The Lavi Fighter Jet did not die

 The Chinese J-10 has been sold to several Muslim countries. The J-10 bears a strong resemblance to Israel’s Lavi fighter jet, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), whose production was canceled after a government decision in 1988. The Lavi design was based on the Kfir Israeli fighter.

It was never published that China bought the Lavi's plans to accelerate the development of a domestically produced fourth-generation fighter jet. The funds China paid helped cover the project's costs in Israel. The production of the Lavi was too ambitious for a tiny Israel, and it was terminated after completion. Instead, Israel bought American models.