전투기 우즈베키스탄, J-10 CE 전투기 인수

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When Computers Went To Sea | 우즈베키스탄, 라팔 24기 도입 관심 표명 - Daum 카페

우즈베키스탄, 라팔 24기 도입 관심 표명

When Computers Went To Sea | 우즈베키스탄, JF-17 도입 추진 - Daum 카페

우즈베키스탄, JF-17 도입 추진

 
라팔 대신 JF-17을 도입할 것 같더니 J-10CE를 도입했네요. 
 
우즈베키스탄, 중국으로부터 J-10CE 전투기 인도받아

Gordon Arthur

2026년 9월 1일

우즈베키스탄 공군의 J-10CE 전투기들이 카르시-하나바드 공군기지에서 지상활주하고 있다. (Uzbekistan state TV)

중국이 설계한 J-10 전투기가 두 번째 수출 고객을 확보했다. 우즈베키스탄 공군은 2026년 8월 28일 방송된 국영 방송을 통해 새로 도착한 J-10CE 전투기들을 공개했다.

당시 전투기 6대가 확인됐으며, 환영 행사 일환으로 카르시-하나바드 공군기지에서 지상활주하는 모습도 공개됐다. 이 비행장은 우즈베키스탄 남부 카르시 인근, 아프가니스탄 국경과 가까운 곳에 위치해 있다.

이 전투기들은 9월 1일 독립기념일 열병식에서 비행할 것으로 예상됐다. 그러나 실제로는 첫 번째 J-10이 7월 말 우즈베키스탄에 도착했고, 나머지 항공기들은 8월에 도착했다.

우즈베키스탄 국방부는 “영공은 현대식 전투기들이 수호한다”는 문구와 함께 4++세대 J-10 6대의 영상을 공개했다.

우즈베키스탄은 파키스탄에 이어 J-10CE의 두 번째 수출 운용국이 됐다. 타슈켄트가 몇 대의 J-10을 주문했는지는 분명하지 않지만, 일부 보도에서는 20~24대라고 전하고 있다. 우즈베키스탄 국방장관 슈흐라트 할무하메도프 소장은 2025년 7월 이 계약을 확인한 바 있다.

이 중국산 전투기들은 우즈베키스탄 공군의 노후한 Su-27과 MiG-29를 대체할 가능성이 높다. 이들은 카르시-하나바드의 제60독립혼성항공여단에 배치됐다.

우즈베키스탄 공군이 공중급유기를 보유하고 있지 않다는 점을 고려하면 놀랍지 않게도, 우즈베키스탄 기체에서는 공중급유 프로브가 확인되지 않았다. 대신 외부 연료탱크 3개를 장착한 모습이 포착됐다. 우즈베키스탄이 중국으로부터 어떤 무장을 도입했는지에 대해서도 알려진 바가 없다.

우즈베키스탄이 과거 소련과 역사적으로 긴밀하게 연결돼 있었고, 오랫동안 모든 방산 장비를 그곳에서 조달해온 전통을 갖고 있다는 점을 고려하면, 새 전투기를 중국에서 도입하기로 한 것은 의미가 크다.

이는 중국이 한때 러시아가 독점적으로 차지했던 시장에 침투하고 있음을 보여준다. 우크라이나 전쟁에 휘말린 모스크바는 기술적·전략적으로 중국에 밀리고 있다.

현재 우즈베키스탄 도색이 확인된 신형 J-10CE의 또 다른 모습. (Uzbek Air Force)

전투기 구매는 신실크로드 연선 국가인 우즈베키스탄이 중국의 영향권에 더 가까이 들어가도록 하는 효과도 낳는다. 그러나 중국은 후속지원과 군수품 품질 측면에서 좋지 않은 전력을 갖고 있기 때문에, 베이징은 우즈베키스탄에서 자국의 평판을 지키기 위해 신중할 필요가 있다.

