I'm calling F16 & Gripen/Gripen NG the cheapest options america and europe have to offer.
I didn't know that at all. But it'd be helpful if you could tell me if 12m is just the airframe cost or cost of a fully equipped jf17. Didn't the first 42 production planes actually cost 1 billion...
I think they should try to minimize the changes to the airframe in the second batch so as to bring it into production as early as possible, say 2011. The 3rd batch should be a major upgrade with a much more powerful engine [13 ton class], bigger nose diameter, bigger and more powerful esa...
i get your point.
however, i'm pointing out that if a 3rd world country requires a replacement for an old plane like mig21/mirage/f7/f5 the cheapest options are the american F-16, euro Gripen/ Gripen NG, ruskie Mig-35 or chinese jf17/j10. now i don't think the current configuration thunder...
thanks mean_bird and arslan for clearing it up. I think i read that twin engined thing on sinodefence.
Still, I think a major increase in thrust & payload of JF-17 is important to its success, both with the plaaf and for export. A vastly improved thrust will allow it to carry a significant...