Uzbekistan has chosen Chinese J-10CE fighter jets instead of the previously considered Russian Su-30SMs. 6 combat aircraft have already joined the country's Air Force.
Columnist Ruslan Ramazanov explained that the most important factor in choosing the Chinese aircraft was its price.
The cost of one J-10CE is estimated at approximately $40–50 million. For comparison, the export price of a Russian heavy Su-30 fighter is about $50–60 million per unit.
With a difference of approximately $10 million per aircraft, 6 J-10CEs offer potential savings of about $60 million. However, the exact cost of the Uzbek contract has not been officially disclosed, so this is an estimate based on Kun.uz's assessments.
Ramazanov added that Chinese logistics support packages for maintenance can reduce the total life cycle costs by 30–40%.