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PAF to get first batch of Eight new F-16 jets by June 2010: ACM Rao Qamar
January 2, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman has said that the country will get eight new F-16 fighter jets by June 2010.

The Air Chief Marshal said that after the induction of hi-tech Saab-2000 Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS) aircraft in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), the country’s frontiers have become more secure.

In an exclusive interview with DawnNews, the air chief said that the PAF was in the process of getting more advanced weapons which would significantly enhance its capability.

- DawnNews

Chief of Air Staff confers Non-Operational Military Awards
January 7, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Investiture ceremonies were held at Air Headquarters Islamabad, Headquarters Southern Air Command, Headquarters Central Air Command and Headquarter Northern Air Command, PAF wherein non-operational military awards were conferred on the personnel of Pakistan Air Force for their distinguished services.

Air Marshal Hifazat Ullah Khan, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, was the chief guest at the ceremony held here at the Air Headquarters.

A total of 474 Airmen were conferred awards including 361 Chief of Air Staff Commendation Certificates, 28 Professional Excellency Badges and 75 Tamgha-e-Khidmat (Military) Class-II & III.

These awards were given in recognition of devotion to duty rendered by the Airmen of Pakistan Air Force, hence contributing towards the improvement of the overall efficiency of the service.

Large number of senior Airmen of Pakistan Air Force attended the ceremony.

- Associated Press of Pakistan

First Pakistani-built JF-17 Rolled Out
January 7, 2010

The first JF-17 Thunder to be assembled at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, was rolled out on November 23, 2009, in the colours of the Pakistan's national flag. Four (4) locally assembled JF-17s are expected to be completed by the end of the year (2009) and the first squadron is expected to stand up ny mid-2010.

On November 23, 2009, only five months after final assembly commenced, the Kamra based Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, located 60 miles (100km) west of Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, rolled out its first locally produced JF-17 Thunder. It was another milestone for the Sino-Pak developed fighter that is set to become the backbone of the Pakistan Air Force inventory over the coming years, with up to 250 aircraft expected to be delivered.

Increasing Output

In March 2009, the PAF signed a contract with CATIC for the purchase of 42 JF-17s, with 40 being built in Pakistan. The first aircraft, 09-111, was manufactured with 20% of parts made in Pakistan, however by the time the 40th aircraft emerges from the production line in early 2012, this should have risen to 58%. As technology transfer increases and the manufacturing process is stepped up, so JF-17 output will increase. PAC Kamra will produce another four aircraft by the end of the year (2009), rising to 8-12 in 2010 and 14-16 each subsequent year.

A National Project

This project was formally launched in June 1999, when Pakistan and China signed an agreement at the ceremony to formally announce the JF-17's roll-out, with personnel from both China and Pakistan in attendence.

The Road Ahead

This aircraft, which has been flown four times since leaving the final assembly line in late-October, will be the first of four delivered to the PAF by the end of 2009. By mid-2010, the PAF's first JF-17 Thunder unit, 26 Squadron, is expected to stand up, by which time around 14-16 aircraft will have been delivered. Today there are ten aircraft already flying in Pakistan.

Inside the cockpit was a Martin-Baker PK16LE Mk 16 ejection seat, currently being retrofitted to all of the Pakistan-based JF-17s, to replace the Chinese TY-6 seats. Discussions are still ongoing with MBDA over the acquisition of weapons, which is said to include the Mica IR BVR air-to-air missile. the author was also told that until a deal is done with Thales for an avionics system, the first 42 JF-17s will be fitted with the chinese KLJ-1 radar and RVR.

Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman visits an Operational Base
January 9, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force inspected an Operational Base, where he was briefed on the Operational readiness. He appreciated the performance of various Units and innovations undertaken at the Base to optimize the Operational equipment to be more effective.

Addressing the airmen, the Air Chief said that due to ongoing operation and belligerent hostile statements given by senior military commanders of our Eastern neighbour, PAF will always need to be ready to respond to all internal and external challenges posed to the country at short notice. He said we will respond to all threats aggressively.

He further said that Exercise Saffron Bandit designed to train all Operational elements in COIN Operations is progressing well while Exercise High Mark will be carried out in March-April, 2010 along with Pak Army to test new Operational concepts and capabilities.

