• companero [he/him]@hexbear.net
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    1 day ago

    Some of the more grounded PLA watchers are dunking on the idea that this means China will give Iran J-20’s.

    But I don’t know… this seems like a pretty deliberate signal. And China does have new 6th-gen fighters coming to preserve a decisive technological edge for themselves. I think people underestimate how geopolitically important Iran is to China. Of course, it would take at least a few years to set up exports and train pilots.

    • CommCat [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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      22 hours ago

      close to zero chance of Iran getting J-20. J-20 is China’s F-22, it has been banned for export. China’s J-35 is equivalent to the F-35, which will be exported, but it has just entered full production and will need to fill both China’s Airforce and Navy first. Pakistan will most likely get the first export. 5th gen fighters are a totally different beast than 4th gen fighters, not just in performance but the maintenance to get it in flying order is very expensive and complicated, Iran is not gonna be able to handle a 5th gen when they’ve been flying Cold War era American jets.

      Seems like Iran is sticking to Russian aircraft, Su-35s have been rumoured for a long long time. There was a photo of a new mig-29 flying in Iran a few months ago, and Iran showed off their new Mi-28 attack helicopters a few days ago.

        • ClathrateG [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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          21 hours ago

          If the PRC was the USSR they would have collapsed 6 years ago, personally I’m glad they’re making efforts to avoid the mistakes of the soviets and plan a sustainable route to communism

          Their lack of militant internationalism is regrettable though, but I also recognise the fine line party leadership has to walk between supporting global socialism and avoiding WWIII, and not that you did but to say they do nothing is wrong i.e providing tons of food and other aid to Cuba, Supplying Venezuela with arms and military advisors(even if that counted for fuck all during Maduro’s kidnapping), providing developing countries with an alternative to the usurious IMF etc

          One can hope that over the coming years and decades as the US empire collapses they’ll be more willing to engage in militancy abroad