Considering the budget crunch, do you still believe the JH-7A is the best option for the PAF, or should it try to go for something else? The PAF did fly with it in many exercises.
Would trying to convince the Saudis to sell their Tornados (at a reasonable price) be a better option? They operate 81 Tornados IDS (Strike variant) and buying the whole lot with infrastructure, spares, and munitions should offer a formidable strike platform that can serve for up to another two decades. The tornado has the legs for relatively long range naval strike as well as deep strike into enemy territory; where we can launch PGMs into denied air space guarded by modern air defenses. The Tornados would also keep Pakistan's Fleet diversified in terms of suppliers; considering the new Leonardo office being setup in Islamabad and our generally decent relations with the UK, the Saudi Clout could allow us to buy a lot of spares and advanced munitions before any new hostiles and potential halt to supplies.
The Saudis plan to retire their Tornados in 2020 and will probably sell them back to the UK as they did with their ADV (Air Defense Version) Tornados back in 2007. The IDS planes were upgraded in 2006 to the GR4 Standard and are currently seeing action over Yemen. If Pakistan can convince the Saudi to sell or gift the Tornados to Pakistan (MBS did say to consider him the Ambassador of Pakistan to Saudi Arabia), its worth a try to try to get these 80 planes.
In what way were the JH-7A found to be lacking? Would the Saudi Tornados be a better option if the PAF can acquire them? (Saudis plan to retire them in 2020 and they operate 81 strike variant Tornados upgraded approximately 10 years ago)