INTERESTING ARTICLE at
Stuck in Sichuan: Pakistani JF-17 Program Grounded? No.
Back in January 2007, DID wrote:
The military world has no shortage of irony. The defense industry has its moments too, as Pakistan just discovered. An aircraft whose development was driven by military sanctions from the US and Europe is now derailed by military sanctions. This leaves the Pakistani Air Force dependent on an alternative from
America. Meanwhile, the Chinese are left with no export launch customer for a plane they may now have to reluctantly buy themselves, instead of the favoured and more capable J-10. Somewhere in Delhi, champagne is pouring but first, a bit of background.
The arms market also features no shortage of change. The agreement India thought it had, was reversed by Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin.
Now Pakistan has begun to take delivery of the new fighters, and is reportedly seeking additional agreements with Western firms for avionics and weapons upgrades. While Indias competing Tejas fighter flounders in search of a long term engine solution, Pakistan has set up a joint JF-17 marketing agency with China to promote export sales, and full production appears to be drawing near
* The JF-17 Thunder, aka. FC-1 Fierce Dragon
* Stuck in Sichuan: The Saga
* Updates and Key Events [updated]
The JF-17 Thunder, aka. FC-1 Fierce Dragon
AIR_J-7E.jpg
Chinese J-7E
(click to view full)
The JF-17/FC-1 is a sub-$20 million fighter designed as a co-operative venture between Pakistan and China to replace F-7P (MiG-21+) and Mirage 3/5 aircraft in Pakistans fleet. China also has options to produce them, but has made no firm decisions and seems unenthusiastic. Its a comparable peer for Indias still-under-development LCA Tejas, Taiwans ****-1 Ching Kuo fighters, and South Koreas T/A-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer & light fighter.
Sino Defense reminds us that the JF-17/FC-1 Xiaolong has a long history. The site recalls that China signed a $550 million agreement with Grumman in 1986 to modernise its J-7 fighter (MiG-21 copy) under the Super-7 upgrade project, with US and British firms competing to provide the engine and avionics. The project was canceled after the Tienanmen Square massacre, but Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation managed to continue the program with its own resources, and the project was re-branded as FC-1 (Fighter China-1).
The next big step forward for FC-1 was when US military export sanctions related to Pakistans nuclear program, and to Chinese-Pakistani use of ballistic missile components, led Pakistan to seek help from its Chinese ally. A joint development and production agreement was signed in June 1999, with China Aviation Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) and Pakistan each contributing 50% of the estimated $150 million development costs.
Stuck in Sichuan: The Saga
AIR_F-16A_Pakistan_Bombing.jpg
PAF F-16A drops Mk.82s
(click to view full)
The Pakistan Government had hoped to sign a deal to acquire 150 JF-17/FC-1 fighters in 2007, with 8 aircraft in service by years end. China had reportedly even bought 100 Klimov RD-93 engines from Russia for installing on JF-17s, with an option to contract for another 400 engines.
In January 2007, however, Forecast International reported that Russia had just refused permission for the transfer of its RD-93 engines, derived from the RD-33 that equips the MiG-29. According to FI the decision came only a few days after a visit to India by Russias Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, during which a number of joint defense projects were discussed and agreements were signed. These include the MRTA transport aircraft, and reportedly a 5th generation fighter project, even as the MiG-29OVT/MiG-35 is touted as the likely winner of the multi-billion MRCA fighter contract.
Coincidence? Didnt look like it. Replacement with another engine? Unless its a very close copy, that requires re-work of the entire fighter design and takes years. Just ask the Chinese J-10 project team.
As it turned out, however, that wasnt necessary. Russia authorized re-export of the RD-93 engines, in an announcement that caught even Indias diplomats by surprise.
Updates and Key Events
AIR FC-1 JF-17 Below
Lift-off?
(click to view full)
Jan 1/09: Associated Press of Pakistan quotes Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) chairman Air Marshal Khalid Chaudhry HI (M) T Bt re: the JF-17 project, and PACs work more generally. The report was triggered by briefings associated with a visit from Sheikh Aftab Ahmad, head of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Defence Production. Air Marshal Chadhry reportedly said that PAC has the capability to manufacture 75% of the JF-17s avionics, and 58% of its air frame.
