess of 400 kilometers and capable of neutralizing high-value aerial targets beyond visual range.

The PL-17—also known as the PL-XX—is reportedly equipped with a multi-mode seeker integrating active radar homing, infrared tracking, and satellite navigation, allowing mid-course retargeting and precision terminal engagement.

Such capability would grant Pakistan’s stealth fleet the ability to engage Indian AWACS, refuelling tankers, and electronic warfare aircraft while remaining well outside the threat envelope of India’s Su-30MKI and Rafale fighters.

Pakistan’s interest in the J-35A dates back to 2024, when Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar publicly confirmed its prospective induction, stating, “Negotiations are underway for the acquisition of the J-35A, which will soon become a vital component of the Pakistan Air Force.”

Augmenting this aerial leap, the HQ-19 long-range ballistic missile interceptor system is also part of the package, designed to neutralize intermediate-range and intercontinental ballistic missile threats at altitudes ranging from 70 to 150 kilometers.

Dubbed the “Chinese THAAD,” the HQ-19 shares conceptual lineage with the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and employs a “hit-to-kill” kinetic kill vehicle to eliminate targets via direct impact rather than explosive warheads.

This advanced shield arrives as Pakistan seeks to counterbalance India’s growing inventory of stand-off weapons, including the air-launched SCALP-EG cruise missile and the supersonic BrahMos—a capability reportedly used during the recent spike in hostilities.

Developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) under Project 863, the HQ-19 uses an AESA-equipped X-band radar with a tracking range exceeding 1,000 kilometers, supporting exoatmospheric engagement against high-speed threats.

Estimates suggest the HQ-19 has an interception envelope extending up to 3,000 kilometers in range and over 150 kilometers in altitude—enabling it to intercept re-entry vehicles and hypersonic glide vehicles during their terminal descent phase.

Its integration into Pakistan’s layered missile defence architecture represents a substantial strategic deterrent against Indian missile supremacy and a major leap in South Asia’s evolving missile race.

Also forming a critical element of this defence trifecta is the Shaanxi KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft, derived from the Y-9 tactical airlifter and equipped with a tri-panel AESA radar within a fixed dorsal radome for seamless 360-degree surveillance.

Unlike its predecessor, the KJ-200 “balance beam” variant, the KJ-500 boasts enhanced electronic intelligence (ELINT) and Electronic Support Measures (ESM) capabilities, enabling real-time signal interception and threat classification over extended ranges.

The aircraft’s radar system can track up to 100 airborne targets simultaneously at ranges approaching 470 kilometers, including low-RCS targets such as stealth fighters and high-speed missiles.

With a maximum takeoff weight of 77 tonnes and a 12-hour loiter endurance, the KJ-500 is powered by four WJ-6C turboprop engines and has an operational range of 5,700 kilometers—making it ideal for continuous airborne command over both land and maritime theatres.

Unlike the heavier KJ-2000, the KJ-500’s smaller footprint allows deployment from austere and semi-prepared airfields—offering significant operational flexibility in contested zones such as Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, or Gwadar.

Pakistan is expected to deploy the KJ-500 in close coordination with its JF-17 Block III, J-10C, and J-35A fleets—creating a tightly integrated air combat network with extended detection, command, and kill-chain closure capabilities.

There are three known variants of the platform: the baseline KJ-500 for PLAAF, the KJ-500H for Chinese naval aviation, and the KJ-500A with in-flight refuelling capacity—any of which could potentially be tailored for Pakistani operatio

Taken together, the J-35A stealth jets, HQ-19 anti-missile system, and KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft represent Pakistan’s most significant force modernization package in decades—signalling a decisive shift toward fifth-generation warfare readiness.

Strategically, the procurement solidifies China’s position as Pakistan’s most trusted military partner, with over 81 percent of Pakistan’s arms imports now sourced from Beijing—an alignment that increasingly counters U.S. and Indian influence in the region.

This high-stakes arms deal reaffirms Pakistan’s evolving doctrine of integrated, multi-domain warfare and highlights Beijing’s ambitions to export fifth-generation dominance well beyond the Western Pacific.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA