Uzbekistan has confirmed that it has become the second foreign country to operate China’s J-10CE fighter, marking another breakthrough for Beijing’s advanced combat aircraft exports and a potentially significant inroad into a Central Asian defence market long dominated by Russian warplanes.Reports previously suggested that Uzbekistan had ordered 24 J-10CEs, although neither country confirmed the deal.However, at least six of the jets were shown in footage released by the Uzbek president’s office on Friday as part of the country’s independence day celebrations.The footage showed the Uzbek air force warplanes sitting on the runway, flying in formation and receiving a water-cannon salute, a ceremony that is traditionally used to mark significant arrivals.Uzbekistan’s defence ministry released an official video of the fighters later on Sunday, which was also broadcast by state television, describing them as “modern fighter aircraft guarding our air borders”.