The firm is currently deepening its experience and earning revenue by overhauling about 180 aircraft engines and 60 aircraft per year, including work undertaken by PACs Mirage rebuild factory that helps maintain Pakistans aged Mirage III/V fighters, and refurbishes scrap Mirages from other countries in order to keep overall fleet numbers up. High-tech avionics machinery recently imported from various developed countries is extending PACs capacity, and so has a $15 million contract from Boeing for aircraft parts.
Nov 28/08: Pakistani Ministry of Defence Production Secretary Shahid Siddiq Tirmizi claims that as many as 8 countries have shown interest in buying the JF-17 Thunder fighter. Azerbaijan, Sudan, and Zimbabwe are 3 countries that have been linked to export interest in the past. A Pakistan Defense article widens that potential field to include Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka. The News International.
Nov 20/08: Pakistani Chief of Air Staff ACM Tanvir Mahmood Ahmad says that aid the first JF-17 squadron would be inducted into the PAF fleet in the first quarter of 2009.
His accompanying announcement that another 36 high-tech combat aircraft (CF-20, probably a version of Chinas J-10) would be inducted into the PAF fleet by 2010 got more attention, however. Pakistan Daily | Pak Tribune.
April 11/08: Janes Defence Weekly reports that:
Pakistan and China have established a joint marketing organisation to promote international sales of their JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft, the head of the main Pakistani arms export agency has told Janes. Major General Muhammad Farooq, director general of Pakistans Defence Export Promotion Organisation (DEPO), described the JF-17 in early April as an ideal choice for countries which are mindful of their finances.
March 19/08: An article in Pakistan Defence claims that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) now has 8 JF-17 Thunder aircraft, after 6 more planes were recieved this March. All 8 will be used for testing testing and evaluation; the aircraft hasnt been formally inducted into service yet.
Serial production has begun, and Pakistans Air Cheif Marshal reportedly said that about 60% of the airframe and 80% of the avionics would be manufactured in Pakistan by 2010, with production capacity rising to 25 aircraft per year by 2011. If true, it seems likely that deals with significant industrial offsets may be in the cards, as the article also claims that negotiations have begun with British, Italian, and French defence firms over potential avionics and other systems; France has reportedly offered its RC-400 radar and MBDA MICA missile.
Finally, the article claims that that:
Thirteen countries have so far expressed interest in purchasing the JF-17 aircraft are Azerbaijan, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Algeria and Sudan.
Jan 22/08: According to India Defence, Pakistans national TV reports that it has begun in-country manufacturing of the JF-17 fighter. About half of the on-board equipment and avionics will be manufactured in Kamra, Pakistan, with the rest coming from China.
PakAF Chief of Air Staff Ahmed reportedly committed to 15 aircraft built in 2008 and 20 in 2009, with the goal of building 25-30 per year.
AIR_FC-1_JF-17_Runway.jpg
FC-1/ JF-17
(click to view full)
Nov 13/07: Janes Defense Weekly quotes Pakistani Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed as saying that the Pakistan Air Force will have an operational capability with JF-17 Thunder light fighter aircraft by the end of 2008, and expects to have its first 8 aircraft under a small batch order within the next few months.
Speaking to Janes at the Dubai Air Show on 12 November, ACM Ahmed dismissed concerns over the Russian RD-93 engine that powers the joint Sino-Pakistan aircraft as an issue created from here and there.
April 26/07:
India may need to hold that champagne, in the wake of recent reports. India Defence relays a report from the Russian newspaper Kommersant, which said that Vladimir Putin himself had personally supervised and signed a Sino-Russian Fighter Assembly Agreement which included joint assembly of JF-17 fighter aircraft with RD-93 engines, and their supply to third countries. Kommersant added that:
This permission will enable the supply of 150 Chinese JF-17 fighter aircrafts to Pakistan, and help implement the contract for the supply of Russian engines worth USD 238 million.
Kommersant added that the permission does not imply Pakistans inclusion in the list of countries with which Russia has direct military-technical cooperation. The question is whether Russian military-technical cooperation would be required under the Sino-Russian agreement. Meanwhile, the Indians appear to have been blindsided. The Press Counsellor of the Indian Embassy in Moscow Ramesh Chandra told Kommersant that the Embassy was not aware of the permission for re-export. See India Defence article.
March 2007: China delivers a pair of JF-17 fighters equipped with Russian-made RD-93 engines to Pakistan, prompting Indian protests that claim a violation of the end-user agreement between Russia and China.
