China in Talks to Sell J-10 Fighter Jets to Colombia

China has offered to sell two squadrons of J-10CE multirole fighter jets to Colombia as the South American country seeks to replace its aging combat fleet.

Infodefensa reported about this, citing its own sources.

The offer was made during Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s visit to Beijing in talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

It includes up to 24 J-10CE fighters — or a smaller number based on Colombia’s needs — at a price of approximately $40 million per aircraft, along with a package of air-to-air missiles.

The J-10CE is the export variant of China’s domestically produced J-10C, developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.

The aircraft has seen combat use with the Pakistan Air Force, which claimed it successfully engaged two Indian fighter jets: one Dassault Rafale and one Su-30MKI in recent years.

According to the report, rapid delivery timelines and flexible payment options were key elements of the Chinese proposal, with Chengdu’s production capacity cited as a competitive advantage.

Speed is seen as a critical factor for Colombia, whose fleet of 22 Israeli-made Kfir jets is largely grounded following the type’s official retirement in 2023.

Following the Chinese offer, President Petro reportedly discussed the proposal with the commander of the Colombian Air Force to evaluate the fighter’s performance and the feasibility of procurement.

China is also seeking to position its jets as a lower-risk option in terms of long-term support. Beijing has reportedly guaranteed the absence of future export restrictions on spare parts or operational deployment — issues that sometimes affect Western military sales.

Petro recently announced that Colombia had signed a letter of intent with Sweden to acquire JAS 39 Gripen fighters from Saab, another contender in the country’s procurement process.

Accepting the Chinese bid would mark a notable geopolitical shift for Colombia, traditionally a close military partner of the United States.

Neighboring Peru is also in the market for new fighter aircraft, having previously evaluated options such as the F-16V Block 70 from Lockheed Martin Corporation, Saab’s Gripen, and the Rafale F4 from Dassault Aviation SA. South Korea’s KAI KF-21 Boramae is also reportedly under consideration.