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With singing of an agreement between Pakistan Air Force and Chinese firm CATIC the serial production of JF‑17 (Thunder) aircraft would start soon. The agreement between PAF and CATIC on the basis of “seller’s credit” was reached at a ceremony held here Saturday, whereby 42 fighter jets would be jointly produced for the use of PAF.
The agreement was signed on behalf of PAF by Chairman Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Air Marshal Khalid Chaudary and President CATIC MA Zhiping which was witnessed by Chief of the Air Staff PAF Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed and Ambassador of China to Pakistan Luo Zhaohui besides other senior officials from both the parties. Under the agreement the lot of 42 aircraft would be co‑manufactured by China and Pakistan and later these would be inducted in the PAF’s fleet. By 2015 PAF will get 250 JF-17s at cost of US 3000 millions. Though Pakistan is facing a financial crunch, the serial production of the aircraft is being started with the cooperation of the Chinese government, Mahmood said. Pakistan has invested USD 600 million in the JF-17 project.
Talking to media, Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mehmood Ahmed congratulated the peoples and governments of Pakistan and China on conduction of successful tests and trails of the most modern aircraft of its class and signing of agreement for start of their serial production. He said “despite all odds we have been successful to reach the stage of starting serial production of the aircraft.” “In the beginning we will produce 15 aircraft annually and their number will increase to 30 in a year ‑ this programme will be carried out in phases,” he said. He said that PAF will get 40 JF-17 Thunder this year.
The agreement was signed on behalf of PAF by Chairman Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Air Marshal Khalid Chaudary and President CATIC MA Zhiping which was witnessed by Chief of the Air Staff PAF Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed and Ambassador of China to Pakistan Luo Zhaohui besides other senior officials from both the parties. Under the agreement the lot of 42 aircraft would be co‑manufactured by China and Pakistan and later these would be inducted in the PAF’s fleet. By 2015 PAF will get 250 JF-17s at cost of US 3000 millions. Though Pakistan is facing a financial crunch, the serial production of the aircraft is being started with the cooperation of the Chinese government, Mahmood said. Pakistan has invested USD 600 million in the JF-17 project.
Talking to media, Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mehmood Ahmed congratulated the peoples and governments of Pakistan and China on conduction of successful tests and trails of the most modern aircraft of its class and signing of agreement for start of their serial production. He said “despite all odds we have been successful to reach the stage of starting serial production of the aircraft.” “In the beginning we will produce 15 aircraft annually and their number will increase to 30 in a year ‑ this programme will be carried out in phases,” he said. He said that PAF will get 40 JF-17 Thunder this year.
He said first squadron of these highest quality fighter jets would be inducted in the PAF’s fleet by mid of this year as PAF has already been using 8 jointly produced aircraft for the last couple of years. This fleet would be raised in Peshawar, he added.
About the delivery of AWACS system to Pakistan, he said that agreement had already been reached with a Chinese firm which would start its delivery by 2010. On the delivery of first AWACS system Pakistan would pay 10 % cost of the aircraft while the rest would be paid on easy installments basis, he said.
Answering a question, he said the agreement between Pakistan and China for the delivery of High‑Tech aircraft J‑10 was intact and these aircraft after improving them further would be delivered to PAF in 2014‑15. He said these aircraft are being modernized in accordance with the PAF’s requirements and delivered under the title of FC‑20.
President CATIC MA Zhiping told the media “first aircraft under this agreement would fly in the Pakistani air during this year.” He said the joint venture between CATIC and PAF will go a long way forward in the aviation history. Ambassador of China to Pakistan LUO Zhaohui said the JF-17 fighter jet is another milestone achieved in furthering the bilateral relations between the nations of Pakistan and China. “It is a big day for both the countries,” he said. He made special mention of Pakistan’s support to China on different issues of world repute and said the whole Chinese nation is thankful and mindful of Pakistan’s support.
“We are cooperating in every sector and this speaks our deepest rooted friendship and bonds,” he said. The JF-17 Project is a unique programme in the sense that it distinguishes the Pakistan Air Force from any other Air Forces of the world as a manufacturer of fighter aircraft. The JF-17 aircraft has been specifically designed to meet the operation requirements of Pakistan Air Force. Apart from becoming the mainstay of PAF’s air operations in the near future, the JF-17 Thunder aircraft re‑assures abilities to gain self‑reliance and offers an excellent opportunity for laying the foundations of an advanced and offers an excellent opportunity for laying the foundations of an advanced aviation industry in Pakistan.
The JF-17 Thunder co-development and co-production programme was formally launched in 1998. Major mile-stones of the project for development and production of the aircraft were divided in three stages. The detailed design of the aircraft was finalized in September, 2001 and the first prototype aircraft flew its maiden flight in a record short time of two years. the second prototype flew in April, 2004 and subsequently, two additional flying prototypes of the JF-17 aircraft were also manufactured in the following years to conduct flight testing of JF-17 aircraft. Following the successful progress of flight trails on prototype JF-17 aircraft, eight Small Batch Production aircraft were manufactured in year-2007, which were subjected to extensive flight testing and evaluation in the last two years in Pakistan.
This activity helped PAF in maturing the design of JF-17 Thunder aircraft. The experience gained on these aircraft has been extremely encouraging and it is a matter of great satisfaction for us that we are now progressing to the serial production phase of JF‑17 aircraft with full confidence. In serial Production Phase, qualified JF-17 aircraft will be produced in PAC Kamra for induction in Pakistan Air Force where they will be fully utilized in various combat roles. This would not only help Pakistan Air Force in fulfilling its operational requirements at affordable costs but also ensure readily available and continued technical and logistic support for these aircraft through out their life cycle.
JF‑17 Thunder Project is an outcome of the vision, friendship and mutual cooperation between the friendly countries of Pakistan and China. The Project has now moved out of ‘development and testing’ phase to the full operationalisation phase. The journey to this stage has been arduous and challenging: however, this has only been possible through the persistent hard work and dedication of designers, engineers, pilots and programme managers of Pakistan Air Force along with Chinese partners, and above all the blessings of Almighty Allah. In the shape of JF-17 Thunder aircraft, PAF is proceeding to have a modern fighter aircraft with state-of-the-art avionics and weapons that offers multi-role day and night precision attack capability to defend our motherland against any aggression.
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