Six more JF-17 Thunder Fighter Jets inducted into PAF
March 14, 2008

ISLAMABAD: Six new JF-17 Thunder aircraft have recently been inducted into the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), taking the PAF’s tally of this new series of fighter jet to eight, including the two the air force inducted last year. Advanced multi-role light combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China seen as capable of fulfilling PAF requirements up to middle of 21st century.

The JF-17 Thunder is an advanced multi-role light combat aircraft invested in and developed jointly by China and Pakistan. It is the result of a key strategic collaboration project between the two countries in the military field, the PAF statement said.

The JF-17 is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and is being seen as one of the most capable multi-role aircraft available, which should fulfil PAF requirements well into the middle of the 21st century. The government is also trying to procure the latest related missile technology from France to make the jets even more effective.

The PAF statement said the six additional JF-17s had been inducted in test and evaluation flights at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra, where they will be put through further testing and evaluation as part of the JF-17 development programme.

The statement said four of the jets will be on display at the National Day flypast on March 23. It also highlighted the major milestones achieved in the joint project so far. According to the statement, the first flight of the first prototype took place in August 2003, while the third prototype was flight-tested in April 2004.

In May 2006, the fourth prototype, with fully integrated configuration, made its successful maiden flight in Chengdu, China, while the sixth prototype took to the air in September 2006. President Pervez Musharraf was the chief guest at the arrival ceremony of the first JF-17 in Pakistan on March 21, 2007.

Recently, on January 22, this year, an inauguration ceremony for the manufacturing of JF-17 Thunder sub-assemblies was held at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra, at which Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed was the chief guest.

Azerbaijan and Zimbabwe have each placed orders as well. Nine other countries which have expressed interest in purchasing the JF-17 are Bangladesh, Myanmar, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Algeria.