North Korea wants to buy China's J-10CE fighter jet was rejected, why not China sell it to North Korea?
To put it impolitely, it's because North Korea has no money, no technology, and no friends.
This matter seems to be the stranding of arms sales transactions, but in fact it is the inevitable result of the shackles of triple reality, and it really has little to do with "brotherhood".
Let's talk about the most real problem of "money" first.
The J-10CE is not a bargain in the second-hand market. The price of a stand-alone machine is nearly US$60 million. Including the supporting PL-15E missile, maintenance equipment and spare parts, the total cost of one can easily exceed 80 million.
However, North Korea's total military spending in 2024 will only be US$4.7 billion, and it will have to give priority to its nuclear and ballistic missile projects. There are not many leftovers left for the Air Force.
Even worse, the United Nations sanctions have blocked North Korea's foreign exchange sources, wanting to squeeze out the money to buy aircraft, probably to make people's living expenses drastically shrink.
Pakistan bought 36 J-10CEs without batting an eye, relying on its stable economic plate and foreign exchange reserves. North Korea, with its economic background, cannot even afford the "food expenses" of raising fighter jets. The cost of a major overhaul of the turbofan-10B engine alone is enough for ordinary people in Pyongyang to live for decades.
Looking at the hurdle of "technology", it is simply a natural barrier. The J-10CE is a third-and-a-half generation fighter with a source phased array radar. It can track dozens of targets at the same time, and the operation interface is all a digital system.
However, the North Korean Air Force is still alive in the last century. Its main force is old antiques such as the MiG-21. The ground service relies on screwdrivers and hammers to repair aircraft, and even has to rely on Russia for the maintenance of Soviet-made equipment.
The average annual flying time of pilots is less than 80 hours, which is not even a fraction of that of Pakistan pilots. Letting them drive the J-10CE is no different from letting cyclists drive an F1 car directly.
When China sold to Pakistan, it had to build a security system, send expert training, but North Korea even the basic airport runway and repair workshops can not follow, the purchased warplanes will either lie down and rust, or fly up into the sky also become a live target, this compensation for the drunkenness of the sale who will do?
North Korea’s most deadly diplomatic death, still “without friends”, has long been struck by the UN Security Council Resolution 1718, which passed in 2006, explicitly prohibited exports of combat aircraft to it.
As a permanent member of the Security Council, if China dares to sell fighter planes against the wind, it will not only lose its international credibility, but also have to withstand a series of counterattacks from the United States and South Korea. South Korea will most likely purchase additional F-35s, and the United States may deploy more military forces to Northeast Asia. The arms race on the peninsula will have to be fryed.
On the other hand, Pakistan, which is not on the sanctions list, can help contain India. Selling it to it is a win-win situation.
North Korea's "friend circle" is narrow, internationally is basically in isolation, if China is to break the rules for it, the blame is the entire international community, this political account is too insignificant.
In fact, North Korea itself can tell clearly that 85% of its military expenditure is spent on missile research and development. The "Hwasong-20" intercontinental missile can directly form a deterrent than the J-10CE.
China has not blocked the road, food aid, power grid transformation of these people's livelihoods support has never been broken, but international arms sales are never so easy to buy and sell, it must be seen if the buyer has a home base, playable technology, and a diplomatic backdrop.
North Korea lacks all three things, and it is not unjust to be rejected. China doesn't sell it, which is not only to abide by the rules, but also to help both sides avoid pitfalls.
To put it impolitely, it's because North Korea has no money, no technology, and no friends.
This matter seems to be the stranding of arms sales transactions, but in fact it is the inevitable result of the shackles of triple reality, and it really has little to do with "brotherhood".
Let's talk about the most real problem of "money" first.
The J-10CE is not a bargain in the second-hand market. The price of a stand-alone machine is nearly US$60 million. Including the supporting PL-15E missile, maintenance equipment and spare parts, the total cost of one can easily exceed 80 million.
However, North Korea's total military spending in 2024 will only be US$4.7 billion, and it will have to give priority to its nuclear and ballistic missile projects. There are not many leftovers left for the Air Force.
Even worse, the United Nations sanctions have blocked North Korea's foreign exchange sources, wanting to squeeze out the money to buy aircraft, probably to make people's living expenses drastically shrink.
Pakistan bought 36 J-10CEs without batting an eye, relying on its stable economic plate and foreign exchange reserves. North Korea, with its economic background, cannot even afford the "food expenses" of raising fighter jets. The cost of a major overhaul of the turbofan-10B engine alone is enough for ordinary people in Pyongyang to live for decades.
Looking at the hurdle of "technology", it is simply a natural barrier. The J-10CE is a third-and-a-half generation fighter with a source phased array radar. It can track dozens of targets at the same time, and the operation interface is all a digital system.
However, the North Korean Air Force is still alive in the last century. Its main force is old antiques such as the MiG-21. The ground service relies on screwdrivers and hammers to repair aircraft, and even has to rely on Russia for the maintenance of Soviet-made equipment.
The average annual flying time of pilots is less than 80 hours, which is not even a fraction of that of Pakistan pilots. Letting them drive the J-10CE is no different from letting cyclists drive an F1 car directly.
When China sold to Pakistan, it had to build a security system, send expert training, but North Korea even the basic airport runway and repair workshops can not follow, the purchased warplanes will either lie down and rust, or fly up into the sky also become a live target, this compensation for the drunkenness of the sale who will do?
North Korea’s most deadly diplomatic death, still “without friends”, has long been struck by the UN Security Council Resolution 1718, which passed in 2006, explicitly prohibited exports of combat aircraft to it.
As a permanent member of the Security Council, if China dares to sell fighter planes against the wind, it will not only lose its international credibility, but also have to withstand a series of counterattacks from the United States and South Korea. South Korea will most likely purchase additional F-35s, and the United States may deploy more military forces to Northeast Asia. The arms race on the peninsula will have to be fryed.
On the other hand, Pakistan, which is not on the sanctions list, can help contain India. Selling it to it is a win-win situation.
North Korea's "friend circle" is narrow, internationally is basically in isolation, if China is to break the rules for it, the blame is the entire international community, this political account is too insignificant.
In fact, North Korea itself can tell clearly that 85% of its military expenditure is spent on missile research and development. The "Hwasong-20" intercontinental missile can directly form a deterrent than the J-10CE.
China has not blocked the road, food aid, power grid transformation of these people's livelihoods support has never been broken, but international arms sales are never so easy to buy and sell, it must be seen if the buyer has a home base, playable technology, and a diplomatic backdrop.
North Korea lacks all three things, and it is not unjust to be rejected. China doesn't sell it, which is not only to abide by the rules, but also to help both sides avoid pitfalls.