The answer is operational math:
Rafale is a spear.
JF-17 is a factory.
One is an elite capability.
The other is mass + affordability + flexible logistics.
Modern air forces don’t just want the spear.
They want the spear plus a warehouse full of repeatable aircraft.
The Rafale Problem: Upgrades Don’t Fix a Doctrine Gap
Even if French media claims that 35 Rafales will be upgraded to the F4 standard, the real war isn’t “F4 vs F3R”.
The real war is:
Pakistan’s ability to scale
PAF isn’t trying to win debates.
It’s trying to win cycles.
A cycle looks like this:
-
Buy or build fighters in numbers
-
Standardize weapons + sensors
-
Train fast
-
Integrate drones
-
Export the same package
-
Repeat
That’s the difference between air force flex and air force machine.
How PAF Can Make India’s Rafale Ladder Look Weak (Without Even Touching France)
Your proposed path is exactly how a cost-positioned air doctrine kills a premium competitor:
✅ 1) One more J-10C squadron = instant pressure
A single additional squadron pushes the force toward a high-end spearhead while the rest of the fleet stays mass-capable.
It’s not about copying Rafale.
It’s about making Rafale’s advantage too expensive to maintain.
