Pictures of a modified F-10 fighter have appeared on the Internet, which netizens have called the "F-10B". Further pictures of the F-10B equipped with airborne phased array radar have also appeared online. What improvements does the J-10B fighter represent over the J-10A? What are the main objectives behind the development of the J-10B?

Wu Guohui, associate professor of the Teaching and Research Department of Logistics and Equipment of the University of National Defense and ace PLA air force pilot, said in a recent exclusive interview with People's Daily Online that China's air fighters have undergone substantial development. All intellectual property rights for the J-10 series are exclusive to China, and the development of the J-10B represents an important step in extending the role of China's fighters. According to the 2012 ranking of the world's top 10 fighters, our J-10B stands in 8th or 9th place on the comprehensive list.

Before its 5th generation fighters enter service, China's air force will need a “top-end” post 4th generation fighter with comprehensively enhanced performance compared with the J-10A, in order to provide a counter to the most advanced modified 4th generation fighters in any intense-combat environment in the coming decade. This will provide a comprehensive performance advantage not only against the 4th generation fighters deployed by neighboring countries, but also against the advanced modified 4th generation fighters from further afield.

J-10B has overcome the performance deficiencies of J-10A, and further refined the performance strengths of the original J-10 design. Its relatively advanced comprehensive performance in comparison with modified 4th generation fighters around the world allows it to fulfill the new air combat requirements expected from China's air force in the coming years.

The improvements in the J-10B serve not only to demonstrate the introduction of a high-performance modified fighter, but also to show the comprehensive progress China has made in fields like airborne radar, aerodynamic design, and aviation electronics. China's domestically produced 5th generation fighter, the J-20, which was unveiled at the beginning of 2013, also embodies this technical progress. This demonstrates that China has gradually mastered this new technology, which will also serve to improve other new types of fighters in the future and significantly increase the battle effectiveness of the PLA air force. It can therefore be stated that China has now reached an international level of advancement in the field of fighter research and development, with the single exception of the development of an aircraft engine.