- Associated Press of Pakistan

China buys Russian engines for its fighter plane
January 11, 2010

China, which has not found a Western supplier, has decided to buy Russian engines for its FC-1 Xiaolong multirole fighter plane, a rival of Russia's MiG-29 in developing countries.

In late December 2009, Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport signed a contract with China to deliver 43 RD-93 engines, a modification of the RD-33 engines mounted on the MiG-29 planes.

Aviaport, a news agency of the Russian aircraft industry, reported yesterday that China would receive the engines by the end of the year and that the first 25 engines had been manufactured at the Chernyshev mechanical engineering enterprise in Moscow. The agency said another contract could be signed in May for 100 such engines.

A manager at one of Russia's producers of aircraft engines said the December contract was worth $160 million.
The contract has completed a framework agreement signed in 2006 to deliver 100 RD-93 engines to China. Russia has already supplied 57 such engines, said Konstantin Makiyenko, an analyst with the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies.

The engines are to be mounted on the FC-1 fighter planes, which China makes for export. It signed the first contract for 150 such aircraft with Pakistan, where the fighter plane is assembled.

A more complicated and expensive fighter designed for the Chinese Air Force in the past two decades, J-10, also has a Russian engine, AL-31FN, Makiyenko said. The latest contract for the delivery of 122 such engines, worth approximately $500 million, was signed in January 2009.

The FC-1 is the biggest rival of Russia's MiG-29 Fulcrum in developing countries, the analyst said. However, the Russian plane won the first direct competition in Myanmar, which decided to buy 20 MiG-29s for 400 million euros in December 2009 even though China offered better terms for a mixed delivery of the FC-1 and J-10 planes.

"China has more than once said that it has created an engine for its planes, but this is unlikely because it continues to buy Russian engines," Makiyenko said.

China has no alternative for the Russian engines, said Mikhail Barabanov, editor-in-chief of Moscow Defense Brief. The United States will not supply such engines to China so as not to strengthen its opponent, while the EU does not deliver military equipment to China due to sanctions, he said.

According to Barabanov, the delivery of engines, which are a key element of aircraft, is a good opportunity for Russia to prevent Chinese aircraft from becoming a big rival of Russian planes.

The FC-1 (Fighter China-1) Xiaolong is the result of a joint Chinese-Pakistani development program that started in 1999, with each side contributing 50% of the total development cost.

- Kommersant

China buys Russian engines for JF-17 and J-10
January 13, 2010

China, which has not found a Western supplier, has decided to buy Russian engines for its FC-1/JF-17 Xiaolong multirole fighter plane, a rival of Russia's MiG-29 in developing countries.In late December 2009, Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport signed a contract with China to deliver 43 RD-93 engines, a modification of the RD-33 engines mounted on the MiG-29 planes.

Aviaport, a news agency of the Russian aircraft industry, reported yesterday that China would receive the engines by the end of the year and that the first 25 engines had been manufactured at the Chernyshev mechanical engineering enterprise in Moscow. The agency said another contract could be signed in May for 100 such engines.

A manager at one of Russia's producers of aircraft engines said the December contract was worth $160 million.The contract has completed a framework agreement signed in 2006 to deliver 100 RD-93 engines to China. Russia has already supplied 57 such engines, said Konstantin Makiyenko, an analyst with the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies.

The engines are to be mounted on the FC-1 fighter planes, which China makes for export. It signed the first contract for 150 such aircraft with Pakistan, where the fighter plane is assembled.A more complicated and expensive fighter designed for the Chinese Air Force in the past two decades, J-10, also has a Russian engine, AL-31FN, Makiyenko said. The latest contract for the delivery of 122 such engines, worth approximately $500 million, was signed in January 2009.

The FC-1 is the biggest rival of Russia's MiG-29 Fulcrum in developing countries, the analyst said. However, the Russian plane won the first direct competition in Myanmar, which decided to buy 20 MiG-29s for 400 million euros in December 2009 even though China offered better terms for a mixed delivery of the FC-1 and J-10 planes.

"China has more than once said that it has created an engine for its planes, but this is unlikely because it continues to buy Russian engines," Makiyenko said.China has no alternative for the Russian engines, said Mikhail Barabanov, editor-in-chief of Moscow Defense Brief. The United States will not supply such engines to China so as not to strengthen its opponent, while the EU does not deliver military equipment to China due to sanctions, he said.

According to Barabanov, the delivery of engines, which are a key element of aircraft, is a good opportunity for Russia to prevent Chinese aircraft from becoming a big rival of Russian planes.The FC-1/JF-17 (Fighter China-1) Xiaolong is the result of a joint Chinese-Pakistani development program that started in 1999, with each side contributing 50% of the total development cost.

Pakistan’s indigenous “Preadator” drones
January 17, 2010

Pakistan has made huge strides in the development of its UAVs–Mukhbir, Uqqab, Jasoos, Ubaabeel and others. Pakistani made UAVs: Uqaab & Jasoos. Up to now the technology was used purely for reconissance purposes, however since 2001, there is an empetus to emulate Predator and Reaper type of drones which has fire missiles and elimiante the targets without the effort of flyingfighter jets. Pakistan is very close on building its own “Predator” which will have the ability to carry and use missiles.

The Pakistani UAV Burraq is a Predator equivalent. Pakistani UAC firms are working closely with Italian, Chinese and Turkish firms–all of whichwork with Isreali technology, borrowed heavily from American products. The recent Turkish-israeli deal will help Turkey develop the next generation of Turkish drones. Pakistan’s indigenous UAVs: Uqaab, Jasoos, Mukhbar & Burraq

ANKARA — Turkey and Israel appear to be on track to finalise a long delayed multi-million-dollar deal for the delivery of 10 drone aircraft for the Turkish air force, a Turkish official said Friday.

The project, launched in 2005, was under threat of cancellation amid delays and rising tensions between the two countries over Israel’s devastating offensive in the Gaza Strip last year.

“Turkish experts are currently in Israel to test the drones,” the defence ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Should the systems pass the tests, six aircraft will be brought to Turkey’s southeastern province of Batman, on the border with Iraq, for further tests, the official added.

“If there are no problems, we will take the drones. We expect the delivery to take place in the first six months of this year,” he said.

The announcement came ahead of a visit by Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak to Turkey on Sunday for talks on mending battered ties following the latest diplomatic row.

On Wednesday Israel was forced to apologise after Ankara threataned to withdraw its ambassador over Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon’s public dressing down of the envoy.

The drone project had been expected to be completed in the second half of 2009, but it was delayed by technical problems, forcing Turkey to give the two contractors — Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit — a deadline until early 2010 and threaten to cancel the tender.

Last week, Defence Minister Vecdi Gönül said that negotations were under way on the compensation the Israeli companies would pay for the delay, but refused to give a figure.

Media reports have suggested that the compensation could be somewhere around 12 million dollars (8.2 million euros).

The drone contract was part of an 185-million-dollar project that involved the manufacture of 10 aircraft, surveillance equipment and ground control stations, with Turkish firms providing sub-systems and services.

Under a 1996 military cooperation deal, Turkish-Israeli ties have flourished greatly until last year when the two countries fell out about Ankara’s almost daily criticism of the Jewish state over the Gaza war. Turkey, Israel on track to close drone deal: official (AFP).

When the war on terror began, Pakistan requested predator drones for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) so that the Pakistanis could monitor the 2500 kilometer long Durand Line. The request was refused. Pakistan also requested helicopters, and asked the USA to launch a satellite for Pakistan. The requests fell on deaf ears. Pakistan also requested 80,000 M-16s or Klashnikovs for the Frontier Corps who are still using WW2 vintage rifles. The guns have still not arrived. However Pakistan was asked to “Do More.”

Pakistan as a Major Non-Nato Ally (MNNA) and a founding member of SEATO and CENTO has not been given a single Predator or Reaper. Pakistan has an indigenous UAV capacity, but its drones cannot fire armaments. At present the laser guided technology helps it to identify targets and then relay that information to a helicopter gunship or a plane. Islamabad is in desperate need of UAV which can fire at the target. Need predicates development, and necessity is the mother of invention. It is like being under sanction. Pakistan was under sanctions when it designed and built the JF-17 Thunder with the Chinese. Now the latest UAVis being built with Turkish and Chinese help. Pakistan’s latest UAV is called the Burraq named after a mythical flying horse.

