J-10 might not needed as they don't add anything to PAF's capability

[khanasifm]

Points about j10

1 Paf did eval j10
2 acm-tanvir old interview j10 range need improvement for example F16 blk 52 ferry range is around 3900 vs j10 3200 vs jf17 3000 for comparison
3 weapons load may not be the main factor vs range
4 avionivs jf17 had better than j10 initially as jf has some Western with perhaps higher MTBF
5 new platform would require more investment vs upgrading jf17 to being at par wrt range and load via additional pylons/cft
6 number needed is too small to justify new type around 2 sqn so just add more jf17 or f16s

 

[araz]

I

Jet Engine Types , PAC if spend 3 million dollar on salaries than people working at PAC can develop any of the type given below!! let them urge to sit and do it!!

Thermodynamic cycles can be divided into two general categories: power cycles, which produce a net power output, and refrigeration and heat pump cycles, which consume a net power input. The thermodynamic power cycles can be categorized as gas cycles and vapor cycles. In gas cycles, the working fluid remains in the gas phase throughout the entire cycle. In vapor cycles, the working fluid exits as a vapor during one part of the cycle and as a liquid during another part of the cycle. Internal combustion engines and gas turbines undergo gas power cycle.

The two major application areas of gas-turbine engines are aircraft propulsion and electric power generation. This section introduces the ideal cycle for gas-turbine engine - Brayton cycle and jet-propulsion cycle for aircraft propulsion.

The Ideal Brayton Cycle

• 
  lets explain how various jet engines work, including the turbojet, turbofan, turboprop, and turboshaft? In particular, what is the difference between a turbojet and a turbofan and which is more efficient?

Diagram of an axial-flow turbojet

The turbojet (and the turbofan) can also be fitted with an afterburner. An afterburner is simply a long tube placed in between the turbine and the nozzle in which additional fuel is added and burned to provide a significant boost in thrust. However, afterburners greatly increase fuel consumption, so aircraft can only use them for brief periods.

Comparison of a turbojet and a turbojet with an afterburner
A further variation on the turbojet is the turbofan. Although most components remain the same, the turbofan introduces a fan section in front of the compressors. The fan, another rotating series of blades, is also driven by the turbine, but its primary purpose is to force a large volume of air through outer ducts that go around the engine core. Although this "bypassed" air flow travels at much lower speeds, the large mass of air that is accelerated by the fan produces a significant thrust (in addition to that created by the turbojet core) without burning any additional fuel. Thus, the turbofan is much more fuel efficient than the turbojet. In addition, the low-speed air helps to cushion the noise of the jet core making the engine much quieter.

Comparison of a low-bypass turbofan with long ducts and a high-bypass turbofan with short ducts
Turbofans are typically broken into one of two categories--low-bypass ratio and high-bypass ratio--as illustrated above. The bypass ratio refers to the ratio of incoming air that passes through the fan ducts compared to the incoming air passing through the jet core. In a low-bypass turbofan, only a small amount of air passes through the fan ducts and the fan is of very small diameter. The fan in a high-bypass turbofan is much larger to force a large volume of air through the ducts. The low-bypass turbofan is more compact, but the high-bypass turbofan can produce much greater thrust, is more fuel efficient, and is much quieter.

A concept similar to the turbofan is the turboprop. However, instead of the turbine driving a ducted fan, it drives a completely external propeller. Turboprops are commonly used oncommuter aircraft and long-range planes that require great endurance like the P-3 Orion and Tu-95.

Schematic of a turboprop engine
The turboprop is attractive in these applications because of its high fuel efficiency, even greater than the turbofan. However, the noise and vibration produced by the propeller is a significant drawback, and the turboprop is limited to subsonic flight only. In a typical turboprop, the jet core produces about 15% of the thrust while the propeller generates the remaining 85%.

Another noteworthy variation on the turbojet is the ramjet. The idea behind this type of engine is to remove all the rotary components of the engine (i.e. fans, compressors, and turbines) and allow the motion of the engine itself to compress incoming air for combustion.

Simple schematic of a ramjet
However, the price of this simplicity is that the ramjet can only produce thrust when it is already in motion. Instead of using a compressor to draw in air and compress it for combustion, the ramjet relies on the motion of the aircraft to ram air into the engine at high enough speed that it is already sufficiently compressed for combustion to occur. Since ramjets typically cannot function until reaching about 300 mph (485 km/h) at sea level, they have been rarely used on manned aircraft. However, the ramjet is more fuel efficient than turbojets or turbofans starting at about Mach 3 making them very attractive for use on missiles. Such missiles are typically launched using rocket motors that accelerate the vehicle to high-subsonic or low-supersonic speeds where the ramjet is engaged.

