Is the Chinese JH-7 an Answer to the Pakistan Air Force’s Deep Strike Needs?

[PurpleButcher]

To those who say we should focus only on JF17 Blk 3 & Azm
Will you guys be comfortable with just F-16s & JF-17s till mid 2030s (F-7 and Mirages need to be retired). Hopefully AZM will become a reality afterwards? If the answer is yes, you guys will be comfortable relying on just 2 aircrafts, then Good Luck , but if you guys believe that we need another aircraft then the argument regarding hassles of creating infrastructure, training, software upgrades is useless!

Now if you believe that yes we indeed need an aircraft, other than JF17 BLK 3 & F-16s in the next 15 years before AZM, to replace Mirages & F7s
Then what options we have
a) West

1. Typhoon (Expensive, Prone to sanctions)
2. Rafael (Good Luck )
3. Grippen NG (Could be but the debate comes down to what it offers more than JF Blk 3)

b) Chinese

1. J-10
   
2. JH7
3. Chinese Flanker Series ( China-Russian Agreement factor so out of question)

c) Russian (With the dawn of Chinese century, lack of trust b/w Russia & Pakistan highly unlikely)

Which to chose between J-10 & JH7?
This is the question that should be debated depending on which aircraft better fills the gaps left by F-16s and JF-17s ? What are these specific gaps, only those in PAF's higher command can tell with certainty! But why they are not pursuing a solution to fill these gaps is what bothers many.

 

[ziaulislam]

Answering your first part and yes it's lot of work but eventually you have to do that work. You simply can't keep delaying it. Eventually you have to replace older jets and get new ones.

there isnt money..
after JFT & project azm..you dont have funds....you may squeeze some for used or new f16s but that's it,
mirages can still easy last till 2030..if they need to fly afterward i suspect PAF will instead look at trying to build frames itself(parts of it)

now if china offers super easy terms or if economy improves than its a possibility

for reference, even India cant induct many fighters beyond LCA and home-built su30..they are 12X bigger booming economy

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

Deep Strike in India's Land? Dude Its India not Afghanistan

 

[GriffinsRule]

To those who say we should focus only on JF17 Blk 3 & Azm
Will you guys be comfortable with just F-16s & JF-17s till mid 2030s (F-7 and Mirages need to be retired). Hopefully AZM will become a reality afterwards? If the answer is yes, you guys will be comfortable relying on just 2 aircrafts, then Good Luck , but if you guys believe that we need another aircraft then the argument regarding hassles of creating infrastructure, training, software upgrades is useless!

Now if you believe that yes we indeed need an aircraft, other than JF17 BLK 3 & F-16s in the next 15 years before AZM, to replace Mirages & F7s
Then what options we have
a) West

1. Typhoon (Expensive, Prone to sanctions)
2. Rafael (Good Luck )
3. Grippen NG (Could be but the debate comes down to what it offers more than JF Blk 3)

b) Chinese

1. J-10
   
2. JH7
3. Chinese Flanker Series ( China-Russian Agreement factor so out of question)

c) Russian (With the dawn of Chinese century, lack of trust b/w Russia & Pakistan highly unlikely)

Which to chose between J-10 & JH7?
This is the question that should be debated depending on which aircraft better fills the gaps left by F-16s and JF-17s ? What are these specific gaps, only those in PAF's higher command can tell with certainty! But why they are not pursuing a solution to fill these gaps is what bothers many.

Totally fine with just F-16s and JF-17s. Will greatly simplify logistics, thats for sure.
But even a 3rd type should be okay and will most likely be the remnants of Mirages.

 

[Foxtrot Delta]

Something far better has been offered by china to pakistan for deep strike mission. We await its maturity and availability of funds. Jh-7B is old now. Pakistan has its sights set on 2030 and beyond. It's also inhouse assembly.

 

[Amaa'n]

@Armchair post deleted due to ongoing military development. If you have a personal source then it can't be shared on public forum. If you read it in the paper, please share the source.

 

[Enigma SIG]

Is there a way we can wreak havoc on mumbai (and/or pune ~ 150km from coast) in case of them hitting our bigger cities? Considering Mumbai alone contributes to over 40% of their foreign trade, this is where we can hurt them and hurt them hard. Can we do it without relying on surface based missiles (cruise/ballistic) of any type (considering that a rise on escalation ladder)? Dont you think developing ALCM's with ranges north of 1000km-1500 km relatively high on our priortiy? We possess tactical air launched deep-strike capability. What we also need is a strategic deep-strike capability (atleast 1000km-1500km).

Additionally, dont you think we need to create more steps on our escalatory ladder to be able not reach its threshold in just a couple of escalatory steps?

I think we need to think a bit outside the box of LOC. Honestly speaking hurting Amritsar, Ludhiana, Bhuj or Jodhpur is not going to hurt them considering how much them damaging our Lahore and Karachi and Sialkot would be to us!

Below are circles of radius 1000 km and 1500 km respectively simulating ALCM launched from our airspace in sindh.

A reply would be higly appreciated. PS: I hope this is not off-topic. If yes, you could move it, and i would promptly apologize. I thankyou in advance!

View attachment 635850

Deep strike bombers are useless in a highly contested airspace with scores of AD platforms and air assets looking to hunt you down. PAF will have to assign a number of aircraft to protect these assets (SEAD,Escort).

Also, India keeps promoting the Karachi blockade to the detriment of Pakistan. PNis then left to think defensively. India needs to be sent a message that blockading Karachi would mean ballistic missiles heading to Mumbai; not diplomatically, but directly.

 

[SABRE]

Which to chose between J-10 & JH7?

Or just take a leap on FC-31. The Chinese have picked up their pace with it. However, given the current economic and Covid-19 fallout situation I don't expect new fighter aircraft deal for the next few years. We have to push the JF-17 programme.

 

[PurpleButcher]

Or just take a leap on FC-31. The Chinese have picked up their pace with it. However, given the current economic and Covid-19 fallout situation I don't expect new fighter aircraft deal for the next few years. We have to push the JF-17 programme.

Maybe AZM will be just a Pakistani version of FC-31

 

[Armchair]

@Armchair post deleted due to ongoing military development. If you have a personal source then it can't be shared on public forum. If you read it in the paper, please share the source.

source @Khafee I am not revealing insider info as I am neither Pakistani nor have sources in Pakistan. Khafee is a UAE military higher up. That's all we know

 

[Amaa'n]

source @Khafee I am not revealing insider info as I am neither Pakistani nor have sources in Pakistan. Khafee is a UAE military higher up. That's all we know

then we will keep this offline...

 

[Armchair]

then we will keep this offline...

fair enough

 

[Foxtrot Delta]

Deep strike bombers are useless in a highly contested airspace with scores of AD platforms and air assets looking to hunt you down. PAF will have to assign a number of aircraft to protect these assets (SEAD,Escort).

Also, India keeps promoting the Karachi blockade to the detriment of Pakistan. PNis then left to think defensively. India needs to be sent a message that blockading Karachi would mean ballistic missiles heading to Mumbai; not diplomatically, but directly.

They meed to be atleast 400 km near karachi for blockage of the port and they would need 4x the navy size they have right now for the task.

Even 400 km away they can be sunk now in 2020. Pakistan is not what they think. Their perception is of a weak Pakistan. They shall know on battlefield and in sea and air. It will be they who would have to be defensive

 

[zhxy]

Pakistan can buy 200 SU-57 from Russia and pay in installments to receive TOT

 

[SABRE]

Maybe AZM will be just a Pakistani version of FC-31

Its possible