ISLAMABAD — After years of watching U.S. drones operate along its Afghan border, Pakistan is working on its own Predator-like unmanned aerial vehicle to undertake the same mission, sources here said. The sources said the country’s air force and government-owned defense conglomerate, the National Engineering and Scientific Commission, are flight-testing a new-design aircraft to be equipped with a NESCom-designed laser designator and laser-guided missiles. The Burraq UAV is named for a winged horse creature in Islamic tradition, similar to Pegasus.

According to local news reports, Pakistan is focusing its unmanned aircraft efforts on upgrading various older UAVs with Chinese help. But the sources note that no domestically produced UAVis large enough to heft both a missile and a targeting system. The military’s most capable UAV is the air force’s Selex Galileo Falco, which can laser-designate targets for other platforms but cannot deliver munitions.

Officials with the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Defence Production here refused to confirm or deny the program’s existence. A spokesman for the military’s Inter Services Public Relations said it was “not ready to give a statement on the issue at this time.” One former air force officer said the notion of a Pakistan-developed hunter-killer UAV is credible. “You only have to see our track record,” said Kaiser Tufail, a retired air commodore. “We have some fantastic achievements in the field of defense.”

Tufail said Pakistan needs such a weapon. Anti-terror operations on the frontier require “hours and hours of round-the-clock reconnaissance,” married with the ability to strike quickly when a target is spotted, he said. Help from China? Analysts were more dubious about Pakistan’s ability to produce a laser-guided missile, but they noted that help might be found in China or Turkey. Turkey, with whom Pakistan has an agreement to cooperate on UAV development, is seeking an armed UAV, preferably the Predator or MQ-9 Reaper. This UAVmay someday be armed with the UMTAS infrared guided anti-tank missile being developed by the Turkish firm Roketsan to arm the T-129 attack helicopter.

Pakistan could simply produce China’s new CH-3 unmanned combat air vehicle, “or co-produce any number of Chinese components to assemble a unique UCAV,” said Richard Fisher, China specialist and senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center in Washington. “China has also developed the unique AR-1, a 45-kilogram, laser-guided attack missile, apparently designed specifically for light winged or helicopter UCAVs,” he said. Pakistan reported developing armed UAV By Usman Ansari – Staff writer, Saturday May 9, 2009 8:17:26 EDT

The Burraq is based on the Falco – SELEX GALILEO technology. We produce information on the Selix Galileo so that an adequate comparision can be made with the Burraq.

The FALCO UAV System is a Medium Altitude Endurance & Tactical UAV designed for optronic and electronic surveillance roles. The basic mission is target detection, localization, identification and designation through its on-board sensors suite which typically include a thermal imager, a color TV Camera and a spotter, or a laser designator.

The best features of the FALCO System include automatic take-off and landing (with STOL performance), fully redundant and fault-tolerant control systems, digital buses and control link equipment, automatic area surveillance modes and near-real-time target image processing.

It really look very mush like the uqab or may be author is citing directly to uqab or if someone can tell they are using the Falco – SELEX GALILEO

The Burraq also uses the design if the Pegasus HALE UAV. The information on the Burraq is similar to the information on the Hale.

Until today, the use of unmanned aircraft has been hindered by the sheer size of the wingspan needed to carry the weight of the payload. With payloads often weighing up to 100 kg, the wingspan required would extend to 60 or 70 metres, creating a total weight of as much as 1000 kg. Aircraft with this weight and wingspan will not become operational for the next couple of years due to issues of air traffic control, safety regulations and technological hurdles such as the development of appropriate fuel cell technology.

