Possible J-10 sale to Tehran raises red flags

Iran, China and Russia may have reached agreement for the supply of Chengdu J-10 advanced combat aircraft to Iran, according to Russian media reports.

The Russian business daily Kommersant published the story on 23 October but it was picked up and translated into English by the state-controlled Novosti news agency the following day. Kommersant has an acknowledged track record for monitoring Russia's dealings with Iran and Novosti's involvement gives the story an official seal of approval.

China, perhaps surprised by the extent of the Russian reports, has moved quickly to deny them. According to the state-controlled Xinhua news agency, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a regular press conference: "The report is false and irresponsible. China has not conducted any negotiation on the so-called fighter issue. We hope the Russian newspaper could clarify its report."

Quoting sources within HESA (the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company), Kommersant said the Iranian military will take delivery of 24 J-10s between 2008 and 2010 to equip two squadrons. This is a similar number to the elderly Chengdu J-7 fighters previously delivered from China to Iran - raising the possibility that the J-10s will replace the obsolete J-7s.

Iran was previously thought to be negotiating a large package of Sukhoi Su-30MK fighters with Russia. However, it may have opted instead to acquire the more affordable but still capable J-10 from China. In Iranian service the J-10 would primarily be an air-defence platform, equipped with Chinese weapons such as the SD-10 active-radar air-to-air missile. 250 of 576 words