그렇다고 이번이 타슈켄트가 중국산 방산 장비를 도입한 첫 사례는 아니다. 우즈베키스탄은 2015년 중국에서 HQ-9B, FM-90, KS-1C 지대공미사일 체계를 도입했다.

최근 우즈베키스탄이 에어버스 H125M 및 H215M 헬리콥터, 에어버스 C295MW 수송기 4대, 엠브라에르 C-390 수송기 2대를 도입한 점 역시 러시아의 영향력에서 벗어나고 있음을 더욱 뚜렷하게 보여준다.

파키스탄은 2022년부터 J-10CE 전투기를 인도받기 시작했고, 이 전투기들은 지난해 인도와의 국경전쟁에 참가했다.

인도네시아와 방글라데시를 포함한 다른 국가들도 중국산 J-10 도입에 관심을 보이고 있다. 이 가운데 청두항공공업이 제작하는 이 전투기의 계약 체결에 가장 가까운 국가는 아마 방글라데시일 것이다.

Gordon Arthur
 
Uzbekistan receives J-10CE fighters from China - Asian Military Review

Uzbekistan receives J-10CE fighters from China - Asian Military Review

Uzbekistan receives J-10CE fighters from China
Gordon Arthur
3-4 minutes
 
J-10CE fighters of the Uzbek Air Force taxi at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base. (Uzbekistan state TV)
The Chinese-designed J-10 fighter has attracted its second export customer, with the Uzbek Air Force unveiling its newly arrived J-10CE jets in a national broadcast aired on 28 August 2026.
On that occasion, six of the fighters were seen, including images of them taxiing at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base as part of a welcome ceremony. This airfield is located near Karshi in the south of Uzbekistan, close to the Afghan border.
They were expected to fly in the nation’s Independence Day parade on 1 September. However, the first J-10 actually arrived in Uzbekistan in late July, with others arriving in August.
The country’s Ministry of Defence released footage of the six 4++-generation J-10s alongside the slogan “Air borders are protected by modern fighters”.
Uzbekistan follows Pakistan as an export operator of the J-10CE. It is unclear how many J-10s Tashkent ordered, but some reports quote a figure of between 20 and 24. Major General Shukhrat Khalmukhamedov, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Defence, had confirmed the deal in July 2025.
These Chinese-manufactured fighters will likely replace ageing Su-27s and MiG-29s in the Uzbek Air Force fleet. They have been assigned to the 60th Separate Mixed Aviation Brigade at Karshi-Khanabad.
No aerial refuelling probe was evident on the Uzbek aircraft, unsurprising given that the air force does not possess any tankers. Instead, they were seen carrying three external fuel tanks. Nor is anything known about what weapons Uzbekistan may have acquired from China.
Given the republic’s historic connection with the former Soviet Union, and its long tradition of sourcing all its defence equipment from there, it is significant that Uzbekistan has turned to China for its new combat aircraft.
It illustrates how China is making inroads into markets once exclusively held by Russia. Moscow, embroiled in war in Ukraine, is losing ground technologically and strategically to China.
 
Another image of the brand new J-10CEs now confirmed to be in Uzbek livery. (Uzbek Air Force)
The purchase of fighter jets also ensures that Uzbekistan, a country along the New Silk Road, will more closely fall under China’s orbit. However, China has a poor record in terms of after-market support and the quality of its military products, so Beijing will need to be careful to protect its reputation in Uzbekistan.
This is not the first time that Tashkent has acquired Chinese defence equipment, however. In 2015 it procured HQ-9B, FM-90 and KS-1C surface-to-air missile systems from Beijing.
Further underscoring Uzbekistan’s departure from Russian influence, in recent times it has acquired Airbus H125M and H215M helicopters, four Airbus C295MW transport aircraft and two C-390 transports from Embraer.
Pakistan started receiving its J-10CE fighters in 2022, and they participated in the border war with India last year.
Others have expressed interest in acquiring the J-10 from China, including Indonesia and Bangladesh. Perhaps the latter is closest to inking a deal for this jet built by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.
by Gordon Arthur