We bring you Pegasus, an integrated approach to mission-specific payload, aircraft, control systems and data processing technology. By developing a new generation of ultra light and extremely compact remote sensing equipment, we have been able to reduce the aircraft wingspan to just 16 metres and total flying weight to a mere 18 kg. Furthermore, because these aircraft are designed to be raised into place using the same kind of balloon that is used for weather sounding, no airstrips are required and air control regulations do not apply. The aircaft are taken up in an almost vertical position and reach their operational altitude within 90 minutes. Once in place, the solar powered engines are started and the aircraft is ready to act on instructions received from ground control. The recorded images are then sent to the central database at the ground station from where they are sent on to the customer. Using highly sophisticated software technology, the data can also be processed and analysed, and delivered in a wide variety of graphical and mapped formats, as required.

Pakistan has been using its own drones which it has been manufacturing for a decade.

Source: http://www.daily.pk

Pakistan Army cheers the nation through anti-drone drill
January 19, 2010

By Makhdoom Babar

According the new appearing in the national and international press, Pakistan Army’s antiaircraft troops, conducted routine exercises in MuzzaffarGarh district area, a city that is just a few miles way from the home town of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. The main feature of these exercises was that the anti-aircraft columns of Pakistan army, displayed shooting down the invading drones of the enemy. The Pak army soldiers easily shot down the drones during the exercises.

It could be a routine exercise for the ant-aircraft wing of the Pakistan army but it had a huge significance this time as it encouraged the nation that is now quite used to the attacks of the US Drones that the country’s defenders were able to nock down drones without any problem. The drones, used in the Pak Army Exercises could be symbolic and could have been of no match in altitude or damage causing abilities to those used by the Americans to target Pakistan’s tribal areas frequently, but the drill has come out as a laud and clear massage that Pakistan armed forces are capable of knocking down the drones, if ordered by the “elected democratic government”

The Daily Mail believes that irrespective of the type of the drones that were shot down during the routine drill, the Pak-army’s anti-drone drill has given a huge psychological encouragement and moral booster to the people of Pakistan who had already gone psychologically crippled with the unabated drone attacks and with the top leadership saying that Pakistan was not having the ability to block the continuous US drone strikes. The Daily Mail is of the firm view that this drill, though carried out with different professional motives, has conveyed a very loud and clear message that the defenders of the country are fully capable of defending the motherland against any invasion no matter even if it is a drone invasion. The army has silently cheered the nation up and has conveyed that it can take very good care of the defence of the soil of the motherland but since it is a subordinate institution, it would always prefer to wait for a government order to carry out steps like knocking down the enemy drones and aircraft, whosoever be the enemy.

The Daily Mail would like to mention it here that earlier the Chief of the Pakistan Air Force had clearly stated that PAF was fully capable of knocking down the US Drones at any altitude and height, if ordered by the government while defence Minister stated that Pakistani defence Forces had no technical abilities to knock down the drones as the US drones operate from a very high altitude. The Daily Mail is of the firm opinion that the recent drill, merely by the anti-aircraft wing of Pakistan Army has come as a very clear, yet polite message to all such goofs, sitting in the government.

- Dailymailnews

Training tailored to meet all Challenges: Air Chief
January 21, 2010

By Tanvir Siddiqi

ISLAMABAD: The Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman has said that “owing to the traditional as well as new emerging multi-dimensional threats in the region, PAF has tailored its operational training to face any contingency head-on and meet any challenge at short notice.

Speaking at a PAF Air Staff Presentation at Air Headquarters here on Thursday, the Air Chief Expressed concern over the current geo-strategic environment of the region and urged upon all Field Commanders to continue demanding higher standards of professionalism & better safety standards from their operational crews

The presentation was presided over by Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman and attended by Principal Staff Officers and Regional Commanders of Pakistan Air Force. Air Chief said, “The year 2009 had been very eventful for PAF both in terms of extensive air operations as well as good flight safety standards.”

He commended the PAF personnel who had participated in multiple foreign as well as in land air exercises and earned respect amongst world’s air forces. Emphasizing upon PAF’s human resource output, he urged them to continue to improve their proficiency level and work ethics in order to achieve even greater operational efficiency.

Source: Pak Observer




Air staff presentation held at PAF Headquarters
January 21, 2010

ISLAMABAD: The PAF Air Staff Presentation was held at the Air Headquarters Thursday, says a press release.

The presentation, a regular feature of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) activities was presided over by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman and was attended by principal staff officers and regional commanders of Pakistan Air Force.

