Singapore’s biggest aviation event offered a rare treat this year: the chance to see modern fighters used by the world’s top three military powers, all tearing through the sky in the span of 90 minutes.
The biennial Singapore Airshow typically features a flying display, where pilots from around the world showcase aerobatic skills and stunt maneuvers that push their aircraft to the limit.
This year’s performance included the F-16, F-35, Su-30, and J-10C, representing 4.5- and 5-generation aircraft from US, Chinese, and Russian manufacturers.
These aircraft were flown by the air forces of Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, and China, so the US and Russian militaries were not directly involved in the performance. It also means some of the fighters are modified versions of the original aircraft.
A flying display provides limited insight into the combat performance of these fighters, though it does showcase their capabilities in maneuverability.
Still, recent global tensions have made it increasingly difficult to find a single event that includes flying from all of these combat planes. Here’s how their performances compared.
China’s Chengdu J-10C
The People’s Liberation Army Air Force sent in their Ba Yi aerobatics team, which flies the Chengdu J-10C.
The Chinese fighter’s C variant is considered equivalent to a 4.5-generation plane, with advanced avionics, some stealth capabilities, and improved maneuverability. More recently, it’s been widely reported to have sniped a French-made Rafale with a Chinese long-range munition during last year’s India-Pakistan clash.
The Ba Yi team’s six J-10Cs put on a colorful show, pumping red, blue, and yellow dye into their smoke trails as they flew in diamond formations.
One particularly impressive maneuver had a lead fighter perform a continuous barrel roll around the rest of its team as they flew in formation.
Another stunt saw a J-10C raise its nose as it slowed to what an announcer said was “minimum speed,” gliding through the sky while pouring yellow smoke above the audience.
But the overall Ba Yi performance felt underwhelming, especially after all the hype around the J-10Cs making their Singapore debut. Chinese state media had emphasized that the fighters arrived after refueling midair — a key capability for any military power seeking to exert global authority.
Chinese TV aired an interview with a Ba Yi pilot, who said his team had “once again crossed mountains and seas” to reach Singapore. Before the show, flight enthusiasts eagerly shared clips of the J-10Cs practicing.
Yet there was little about the Ba Yi team’s formations and aileron rolls that set the J-10Cs apart. They were perhaps overshadowed by an earlier performance from Indonesia’s Jupiter aerobatics team, which had already showcased formation stunts with South Korean trainer planes.
China’s aviation export corporation is hoping to sell a version of the J-10C, called the J-10CE, to foreign buyers.
American F-16 and F-35
The F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-35 Lightning II, by contrast, screamed into the flying display, charging past us at high power.
The shock and awe was palpable. A pair of reporters next to me clutched their ears as the fighters’ engines sounded like they ripped through the sky.
The two American fighters appeared separately: Singapore flew an F-16C alongside an AH-64D Apache helicopter, and Australia sent an F-35A.
The two countries delivered what one would typically expect from the star aircraft. The F-16C and Apache performed several joint maneuvers, releasing flares as they passed by each other. At one point, they appeared to fly just a few feet apart — at least, that’s what it looked like from the ground.
The displays made it clear these planes were built for war. The F-16 performed a dogfighting maneuver called the Falcon Turn, rocketing upward before inverting at full G load to dive back down.
The Australian F-35A, meanwhile, opened its weapons bay for the audience to see during a flypast. The fifth-generation aircraft is one of the few fighters in the world to house weapons internally.
The F-35 also made a pass at extreme low speed, making it look like it was floating in the sky.
Russian Su-30
Only one Russian-made fighter, a Su-30MKM, flew at the airshow on Tuesday, but it arguably performed the most impressive stunts.
The Su-30MKM is Malaysia’s variant of Russia’s Sukhoi-manufactured twin-seat 4.5-generation fighter, and it’s one of the few exported versions of the Su-30.
The Malaysian air force dubbed its display plane “Toruk Makto,” after the fictional warrior title from James Cameron’s film “Avatar.”
The Su-30MKM executed several showy maneuvers, such as ejecting flares during a flat spin and then in a rapid vertical climb.
The Malaysian pilots also performed a Cobra, a famous trick in which the aircraft rapidly tilts its nose upward by about 90 degrees to act as an air brake before leveling to continue its flight.
One other stunt had the Su-30MKM slowly climb upward as it periodically released a ladder of flares.
The Su-30 has been one of Russia’s most frequently used fighters in its war against Ukraine, often kept inside Russian airspace to fire safely into Ukrainian territory. Due to Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, export sales of the aircraft have been limited by wide international sanctions.
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