From a realistic point of view lets imagine , worse case scenario
Ok the deal is on hold for some time
What are we lacking as an Airforce
a) Our Mirage Fleet can carry the missiles for Sea Missions
and we also can use them vs ground targets
The urgency to move these missiles is minimum
We already have BVR capabilities on Mirages
b) BVR missiles well we are geting F16 C/D and we should be
perfectly fine on that platform 70-90 F16C/D BVR Capable
c) Now comes the Thunder , awesome plane
comes with advance avionics and infact we will get improved
verions of radars ...
Its matter of when not if with Chinese AESA research
The main issue "The BVR missiles" k fine , but seriously
with china investing 100 billion + into research and development
how far are we from getting chinese BVR missiles ?
From Strategic point of view , I think the idea was to have Saab Erie Eye plateform also work with JF17 Thunder
Its not like our Thunder is flying with cotton candy wrapper
We have ample options for arming up Thunders -
Luckily Mr Musharif Sahib saw this and planned ahead with possibility of Chinese awacs for JF17 Thunder platform , love him or hate him he had great vision, alot of people said well why don't we order all Saab Erie Eye but he saw the problems that could happen and luckily also ordered 4-6 chinese awacs , so our planning is 100% and I have to say great move by General
So we are 100% safe , we need to invest in our own Avionics industry but for now we are doing just fine
So now we have 8 billion dollars in our hand ?
total deal was 5 billion euros
What is the logical enhancement ?
Well of course J10B (Chendegu Vipers) we have 36 ordered lets just make it
100 fighters fro our Airforce (Enough)
But if we like to just polish up our Airforce we can also get some of
J11
>J11 is ideal in case we need Air Superiority 100 fighters
So what is the problem ?
Mean while we already discussed before that we already have Mirages for another 10 years - gradual decomissioning
We are not in a rush -
2010 is a wonderful year for our Airforce - in term of what we achive in this year is alot ...
a) Air refueling capacity , joint excercies and training with US
b) Induction of 36 F16 C/D block fighters
c) Induction of 36 JF17 Thunder 2 squadrons in 2010
d) Laser guided bombs
e) MLU upgrading 45 F16 A/C to C/D standard
f) Arrival of All Awacs
g) Arrival of extra fuel refuelers
h) We have now what 50+ Cobra gunships with Super cobras in sight
i ) Combat and Missions for our Thunder platform
j) UAV arrival confirmations
k) Missiles anti AWAC
l) Missiles bvr
So we gained so much ... in 2010
The french deal is
icing on cake but its not every thing for Pakistan Airforce , we have J10B which is one hell of a plane and its top of the line Chinese fighter
But we have other plans as well -
8 billion dollars we need to go on shopping spree now , as we can now really spend it on full planes fully assembled