China’s AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Co. has delivered a record financial performance, highlighting the growing commercial momentum of the country’s military aviation industry as its fighter jets gain visibility on the global stage.
The Chengdu-based aircraft maker reported revenue of 75.4 billion yuan ($11 billion) for 2025, an increase of 15.8% from the previous year, according to company disclosures cited by Bloomberg.
Net profit rose 6.5% to 3.4 billion yuan, marking the highest annual earnings in the firm’s history. Momentum has carried into 2026, with first-quarter sales nearly doubling compared with the same period last year.
Company officials attributed the stronger results partly to a restructuring that consolidated its jet-manufacturing operations under the listed entity, a move that streamlined operations and improved financial performance. AVIC Chengdu is among China’s most valuable publicly traded defense companies.
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The company’s rising profile has also been shaped by recent geopolitical events. Its aircraft drew international attention after Pakistan praised the performance of Chinese-made fighter jets during last year’s military confrontation with India.
Pakistan operates the J-10 fighter and the JF-17 Thunder, the latter jointly developed with China, and said the jets performed effectively during the May 2025 clash.
Pakistan claimed it downed several Indian aircraft during the fighting, including French-made Rafale jets, though India acknowledged only that it lost an aircraft without providing further details.
Defense analysts noted that the conflict marked one of the first real-world tests of advanced Chinese combat aircraft, increasing global scrutiny of their capabilities.
Since then, interest in AVIC Chengdu’s fighters has reportedly grown among several developing nations. Indonesia has publicly indicated interest in the J-10, while Iraq, Bangladesh and Indonesia have all been linked to potential JF-17 purchases. In comments to investors last week, the company said expanding arms exports remains a key strategic goal.
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AVIC Chengdu is also investing in capacity expansion. Earlier this year, it signed an agreement with local authorities in Chengdu, Sichuan province, to scale up aerospace manufacturing, aiming to support future domestic and overseas demand.
Another major Chinese aircraft producer, AVIC Shenyang Aircraft Co., also posted solid results, reporting 2025 revenue of 44.7 billion yuan and net profit of 3.5 billion yuan.
The company, which manufactures the fifth-generation J-35 fighter, said higher sales boosted earnings and confirmed that a new production facility is expected to begin mass output this year.
Both AVIC Chengdu and AVIC Shenyang remain under U.S. sanctions, but their latest results suggest China’s military aircraft makers are strengthening their position as global interest in alternative defense suppliers continues to grow.
