China’s grand experiment in economic theater parading Pakistan as its battle‐test laboratory has spectacularly imploded. What was pitched as a strategic showcase of Chinese weaponry through a lavishly orchestrated Pakistan cooperation has backfired, revealing nothing but smoke, mirrors, and staggering failure.
At the center of this charade was AVIC Chengdu Aircraft, promoted as China’s triumph in aerospace engineering. Behind closed doors, Beijing struck deals with Islamabad to field-test the J-10 and JF-17 jets in “live” scenarios against Indian forces. State media rolled out grainy footage and breathless bulletins: Pakistani squadrons flying supersonic escorts of these jets, claimed to have shot down multiple Indian fighters. Investors gobbled it up until reality intervened. AVIC’s shares, briefly inflated by 40%, have now collapsed over 12%, dragging its market valuation down to CN¥36.92 billion.
This puppet show rested on three marquee systems each debunked in turn by mounting evidence of subpar performance:
- JF-17 “Iron Brotherhood” Fighter: Marketed as affordable and battle‐hardened, the jet was sent to Pakistani squadrons for front‐line duty. Instead of decisive victories, pilots reported frequent engine flameouts and radar glitches during training missions. International buyers balked at the unscripted truth, leaving Pakistan as China’s sole—and now reluctant—operator.
- HQ-9 “Dragon’s Shield” Air Defense: Installed at key Pakistani airbases, the HQ-9 was advertised as the S-400’s equal. But when Pakistani technicians attempted coordinated drills, the system’s radars lost track of multiple incoming targets. Electromagnetic interference and software bugs forced Islamabad to limit exercises, undermining Beijing’s orchestrated narrative of invincible air dominance.
- PL-15 “Sky Slasher” Missile: Launched from Pakistani Su-30MKIs in staged drills, the PL-15 was supposed to out-range every adversary. Instead, faulty guidance and vulnerability to jamming caused multiple mid-flight self‐destructs. Pakistan quietly grounded its missile batteries, while China’s state press scrambled to revise range estimates downward.
Pakistan’s role was simple: provide venues and pilots to authenticate China’s defence exports. In return, Beijing funnelled subsidised weapons and loans into Islamabad’s military budget. Yet when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi toured the purported “victory” airbases, he exposed empty hangars and deactivated launchers, exposing the entire spectacle as fiction.
The markets responded mercilessly. The Hang Seng China A Aerospace & Defence Index has slumped nearly 4% in two days. Export contracts vanished, investor confidence evaporated, and China’s military‐industrial boom turned to bust.
Beijing gambled on Pakistan to legitimise its bleeding‐edge hardware. Instead, the façade collapsed under scrutiny. The curtain has fallen on this geopolitical cabaret and China is left with a bankrupt stage and no willing audience.
