JF-17, the jointly developed
fourth-generation fighter jet by Pakistan and China, is gaining interest and
traction in many developing countries to meet their needs.
The aircraft showed its aerial
capabilities in recently held Bahrain International Show where three JF-17s
from Pakistan were displayed.
At
the same time, China showcased the JF-17 at the annual China
International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zuhai, China.
The
presence at both the aviation events was part of attempts by China and Pakistan
to market this plane to international buyers.
The
JF-17 is only in service with three countries — Pakistan, Myanmar, and Nigeria
— which operated a total of 145 as of October 2021, according to Aviation Week.
At the time, Aviation Week data showed that total was set to
rise to 185 JF-17s by mid-decade which would make it the most widely operated
Chinese combat jet in service overseas by the end of 2023.
Developed
by China's Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation and the Pakistan Aeronautical
Complex, the JF-17 first flew in 2003. The single-seat, single-engine jet is
known in Pakistan as the JF-17 Thunder and as the FC-1 Xiaolong in China.
With
a service ceiling of 50,000 feet and a top speed of about 1,200 mph, the JF-17
can perform several missions, including aerial intercept and ground attack. It
can carry roughly 7,000 pounds of ordnance on seven hardpoints and is armed
with a single twin-barrel 23 mm autocannon.
The
first few JF-17s were made entirely in China, but Pakistan now does most of the
production. At present, 58% of the aircraft is made in Pakistan and
42% in China.
Despite its joint development, only Pakistan chose to
introduce it into service, officially doing so in 2007. The jet is meant to
replace Pakistan's aging fleet of Nanchang A-5, Chengdu F-7, and Mirage III and
V attack and fighter jets.
With
at least 125 in service, the JF-17 is the backbone of the PAF.
The
JF-17 has been upgraded several times since its introduction. The most recent
version, the Block III, first flew in late 2019 and features several
considerable improvements, including an additional hardpoint, a quad-redundant
digital fly-by-wire system, and an active electronically scanned array radar.
Comparatively
low priced
Pakistan
currently operates the most JF-17s. Myanmar, the first international customer,
operates six and Nigeria has three.
Ranging
from $15 million to $25 million each, the JF-17 is considerably cheaper than
virtually every other fourth-generation jet on the market. Add-ons that
increase its lethality, like targeting pods, make it attractive to
countries with low defense budgets that want multirole combat jets.
"It’s
not cutting edge, but it is a reliable performer," Timothy Heath, a senior
international and defense researcher at the Rand Corporation think tank, told Business
Insider.
Several
countries have expressed interest in the JF-17. Iraq has reportedly agreed to
buy at least 12, and Egypt has said it's interested in acquiring
JF-17s as part of expanded defense cooperation with Pakistan. Azerbaijan has
said for years that it wants JF-17s, and both Bolivia and Argentina are
considering the jet.
Source: Business Insider