Finally, let us talk briefly about the turboshaft, a version of the jet engine that powers nearly every helicopter built today. As the below image illustrates, the turboshaft utilizes many of the same components as a turbojet.

Schematic of a turboshaft engine
Air is drawn in through an inlet, compressed by low- and high-pressure compressor blades, mixed with fuel and burned in a combustion chamber, passed through turbine blades, and exhausted through a nozzle. The key difference between the turboshaft and previously discussed engines is that the turbine not only drives the compressors, but the shaft is also connected to a gear box that drives a helicopter's rotor blades. Although the engine shaft rotates about the horizontal, the gear box contains a sequence of gears that transform that motion to a rotation about the vertical axis as required by a helicopter main rotor. Helicopters also typically operate at much lower altitudes than aircraft where dust, sand, and other debris can easily be sucked into the engine. To address this problem, most turboshaft engines are equipped with a particle separator that filters out and expels the unwanted dust before the air flow reaches the compressor.

Schematic of a turboshaft engine particle separator
While the turboprop is still popular on aircraft where low fuel consumption is vital, nearly all aircraft today employ some version of the turbofan, usually high-bypass turbofans. The high thrust, low fuel consumption, and low noise levels of these engines make them well-suited to both military and commercial applications. Today, about the only use for turbojets and ramjets is in missiles. Air-breathing, long-range, subsonic missiles like the Tomahawk use turbojets since these are small, relatively low-cost systems that provide much greater range than is possible with a rocket of comparable size. Ramjets find applications on air-breathing, long-range, supersonic missiles for similar reasons. Turboshafts, of course, have displaced the piston engine as the primary powerplant used on helicopters. To continue learning more about aircraft propulsion, be sure to check out NASA's Learning Guide on Propulsion for a wealth of information, animations, and interactive applets about rockets, propellers, ramjets, and gas turbine engines.

I dont know whether to laugh, cry or hit my head against the wall at your posts. If money was the solution then Iam sure the Chinese would have been able to pay a 100 people a Couple of million a year and the engine problems would have been resolved. So why were they struggling and only after 20 yrs have now perhaps managed to get the engine sorted. Sometimes it is better to sit back and listen. India is importing an engine from US for the Tejas and if things were so easy whydont they manufacture one. Please dont indulge in useless arguments and sit back and read a little. We dont have any metallurgical base from where to even initiate the research. Then there are problems with specialized steels for which we only have one plant. Then the problem for generating turbine blades from a single crystal. These are metallurgical marvels and very closely guarded secrets.
A

 

[thrilainmanila]

i recently watched an interview on one of the previous threads where this man still believes in the F-16 issue, the same F-16 issue which has been the reason for the massive disadvantage the PAF has faced for the past 26+ years. The same F-16 issue which has made pakistan look like a laughing stock internationally, the man is too old and thinks PAFs relationship with the US is the same as it was in the early 60s. he still believes in the F-16s and from the sounds of it he hasn't learned his lesson. Worst of all this man believes that the JF-17 will be able to hold its own against the rafale, he thinks because of how well trained PAF pilots are from there vast exposure to the K8s, F-7s, Mushak trainers and 60 year old mirage IIIs and that it was a pakistani who once upon a time shot down an israeli F-4 phantom 43 years ago and his blood still flows through the veins of the PAF pilots all this will garner some advantage against a numerically superior and technologically superior enemy.
You guys should please pay more attention to people like mastankhan he says things for how they are he'd probably make for a better ACM the mr aman.

 

[ssethii]

Leadership crisis, that's the problem we are facing for decades. There is no one to look up to for the ordinary Pakistanis.

 

[Zarvan]

i recently watched an interview on one of the previous threads where this man still believes in the F-16 issue, the same F-16 issue which has been the reason for the massive disadvantage the PAF has faced for the past 26+ years. The same F-16 issue which has made pakistan look like a laughing stock internationally, the man is too old and thinks PAFs relationship with the US is the same as it was in the early 60s. he still believes in the F-16s and from the sounds of it he hasn't learned his lesson. Worst of all this man believes that the JF-17 will be able to hold its own against the rafale, he thinks because of how well trained PAF pilots are from there vast exposure to the K8s, F-7s, Mushak trainers and 60 year old mirage IIIs and that it was a pakistani who once upon a time shot down an israeli F-4 phantom 43 years ago and his blood still flows through the veins of the PAF pilots all this will garner some advantage against a numerically superior and technologically superior enemy.
You guys should please pay more attention to people like mastankhan he says things for how they are he'd probably make for a better ACM the mr aman.

