JF-17 Block-3 -- Updates, News & Discussion

[Deino]

I don’t find @Deino ”unreliable” simple because of his experience of coming across all this since years. Off course you and @LKJ86 are as well as reliable or even more sometimes.

The name of website “China-arms” has a US/International feeling instead of being chinese operated so i gave it a second thought. Off course, the press statement would be there as you earlier mentioned, but still i thought the Thunder and last FC-31 part was hypothetical but Thunder part is nothing secret as thunder has had flights in WS-13.

Interested to know the specs of WS-IPE and how it fairs with P&W F-135 (F-35’s engine)

Thanks, but he was correct, that I simply dismissed the report due to the source ... and anyway he's correct, not to trust every opinion my me (or anyone here)

By the way anyway a question:

Guizhou Liyang Aero Engine Co., Ltd. affiliated to China Aviation Engine Corporation posted the company’s key tasks in 2020 recently, one of which is the implementation of small-batch production of a new aircraft engine.

The outside world generally believes that this new engine is probably WS-13IPE (thrust-enhanced type), which mainly adds thrust on the basis of WS-13 engine in order to adapt to performance upgrade and improvement of fighters.
...

My point however is not to question that Guizhou itself posted its key-figures, but the added conclusion, that this might be related to the WS-13IPE and as such to the title of the report "WS-13IPE engine for FC-31 carrier-based fighter could be mass-produced in 2020"!

Is the WS-13 the only new engine from Guizhou - esp. since the WS-13 itself is not new - or could it be more likely related to another engine for another aircraft, since neither the WS-13 nor the type of aircraft is mentioned??

Best,
Deino

 

[Syntage]

Guys are there any IRST pod options being evaluated for Thunder blk 3??Blk 3 will be incomplete without an IRST pod.

 

[Pakistan Space Agency]

"2001"
View attachment 602238 View attachment 602239

"2001"
"2101"

What's the difference between the two?

 

[imadul]

Read all the the way to the end about - PAF finally selected NRIET KLJ7A AESA RADAR for JFT Block III.
.....and it says Air Cooled!!!!

https://www.janes.com/article/94094...irst-12-jf-17b-combat-aircraft-in-near-future


Deliveries of the first 12 of 26 twin-seat JF-17B Thunder multirole combat aircraft on order for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) are expected to commence "in the near future", PAF officials have told Jane's .

Eight of these aircraft were built at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in Kamra, while the remaining four were constructed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) in China, where the aircraft type is known as the FC-1 Xiaolong.

The aircraft, several of which are equipped with aerial refuelling probes, had been rolled out at PAC Kamra in late December 2019 during a ceremony that was also attended by the PAF's Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan. Delivery of the remaining JF-17Bs is expected to be completed by 2021.

Speaking to Jane's on 20 January, ACM Khan explained that the JF-17Bs will help to streamline the PAF's training process for the Thunder. "The JF-17 pilots are currently being posted to Lockheed Martin F-16, Chengdu F-7PG or Dassault Mirage IIIEA ROSE aircraft before converting to the JF-17," he said. "But they will start going straight to a JF-17 OCU [operational conversion unit] after completing their advanced jet training." ACM Khan added that this "will ensure that pilots transitioning to the Sino-Pakistani jet are a lot younger than they are now".

The JF-17B prototype made its first flight in China in April 2017.

Meanwhile, the PAF revealed that after a lengthy evaluation the air-cooled Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology (NRIET) KLJ-7A active electronically scanned-array (AESA) radar has been selected for the Block III variant of the JF-17/ FC-1 Xiaolong, the first prototype of which made its maiden flight on 17 December from CAIG's production facility at Chengdu-Huangtianba. PAC Kamra's newly appointed chairman, Air Marshal Syed Noman Ali, said a second Block III prototype will assist in May with the test and evaluation process.

 

[maverick1977]

Read all the the way to the end about - PAF finally selected NRIET KLJ7A AESA RADAR for JFT Block III.

https://www.janes.com/article/94094...irst-12-jf-17b-combat-aircraft-in-near-future


Deliveries of the first 12 of 26 twin-seat JF-17B Thunder multirole combat aircraft on order for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) are expected to commence "in the near future", PAF officials have told Jane's .

Eight of these aircraft were built at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in Kamra, while the remaining four were constructed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) in China, where the aircraft type is known as the FC-1 Xiaolong.

The aircraft, several of which are equipped with aerial refuelling probes, had been rolled out at PAC Kamra in late December 2019 during a ceremony that was also attended by the PAF's Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan. Delivery of the remaining JF-17Bs is expected to be completed by 2021.

Speaking to Jane's on 20 January, ACM Khan explained that the JF-17Bs will help to streamline the PAF's training process for the Thunder. "The JF-17 pilots are currently being posted to Lockheed Martin F-16, Chengdu F-7PG or Dassault Mirage IIIEA ROSE aircraft before converting to the JF-17," he said. "But they will start going straight to a JF-17 OCU [operational conversion unit] after completing their advanced jet training." ACM Khan added that this "will ensure that pilots transitioning to the Sino-Pakistani jet are a lot younger than they are now".

The JF-17B prototype made its first flight in China in April 2017.

