Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon

The multirole fighter built for agility and modern avionics integration.

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Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon
Chengdu J-10S operated by the Chinese Air Force – © Russian Ministry of Defence

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Overview

Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group China ICAO: J10 2004–Present $50 million (2013)

The Chengdu J-10 is a Chinese-designed multirole fighter introduced in the 2000s. Developed to modernize China’s tactical air fleet, it combines a delta wing with canard foreplanes. The aircraft serves in air defense and strike roles.

Live Fleet Activity (J10)

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Specifications

Units
Engine
1 × Woshan WS-10A Taihang or Saturn-Lyulka AL-31FN
Engine type
Turbofan
Thrust
29,101 lbf · 129 kN
Avionics
Digital fly-by-wire flight control system and HOTAS
Wing tips
No winglets
Seats
2 economy · 1 business
Crew
—
Cabin width
—
Cabin height
—
Cabin length
—
Exterior length
50 ft 10 in  ·  15.50 m
Tail height
15 ft 8 in  ·  4.78 m
Fuselage diameter
4 ft 3 in  ·  1.30 m
Wing span
31 ft 10 in  ·  9.70 m
Baggage volume
—
Gross weight
—
Empty weight
—
Max takeoff weight
40,600 lb  ·  18,400 kg
Max landing weight
—
Max payload
9,900 lb  ·  4,500 kg
Fuel capacity
1,480 gal · 5,600 L · 4,500 kg (Jet A)
Max cruise speed
1,261 kt  ·  1,451 mph  ·  2,335 km/h
Maximum speed
—
Cruise speed
—
Approach speed
110 kt  ·  127 mph  ·  204 km/h
Range
2,100 nm  ·  2,420 mi  ·  3,890 km
Fuel burn
0.82 nm/gal  ·  0.40 km/L
Ceiling
65,600 ft  ·  20,000 m
Rate of climb
46,300 ft/min  ·  235 m/s
Takeoff distance
650 ft  ·  200 m
Landing distance
620 ft  ·  190 m
(/) tap to zoom
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A Chengdu J-10B carrying PL-10 and PL-12 air to air missiles.

Live fleet activity details

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All Active Aircraft Types
Flight Airline Reg Alt Speed Heading V/S

Operational Context

Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon — multirole fighter aircraft

The J-10 first flew in 1998 and entered service in 2004. It features a single-engine layout and fly-by-wire flight controls. The design emphasizes maneuverability and modern radar integration.

A single turbofan engine producing approximately 29,000 pounds of thrust (129 kN) with afterburner powers the aircraft. Maximum speed exceeds Mach 2. Maximum takeoff weight approaches 42,000 pounds (19,051 kg).

The J-10 forms a key component of China’s fighter inventory. Updated variants incorporate improved sensors and weapons systems. The aircraft has also been exported to international customers.