ACM is not the problem. Problem is we don't have money. You give money you would see massive change and development

 

[Jhon Smith]

I


I dont know whether to laugh, cry or hit my head against the wall at your posts. If money was the solution then Iam sure the Chinese would have been able to pay a 100 people a Couple of million a year and the engine problems would have been resolved. So why were they struggling and only after 20 yrs have now perhaps managed to get the engine sorted. Sometimes it is better to sit back and listen. India is importing an engine from US for the Tejas and if things were so easy whydont they manufacture one. Please dont indulge in useless arguments and sit back and read a little. We dont have any metallurgical base from where to even initiate the research. Then there are problems with specialized steels for which we only have one plant. Then the problem for generating turbine blades from a single crystal. These are metallurgical marvels and very closely guarded secrets.
A

Chinese would have been able to pay a 100 people a Couple of million a year and the engine problems would have been resolved.

U mentioned about chines jet engine? here ar the list of chines jet engine, they r manufacturing since decades .
China's most powerful aircraft engine, the WS-20, is getting closer to finishing its tests. With a power output of 14 tons, the WS-20 will replace the less powerful and less efficient Russian D-30KP, which has only 10.5 tons of thrust. The WS-20 turbofan has been flying on this Il-76 test aircraft since 2014, and it's likely that aerial testing will wrap up in late 2015.

bbs.huanqiu.com

WS-20

The WS-20 turbofan engine can deliver up to 14 tons of thrust, which makes it comparable to the CFM-56 engine with powers Airbus 320 and Boeing 737s.



look that list of chines engine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_aircraft_engines

These are metallurgical marvels and very closely guarded secrets.

Test of the new type of engine on a flying platform

China has always been dependent on importedaircraft engines, which China regards as a bottleneck in its development of advanced aircraft, especially its stealth fighters that require engines better than imported ones.

As a result, China has allocated $16 billion special funding for aircraft engine development.

Now, China Aviation News says in its report that China has successfully developed a new type of aircraft engine with better performance than imported ones.

The engineers working on it know well that in addition to good design, test is an indispensable procedure to ensure the success of their job.

In 2011 alone, over 1,000 hours of tests were carried out including two tests high up in the sky, which proved the high efficiency and quality of the engine.


https://chinadailymail.com/2015/05/...ines-now-exceed-performance-of-imported-ones/

sir every sort of research already done by western university , PAC dont need to do any further research on single crystal structure . What lacking behind is to install labs to test them and made them. A big set up of lab need that required funds. IF PAC spend these 200 million $ on labs they could start to develop single crystal blades

Nickel Based Superalloys
H. K. D. H. Bhadeshia
A superalloy is a metallic alloy which can be used at high temperatures, often in excess of 0.7 of the absolute melting temperature. Creep and oxidation resistance are the prime design criteria. Superalloys can be based on iron, cobalt or nickel, the latter being best suited for aeroengine applications.

The essential solutes in nickel based superalloys are aluminium and/or titanium, with a total concentration which is typically less than 10 atomic percent. This generates a two-phase equilibrium microstructure, consisting of gamma (γ) and gamma-prime (γ'). It is the γ' which is largely responsible for the elevated-temperature strength of the material and its incredible resistance to creep deformation. The amount of γ' depends on the chemical composition and temperature, as illustrated in the ternary phase diagrams below.

The Ni-Al-Ti ternary phase diagrams show the γ and γ' phase field. For a given chemical composition, the fraction of γ' decreases as the temperature is increased. This phenomenon is used in order to dissolve the γ' at a sufficiently high temperature (a solution treatment) followed by ageing at a lower temperature in order to generate a uniform and fine dispersion of strengthening precipitates.

The γ-phase is a solid solution with a cubic-F lattice and a random distribution of the different species of atoms. Cubic-F is short for face-centred cubic.

