How does Pak’s Thunder fare against contenders in Malaysia’s aircraft competition?

[PDFChamp]

Well, after today's performance, I dont think the Malaysians need to look any further.

No question about its capabilities. With Block III, Malaysia could get a top notch fighter at best prices. Also, if they don't want to be sucked into an anti-China alliance, this would be good way to show it and don't become too reliant on only on US engines and technology.

You stole the words right out of my mouth....Thunder's tasted blood and this alone might put it way ahead of its competitors

Especially the truck towed tee-tas.

 

[Zibago]

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Air
How does Pakistan’s Thunder fare against contenders in Malaysia’s aircraft competition?
By: Usman Ansari   6 days ago
denied the report.

Pakistan renewed efforts last year, most notably at April’s DSA defense expo in Malaysia and November’s IDEAS defense conference in Pakistan. Pakistan is offering the latest Block III variant.


The 2021-2022 LCA program delivery time frame means a Malaysian order could include some of the first fighters off the production line, with potential industrial offsets.

Analyst and former Pakistan Air Force pilot Kaiser Tufail says the Block III “is quite promising" with an active electronically scanned array radar, helmet-mounted display and sight, electronic countermeasures, and an additional underbelly intake sensor station.

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Tufail noted the JF-17 has been operational for the past 12 years and serves in six squadrons at full operational capability, whereas the Tejas was inducted just days ago “and has to go through the usual teething troubles.”

"On cost grounds, the JF-17 has a square chance,” he said.

Ben Ho, an air power analyst with the Military Studies Programme at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the contenders have “fairly similar” performance, with individual advantages “marginal” or “negated in other areas.”


The JF-17 costs $25 million per unit, and the Tejas and the FA-50 cost approximately $28 million and $30 million respectively. An order of 36 JF-17 fighters would mean “a very substantial amount will be saved,” Ho said.

The FA-50 is produced by South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries. (Republic of Korea Air Force via Korea Aerospace Industries)
However, the JF-17’s Russian engine may be problematic, as due to serviceability issues with the related engine of Malaysia’s MiG-29s, potentially requiring “significant after-sales support and maintenance,” Ho added.

The Tejas is powered by the same General Electric F404 engine used in Malaysia’s F/A-18s, and shares weaponry with the Su-30s. However, the Tejas’ Israeli avionics would likely need replaced, which “invariably means additional costs,” he noted.

While the FA-50 is the “costliest prima facie,” it is also powered by the F404, shares weaponry used by the F/A-18, may have “lower downstream costs” and is in service regionally, allowing “interoperability between its major regional counterparts during exercises and operations,” he added

 

[Beast]

I heard after 2 days of saga, RMAF puts JF-17 as number one contender.

 

[macnurv]

I am not hearing much about this in Malaysia. Although Malaysian armed forces are severely under equipped, they might actually have only handful of jets capable of flying, even that is doubtful. If Malaysia decides to purchase JF-17, it will strengthen ties with Malaysia plus Malaysians can tap into vast experience of PAF.

 

[PDFChamp]

Nice Marketing job this week...

Source

Pakistani JF-17, not F-16 May have Engaged in Dogfight with Indian MiG-21s

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) may have used Chinese origin JF-17 Thunder fighter jets and not US-made F-16s in its dogfight with Indian MiG-21 Bison aircraft which led to one of the latter being downed and its pilot captured this morning.

While an Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson in an official statement stated that Indian fighter jets chased and brought down a Pakistani aircraft which was noticed going down. The statement made no mention of the type of aircraft used by Pakistan.

Meanwhile referring to various media claims that a Pakistani F-16 had been shot down; its Inter-Services spokesperson claimed that no F-16 jet could have been hit as this type of aircraft was not used in the attack (on Indian military installations as retaliation for an Indian strike on a terrorist base inside Pakistan two days ago).


Pakistani journalists and retired defence officials have since tweeted that the aircraft which brought down the Indian jet was a JF-17 Thunder, an aircraft made by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in collaboration with Chengdu Aircraft Corporation of China.

Various Twitter accounts emanating from Pakistan, including the official account of the PAF, identified the pilot credited with downing the Indian MiG-21 as Wing Cdr Hassan, who has been photographed sitting in the cockpit of a JF-17.

Ever since Pakistan gave up on a deal to buy 8 F-16 C/D variants in 2017 when Washington asked for the full payment of $669 Million instead of $250 million under an earlier subsidy agreement, the PAF has increasingly veered towards the JF-17 as its front-line fighter jet.

It has some 50 odd older generation F-16s which have been relegated to the second rung in the PAF’s fighter jet hierarchy.

The JF-17, of which PAF has some 125, carries Chinese made air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions and is powered by a Russian origin RD-93 engine, a derivative of the RD-33 engine used in the MiG-29 fighter jets. The JF-17 has a top speed of Mach 1.6, similar to the F-16 powered by the Pratt and Whitney F100-PW-229 engine.

In 2017, Turkish firm Aselsan had signed a contract with Pakistan to integrate its ASELPOD Electro Optical Targeting System onto JF-17 fighter jets. The same year, the PAC began a program to integrate Chinese-made PL-12 Beyond Visual Range Air-to-air Missile (BVRAAM) onto the JF-17.

The PAF had claimed success in the test-firing of a BVRAAM from the JF-17 in February 2018 without mentioning the origin of the sophisticated air-to-air missile.

It is entirely possible that the JF-17 which engaged the Indian MiG-21 may have been equipped with both systems, though there is no means of confirming it.

 

[Sinnerman108]

Malaysia doesn't have many enemies to fight,

 

[SABRE]

I am not hearing much about this in Malaysia. Although Malaysian armed forces are severely under equipped, they might actually have only handful of jets capable of flying, even that is doubtful. If Malaysia decides to purchase JF-17, it will strengthen ties with Malaysia plus Malaysians can tap into vast experience of PAF.

It also depends on Malaysia's relations with China. How are they? While Pakistan may be able to provide guarantees on JF-17 itself it cannot do so on some avionics & weapon systems.

 

[Shabi1]

China and Pakistan will not walk away from business.

Deal with Myanmar was via China since officially Pakistan condemns Rohingya Muslim genocide.
Deal with Malaysia is being handled by Pakistan same as was with Nigeria.

Export of JF-17 seems very promising ever since it has seen combat. Expect to see good deal of renewed interest from Middle East. Even more interesting is the fact that SD-10B is scoring kills.

 

[Maxpane]

now thunder has a good Reputation

 

[Christina Chan]

I really hope Malaysia can make the purchase