Addressing the participants of the presentation air chief said, “The year 2009 had been very eventful for PAF both in terms of extensive air operations as well as good flight safety standards.” He commended the PAF personnel who had participated in multiple foreign as well as in land air exercises and earned respect amongst world’s air forces. Emphasising upon PAF’s human resource output, he urged them to continue to improve their proficiency level and work ethics in order to achieve even greater operational efficiency.

Expressing his concern over the current geo-strategic environment of the region, he said that “Owing to the traditional as well as new emerging multi-dimensional threats in the region, PAF has tailored its operational training to face any contingency head-on and meet any challenge at short notice. He urged upon all field commanders to continue demanding higher standards of professionalism & better safety standards from their operational crews.

Source: The News

J-10 fighter enters international market at $40 million
January 21, 2010

Recently, the U.S. think tank, International Assessment and Strategy Center, published an article about the Chinese J-10 fighter. The article claimed that the J-10 fighter is about to enter the international market after 2010, while its price tag of 40 million U.S. dollars is half of its U.S. counterpart, the F-16 fighter.

According to the article, the J-10 fighter is going to sell on the international weapons market around 2010 after extensive R&D and equipping of the Chinese Air Force is complete. It is understood that the Chinese Air Force started developing J-10 back in the 1960s, and it has been fully equipped for the last five years.

The progress that China has made in developing the engine makes the fighter very competitive on international markets; while with its good quality electronics and weapon systems, the price is just half of an American F-16. Pakistan is sure to be the first buyer, and many countries including Iran and the Philippines are also planning to introduce the fighter.

According to Pakistani sources, Pakistan has already reached an agreement with China to buy 36 J-10 fighters at a total value of 1.4 billion U.S. dollars (40 million U.S. dollars for each fighter). While the single price for an F-16, which U.S. sold to the UAE affiliated with AN/APG-80 radar, was 80 million U.S dollars. At the moment it is unclear whether spare parts, maintenance support, training and other services are included into the J-10's price. It is estimated that Pakistan might buy 70 to 150 J-10 fighters in all.

Besides price, what makes the J-10 attractive is its competitive electronics and weapon systems. The latest version, sometimes called the J-10B (or FC-20 when slated for Pakistan) emerged in Internet photos in January 2009. It features a driverless supersonic inlet similar in principle to that of the Joint Strike Fighter. The nose is redesigned, with an infrared search-and-track system in front of the windscreen and what appears to be a canted radar bulkhead consisting of a fixed, electronically scanned array radar. If true, this would be a major advance for China's radar technology, and may make the J-10 competitive with upgraded Western and Russian fourth-generation-plus fighters. The cockpit is dominated by three multifunction displays and a heads-up display.

The J-10 has 11 hardpoints, including five on the fuselage. Its principal counter-air weapon is the Luoyang PL 12 active radar-guided air-to-air missile (AAM) with 70-km. range. With a twin-AAM pylon on the inner wing mount, plus two on forward fuselage mounts, the J-10 can carry eight PL-12s. Short-range AAMs include the PL-8, a copy of the Israeli Python-3, and an improved version of this missile, the PL-9, both helmet-sighted. The J-10 may soon feature a more capable helmet-mounted display and a new fifth-generation AAM from Luoyang.

The fighter's market success will depend on China's ability to produce reliable advanced turbofan engines. Rival fighter maker Shenyang has been developing its WS-10A Taihang turbofan since the mid-1980s, which could offer 13.2 tons of thrust. Russian sources believe it is beset by developmental difficulties.

Chengdu may have a competing Huashan advanced turbofan engine program, which some Chinese sources note is based on its late-1990s acquisition of the engineering data and sales rights to the Tumansky R-79 turbofan developed for the defunct Yakovlev Yak-141 supersonic vertical/short-takeoff-and-landing fighter. Nevertheless, Russian sources say China remains interested in more powerful versions of the Salyut AL-31FN, which could come in 13.5- and, eventually, 15-ton-thrust versions.

Chengdu remains ready to develop a carrier-based version of the J-10. During the PLAAF anniversary, a test pilot was reported noting that ground-test simulations prove the J-10 can operate from a carrier.

- People's Daily Online