By contrast, γ' has a cubic-P (primitive cubic) lattice in which the nickel atoms are at the face-centres and the aluminium or titanium atoms at the cube corners. This atomic arrangement has the chemical formula Ni3Al, Ni3Ti or Ni3(Al,Ti). However, as can be seen from the (γ+γ')/γ' phase boundary on the ternary sections of the Ni, Al, Ti phase diagram, the phase is not strictly stoichiometric. There may exist an excess of vacancies on one of the sublattices which leads to deviations from stoichiometry; alternatively, some of the nickel atoms might occupy the Al sites and vice-versa. In addition to aluminium and titanium, niobium, hafnium and tantalum partition preferentially into γ'.

Crystal structure of γ Crystal structure of γ'
The γ phase forms the matrix in which the γ' precipitates. Since both the phases have a cubic lattice with similar lattice parameters, the γ' precipitates in a cube-cube orientation relationship with the γ. This means that its cell edges are exactly parallel to corresponding edges of the γ phase. Furthermore, because their lattice parameters are similar, the γ' is coherent with the γ when the precipitate size is small. Dislocations in the γ nevertheless find it difficult to penetrate γ', partly because the γ' is an atomically ordered phase. The order interferes with dislocation motion and hence strengthens the alloy.

The small misfit between the γ and γ' lattices is important for two reasons. Firstly, when combined with the cube-cube orientation relationship, it ensures a low γ/γ' interfacial energy. The ordinary mechanism of precipitate coarsening is driven entirely by the minimisation of total interfacial energy. A coherent or semi-coherent interface therefore makes the microstructure stable, a property which is useful for elevated temperature applications.

The magnitude and sign of the misfit also influences the development of microstructure under the influence of a stress at elevated temperatures. The misfit is said to be positive when the γ' has a larger lattice parameter than γ. The misfit can be controlled by altering the chemical composition, particularly the aluminium to titanium ratio. A negative misfit stimulates the formation of rafts of γ', essentially layers of the phase in a direction normal to the applied stress. This can help reduce the creep rate if the mechanism involves the climb of dislocations across the precipitate rafts.

The transmission electron micrographs shown below illustrate the large fraction of γ', typically in excess of 0.6, in turbine blades designed for aeroengines, where the metal experiences temperatures in excess of 1000oC. Only a small fraction (0.2) of γ' is needed when the alloy is designed for service at relatively low temperatures (750oC) and where welding is used for fabrication.

Transmission electron micrograph showing a large fraction of cuboidal γ' particles in a γ matrix. Ni-9.7Al-1.7Ti-17.1Cr-6.3Co-2.3W at%. Hillier, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1984.

Transmission electron micrograph showing a small fraction of spheroidal γ' prime particles in a γ matrix.Ni-20Cr-2.3Al-2.1Ti-5Fe-0.07C-0.005 B wt%. Also illustrated are M23C6 carbide particles at the grain boundary running diagonally from bottom left to top right.

Strength versus Temperature
The strength of most metals decreases as the temperature is increased, simply because assistance from thermal activation makes it easier for dislocations to surmount obstacles. However, nickel based superalloys containing γ', which essentially is an intermetallic compound based on the formula Ni3(Al,Ti), are particularly resistant to temperature.

Ordinary slip in both γ and γ' occurs on the {111}<110>. If slip was confined to these planes at all temperatures then the strength would decrease as the temperature is raised. However, there is a tendency for dislocations in γ' to cross-slip on to the {100} planes where they have a lower anti-phase domain boundary energy. This is because the energy decreases with temperature. Situations arise where the extended dislocation is then partly on the close-packed plane and partly on the cube plane. Such a dislocation becomes locked, leading to an increase in strength. The strength only decreases beyond about 600oC whence the thermal activation is sufficiently violent to allow the dislocations to overcome the obstacles.

To summarise, it is the presence of γ' which is responsible for the fact that the strength of nickel based superalloys is relatively insensitive to temperature.

http://www.msm.cam.ac.uk/phase-trans/2003/Superalloys/superalloys.html

THE DEVELOPMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTAL SUPERALLOY TURBINE BLADES M. Gel& D. N. Duhl and A. F. Giamei Commercial Products Division Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Group East Hartford, Connecticut 06108 Single crystal superalloy turbine blades have recently entered production for JTSD commercial engine applications. This significant technical advance was made possible by the development of an alloy with improved properties and the development of a production casting process. The absence of grain boundary strengthening elements provided considerable alloying and heat treatment flexibility that resulted in single crystal Alloy 454 with an outstanding balance of properties. Major improvements in temperature gradients, the use of helical grain selectors, and the incorporation of these advances into existing vacuum furnaces have led to the rapid development of a production casting capability.

