Finally some music for ears.
*JF-17A THUNDER BLOCK III PRODUCTION CEREMONY*
The Chief of Air Staff of The Pakistan Air Force Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan has announced that Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) has officially started production of the 4++ Generation JF-17A Thunder Block III advanced fighter aircraft, in a ceremony here today. The Chief of Air Staff also inaugurated the JF-17A Block III’s production and integration facility at PAC Kamra.
The Pakistan Air Force was also *handed over a squadron of 14 JF-17B Block II aircraft, by the PAC*. The induction ceremony was attended by Chief of Air Staff, the Chinese ambassador and the *Nigerian ambassador*.
Last year, PAC officially closed down production of the JF-17A Block II variant and started work on the JF-17B Block II variant, producing 8 of them in 2019 in just 5 months. Now JF-17A Block III production has started with the *first Block III variant to be inducted in early to mid 2021*.
The JF-17A Thunder Block III is an advanced 4+ generation fighter, armed with the latest radars, sensors, *electronic warfare equipment*, cockpit ergonomics, HUD, MAWS, *HMD* and a *strengthened structure* using more advanced composites. The fighter will feature an *advanced variant* of the RD-93 engine previously used, the *RD-93MA*. The fighter will also feature the most capable and longest-range air-to-air missile in the world, the *PL-15 BVR missile* which only China currently uses. The *PL-15 outranges the Indian Rafale’s upcoming Meteor BVR missiles by over 100 kilometres* and America’s latest BVR missile the AIM-120D by over 120 kilometres. The fighter will also feature a new *high off-boresight IR missile, the PL-10*.
