World | Pakistan
Pakistan to get eight Chinese jets next year
Pakistan is set to get the first batch of eight medium-technology fighter jets from China next year and the country would start manufacturing them locally from January 2008, a senior military official said yesterday.
- Reuters
- Published: 00:00 November 23, 2006
Karachi: Pakistan is set to get the first batch of eight medium-technology fighter jets from China next year and the country would start manufacturing them locally from January 2008, a senior military official said yesterday.
"We shall...have the first two [JF-17 Thunder fighter] aircraft on March 23, while the remaining of the first batch of eight aircraft will also arrive next year," Air Marshal Khalid Choudhry, Chairman of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, said.
"The hardcore production of JF-17 in Pakistan will start in January 2008."
According to the agreement between China and Pakistan, once full production starts, half the planes would be produced in China and half in Pakistan.
Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute designed the aircraft and the prototypes were manufactured by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Company - both based in China's Sichuan province.
Choudhry said the medium-technology aircraft, a joint production with China, matches the Mirage in performance but has better avionics and weapons.
Air force officials said the JF-17 could achieve a speed of 1.6 Mach, altitude of 16,760 metres and carry weapons of modern warfare. The JF-17 are due to replace the ageing fleet of Mirage 3 and 5, A-5 and F-7 aircraft.
Choudhry said the Pakistan Air Force was looking to acquire 200 to 300 such aircraft, while the Chinese Air Force would also acquire some.
"We plan to start producing 20 to 25 aircraft every year from 2008, and they would be the main strength of the Pakistan Air Force," Choudhry said on the sidelines of a four-day arms exhibition in Karachi.
He said Pakistan also planned to export JF-17 once its full production started in the country.
"This aircraft will cost less then $20 million [Dh73.4 million], so it is a very attractive equipment for the third world and developing countries who have small air forces and a small budget," he said.
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