its not PAC has to carry on research they have to install labs and prepare the work force that are lenghty process. In Pak universities single crystal manufacturing is quite common. For example, JIK has mad many kind of single crystal alloys

http://www.tms.org/superalloys/10.7449/1980/superalloys_1980_205_214.pdf

 

[thrilainmanila]

PAF has burnt all the boats by starting JF 17 program . A lot of money has been spent on infrastructure and training of pilots for JF 17 . Instead of starting JF 17 Program , PAF should have procured J 10 . Now , the only option left is to invest in JF 17 and make it a true 4th Gen Fighter .

PAF has burnt all the boats by starting JF 17 program . A lot of money has been spent on infrastructure and training of pilots for JF 17 . Instead of starting JF 17 Program , PAF should have procured J 10 . Now , the only option left is to invest in JF 17 and make it a true 4th Gen Fighter .

i said this several years ago and people mocked me and called me an indian, Musharaf knew that the JF-17 couldn't give the punch that was required and set out to make sure that 36 J-10s (upgraded versions J-10Bs) were adopted, as soon as he went the third class people from the PAF came into play they knew sure as hell there was no way of selling J-10 so they went for the JF-17. the project director,ACM and the rest of the leadership couldn't get a cut out of the J-10 deal but they could make a few million on a lesser bird which Uncle China never cared about. the J-10 isn't that expensive 60 of those planes right now with the F-16BLK52s and MLU look way better then a combinaton of 60 JF-17s and F-16s.

 

[Signalian]

Points about j10
1 Paf did eval j10
2 acm-tanvir old interview j10 range need improvement for example F16 blk 52 ferry range is around 3900 vs j10 3200 vs jf17 3000 for comparison

Thats debatable. every mission is different.

3 weapons load may not be the main factor vs range

J10 can carry 3 external fuel tanks and 6 AAM,
F-16 can also carry 3 external fuel tanks and 6 AAM

JF-17 can carry 3 external fuel tanks and 4 AAM.
.
J-10 would have been suitable for high altitude BVR engagements rather than JF-17. Now PAF will need to scramble F-16 first followed by JF-17.

4 avionivs jf17 had better than j10 initially as jf has some Western with perhaps higher MTBF

JF-17 has pulse doppler radar KLJ-7.
F-16 has pulse doppler APG-68.

J-10 would have been the first AESA radar aircraft for PAF.

AESA gives edge everywhere in combat.

5 new platform would require more investment vs upgrading jf17 to being at par wrt range and load via additional pylons/cft

Every new platform requires investment and infrastructure and logistics and establishment for over haul and rebuild.
I wish JF-17 block III would have had 9 hard points but ejector racks can be used on any aircraft.

J-10 weapon, support and logistics commonality would have been great. ATleast both use same weapons if not same radar or engine.

6 number needed is too small to justify new type around 2 sqn so just add more jf17 or f16s

36 would have risen to 150.

F-16 is a great aircraft, problem is sanctions in war time, new acquisitions and other strings attached from which J-10 is free.

 

[Imad.Khan]

Thats debatable. every mission is different.


J10 can carry 3 external fuel tanks and 6 AAM,
F-16 can also carry 3 external fuel tanks and 6 AAM

JF-17 can carry 3 external fuel tanks and 4 AAM.
.
J-10 would have been suitable for high altitude BVR engagements rather than JF-17. Now PAF will need to scramble F-16 first followed by JF-17.

JF-17 has pulse doppler radar KLJ-7.
F-16 has pulse doppler APG-68.

J-10 would have been the first AESA radar aircraft for PAF.

AESA gives edge everywhere in combat.

Every new platform requires investment and infrastructure and logistics and establishment for over haul and rebuild.
I wish JF-17 block III would have had 9 hard points but ejector racks can be used on any aircraft.

J-10 weapon, support and logistics commonality would have been great. ATleast both use same weapons if not same radar or engine.

36 would have risen to 150.

F-16 is a great aircraft, problem is sanctions in war time, new acquisitions and other strings attached from which J-10 is free.

The objective of JF17 is for a low cost, self managed, multi-role fighter, that was to be replacement for the 200+ F7s,and 150+ Mirages 3s & Mirage 5s. J10 would be too expensive to induct in high numbers.

Also JF17 gives you a chance to make some money through sale to other countries. no such chance with J10.