Meanwhile, the PAF revealed that after a lengthy evaluation the air-cooled Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology (NRIET) KLJ-7A active electronically scanned-array (AESA) radar has been selected for the Block III variant of the JF-17/ FC-1 Xiaolong, the first prototype of which made its maiden flight on 17 December from CAIG's production facility at Chengdu-Huangtianba. PAC Kamra's newly appointed chairman, Air Marshal Syed Noman Ali, said a second Block III prototype will assist in May with the test and evaluation process.

range of radar seems low.. can someone explain based on wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/KLJ-7

 

[FuturePAF]

Guys are there any IRST pod options being evaluated for Thunder blk 3??Blk 3 will be incomplete without an IRST pod.

At the very least, that new Station opposite the gun (under the intake) should carry an IRST Equipped Pylon, leaving room for a dedicated targeting pod or Jammer

 

[aliyusuf]

Meanwhile, the PAF revealed that after a lengthy evaluation the air-cooled Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology (NRIET) KLJ-7A active electronically scanned-array (AESA) radar has been selected for the Block III variant of the JF-17/ FC-1 Xiaolong, the first prototype of which made its maiden flight on 17 December from CAIG's production facility at Chengdu-Huangtianba. PAC Kamra's newly appointed chairman, Air Marshal Syed Noman Ali, said a second Block III prototype will assist in May with the test and evaluation process.

AFAIK, the only air-cooled version in the running was the LETRI LKF601E. Because it was the only option about which it was specifically mentioned that it was air-cooled. This is the first time I am hearing of an air-cooled KLJ-7A. Also, of late, Janes have on occasion been known to get it wrong. Lets wait for confirmation/corroboration from another source.

 

[PakFactor]

What’s the range of the radar.

 

[Tank131]

AFAIK, the only air-cooled version in the running was the LETRI LKF601E. Because it was the only option about which it was specifically mentioned that it was air-cooled. This is the first time I am hearing of an air-cooled KLJ-7A. Also, of late, Janes have on occasion been known to get it wrong. Lets wait for confirmation/corroboration from another source.

I have read that the KLJ-7A has both an air cooled and liquid cooled variant with the later being more powerful. The LKF601E as you point out is also air cooled. Even the Grifo E-scan has a liquid and slightly smaller air cooled variant, so that appears to be a necessity for JF-17.

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

Read all the the way to the end about - PAF finally selected NRIET KLJ7A AESA RADAR for JFT Block III.
.....and it says Air Cooled!!!!

https://www.janes.com/article/94094...irst-12-jf-17b-combat-aircraft-in-near-future


Deliveries of the first 12 of 26 twin-seat JF-17B Thunder multirole combat aircraft on order for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) are expected to commence "in the near future", PAF officials have told Jane's .

Eight of these aircraft were built at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in Kamra, while the remaining four were constructed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) in China, where the aircraft type is known as the FC-1 Xiaolong.

The aircraft, several of which are equipped with aerial refuelling probes, had been rolled out at PAC Kamra in late December 2019 during a ceremony that was also attended by the PAF's Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan. Delivery of the remaining JF-17Bs is expected to be completed by 2021.

Speaking to Jane's on 20 January, ACM Khan explained that the JF-17Bs will help to streamline the PAF's training process for the Thunder. "The JF-17 pilots are currently being posted to Lockheed Martin F-16, Chengdu F-7PG or Dassault Mirage IIIEA ROSE aircraft before converting to the JF-17," he said. "But they will start going straight to a JF-17 OCU [operational conversion unit] after completing their advanced jet training." ACM Khan added that this "will ensure that pilots transitioning to the Sino-Pakistani jet are a lot younger than they are now".

The JF-17B prototype made its first flight in China in April 2017.

Meanwhile, the PAF revealed that after a lengthy evaluation the air-cooled Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology (NRIET) KLJ-7A active electronically scanned-array (AESA) radar has been selected for the Block III variant of the JF-17/ FC-1 Xiaolong, the first prototype of which made its maiden flight on 17 December from CAIG's production facility at Chengdu-Huangtianba. PAC Kamra's newly appointed chairman, Air Marshal Syed Noman Ali, said a second Block III prototype will assist in May with the test and evaluation process.

KLJ7A was ready back by 2015. AESA is only the major improvement in Block 3 then why did it took long. KLJ7A's range is only 170km compared to 200km of Rafale's RBE-2

 

[Bilal.]

KLJ7A was ready back by 2015. AESA is only the major improvement in Block 3 then why did it took long. KLJ7A's range is only 170km compared to 200km of Rafale's RBE-2

plus being the air cooled version, it may be less capable then the standard KLJ7A.

 

[khanasifm]

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

View attachment 603575

Translation plz

 

[Aasimkhan]

KLJ7A was ready back by 2015. AESA is only the major improvement in Block 3 then why did it took long. KLJ7A's range is only 170km compared to 200km of Rafale's RBE-2

That will put our bird at a disadvantage. May be the size of the target RCS will also matter.

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

That will put our bird at a disadvantage. May be the size of the target RCS will also matter.

Yeah. Rafale's RCS is said to be lower than Thunder