But Pakistan should think of swapping F16s with J10s or something bigger.

 

[aliyusuf]

The objective of JF17 is for a low cost, self managed, multi-role fighter, that was to be replacement for the 200+ F7s,and 150+ Mirages 3s & Mirage 5s. J10 would be too expensive to induct in high numbers.

Also JF17 gives you a chance to make some money through sale to other countries. no such chance with J10.

But Pakistan should think of swapping F16s with J10s or something bigger.

J-10B/C or FC-20 should not be considered in exclusion to JF-17 but rather as a safer contingency to F-16. We should be seriously considering to induct J-10B/C. Simply because the degree of mayhem that can be caused by Indian influence in the US Congress on the issue of clearing matters of interest for Pakistan. All indications show that this influence is going to grow with passage of time. In such a scenario banking on F-16s, even used + MLU-ed ones, is fraught with risk. We need to have a contingency/Plan B i.e. J-10B/C.

But unfortunately the ACM in a recent interview that was posted in another thread, seemingly gives an impression that later block iterations of JF-17 and an indigenous-ish 5th gen platform (whenever that is realized) will be enough to counter the adversary armed with Rafales and AESA upgraded MKIs (in future).

But the ACM is supposed to know best and it is my fervent hope that this actually turns out to be true in reality.

I guess time will tell.

 

[litman]

with more F-16 procurement chances almost dead J 10B in limited numbers seems to be only viable option.

 

[Imad.Khan]

J-10B/C or FC-20 should not be considered in exclusion to JF-17 but rather as a safer contingency to F-16. We should be seriously considering to induct J-10B/C. Simply because the degree of mayhem that can be caused by Indian influence in the US Congress on the issue of clearing matters of interest for Pakistan. All indications show that this influence is going to grow with passage of time. In such a scenario banking on F-16s, even used + MLU-ed ones, is fraught with risk. We need to have a contingency/Plan B i.e. J-10B/C.

But unfortunately the ACM in a recent interview that was posted in another thread, seemingly gives an impression that later block iterations of JF-17 and an indigenous-ish 5th gen platform (whenever that is realized) will be enough to counter the adversary armed with Rafales and AESA upgraded MKIs (in future).

But the ACM is supposed to know best and it is my fervent hope that this actually turns out to be true in reality.

I guess time will tell.

I agree with your assessment regarding moving away from F16s and inducting J10s. I also think we should totally withdraw from any military procurement from the US, as they are too much of a headache and come with lots of strings attached.

Is it possible he might be referring to J-31 as a joint venture when he talks about an indigenous-ish 5th gen platform?

 

[aliyusuf]

I agree with your assessment regarding moving away from F16s and inducting J10s. I also think we should totally withdraw from any military procurement from the US, as they are too much of a headache and come with lots of strings attached.

Is it possible he might be referring to J-31 as a joint venture when he talks about an indigenous-ish 5th gen platform?

You can watch the video of the ACM's interview and make up your own mind. My personal opinion on this is that the infrastructure setup and R&D facilities he was referring to are still a good decade away at least. Too long a time frame to contribute anything to the J-31 program. But who knows.

Unfortunately, this interview of the ACM has left me with more queries than answers.

Either the ACM is absolutely sure, clear and confident about the success of the current PAF game plan or he is sugar coating the bitter truth of our current situation.

Unless something encouraging turns up (e.g. how potent the block-III JF-17 turns out)... I am going to remain skeptical of the current PAF approach.

 

[volatile]

You can watch the video of the ACM's interview and make up your own mind. My personal opinion on this is that the infrastructure setup and R&D facilities he was referring to are still a good decade away at least. Too long a time frame to contribute anything to the J-31 program. But who knows.

Unfortunately, this interview of the ACM has left me with more queries than answers.

Either the ACM is absolutely sure, clear and confident about the success of the current PAF game plan or he is sugar coating the bitter truth of our current situation.

Unless something encouraging turns up (e.g. how potent the block-III JF-17 turns out)... I am going to remain skeptical of the current PAF approach.

Enemy procurements / JF 17 Avionics suites / Tight budgets / Allah Tawakal

 

[aftab_s81]

I think PAF need to commit to something at least if not J-10. They are showing no advancement in J-31 development hoping that Chinese only will finance it. But for China, J-31 is not a priority, they are already doing well with J-20. Procurement from US seems impossible, Europe is expensive and risky. Any thoughts about Mig-35? @MastanKhan @Windjammer