This is the article is was looking for unfortunately i don't have the link of it right now.
"JF-17 is currently China's only advanced fighter developed in open. Many people use it to understand .China's fighter development direction. The DSI
change that started in June of 2004 caused many surprises, so did the Leading edge extension in September. Since 2006, JF-17 has been viewed even more when President Musharraf visited. CCTV showed brand new JF-17 04 with a previously unseen modern glass cockpit. This cockpit represent ourcountry's avionics level has reached world class. JF-17 showed 1 HUD and 2 MFD in the cockpit in previous displays. There were analog controls in the middle. The look was similar to F-16a/b. In 2004, zhuhai airshow showed a cockpit with 1 HUD and 3 MFDs. All the analog meters on the cockpit got replaced by digital control. Cockpit underwent a total digital
information redesign. However, the model does not give people the good feeling that a real thing would.
Everyone knows that JF-17 is a China/Pakistan combined venture. JF-17's main aim is to equip PAF. In south Asian crisis, Pakistan receive American
embargo. It not only failed to receive 79 F-16s it order, but also could not get spare parts to F-16. As a result, it had to order 80 F-7PG and some squadrons even got F-16s replaced by F-7PG. This is rarely seen in military aviation. JF-17's development is extremely urgent. Pakistan believes that JF-17's capability and price should be lower than F-16C/D, but capability should be higher than F-16A/B. Due to the anti-terrorism planning, PAF's importance got changed. America not only agreed to sell F-16, but also some advanced F-16s that it could not get before. Due to this pressure, JF-17's requirement got increased. It needs to be more advanced than F-16, that's why you see the whole change in 04. The new cockpit's electronic system showed JF-17's modified capability. The new cockpit is very compact and functional position is positioned well and shows very mature system. 1 HUD is the main fighter display. This HUD has 24 degree in sight. It can add infrared signal? and supply flying, navigation, liftoff and landing info, it can also display target details and shooting detail. It can also communicate, navigate using the GUI There is a camera located above the HUD. It records HUD and external sights. HUD is the most important instrument in flight. Integrated informational level is dependent on this. Russia added some nice looking displays for su-30, but their display information is simple and information is spread. So, it did not really integrate the information. The JF-17 HUD uses a lot of digital processing and information integration information. For example, radar information, fight command info. HUD's controller has the ability to change display. Controller can also control all of the plane's dipslay. 3 MFDs are below the HUD. It is multi-colour LCD display. The dimension of the MFD is 20.3cmx30.6cm (note: this works out to be 8 x 12 inch, but a more realistic estimation is 6.25x8.25). The area is 4 times the previous area. The display brightness and contrast can be automatically adjusted. It also allows handle control. Each MFD displays important function. Display info can be changed. The control on the side acts as parameter design. Very often, left side shows weapon situation and numbers. Right side displays radar and combat info. The center shows some less important info, because it requires the pilot to lower his/her head. Like navigational info and map and so so. All the MFD can change to other info like radar, cockpit camera? and infrared picture and such. cockpit also allows night navigation and pilots can use night goggles to fly. 04 uses a hotas controller? pilot can keep hands on controller and still control the fighter's sensor mode, weapon and display. This greatly reduces a pilots movement and makes operation much easier. The controller does not affect the position in combat? Basically, allows pilots to keep the hand on the controller in combat. The earlier western 4th generation fighters like F-16A/B only had limited functions on the controller. JF-17 hotas uses advanced western design like F-16C/d, F-18C/D and Mirage2K5's newest model for design. Also, the system has different controls dependent on the hand size, length and finger size and length of the user. Basically, uses customizable controller. Allows a lot of activities done with limited energy. 04 uses all digital integrated electronic display. all computers/electronics uses 2 STD-MTL-1553B databus combined, curren info shared repository and shared data repository. According to demand, it also divides into weapons w/commands, radar, EW, communication, electronic control, payload control, FBW and so on. This avionics system's core lies in 2 advanced weapons controlling computer. these two computers do something... Each computer controls 1 double thick 1553B databus? This computer uses new structure system. It uses main controller rights to receive and process each system's info. At the same time, receive pilot's command. Uses command to control other systems. It's current world's most advanced input computer and main line integration web. Very few new fighters has this kind of complex and high speed system like typhoon, rafale and F-16 E/F. This system uses battle flight software package to exercise control and allows using development of more detailed software package to improve fighter capability and work load. Weapon controlling computer directly connects to MFD's structure. It uses information from each system to display on the 1 HUD and 3MFDs. Radar system is another important part of JF-17. It's also a major commercial battle area. Pakistan used a lot of Grifo radar in the past on F-7s. JF-17 also was about to use this. Italy also pitted Grifo-S2000 (should be S7) in competition. China also provided a radar for customers. Domestic radar has good support for China's weapon systems and missiles.
The current multimode PD radar has BVR capability, WVR capability and attack land and sea mode and other modes. Also has look down and shoot down capability even under disruptive environments below. You can Track 10 targets from 40 scanned targets and handle 2 concurrent BVR engagement. The range vs 3 m^2 targets is larger than 75KM and look down is larger than 45 KM. It is larger than 135 KM vs sea targets.
04's GPS navigation system replaced the traditional navigation system, greatly improved precision and reduced preparation time. Talks about GPs capability after this and how American military controls it. It also has other wireless navigation but not as precise as GPS.
JF-17's EW suite is very complex. It combines radar warning receiver and missile proximity receiver to form surveillence system and combined with ECM work. JF-17 uses something to diagnose RWR. It can receive a lot of information like fighter radar, missile seeker, A2S guidance radar and provides within 1.5 degree news. RWR has about 100+ radar info repository. It uses measured info to compare, detect the threatening origin and correct (radar type or fighter type?) and warning level. This repository can improve to 300. It can allow reprogramming, receive wartime newly discovered radar signal. 04's improved tail (backside" contains a missile proximity receiver. There will probably be two more put on the fighter for 360 degree coverage. It uses infrared and purple dual band imagine device. It has a purple red window? It can sense missile's rocket engine spoke from 20 KM in. It can correctly predict missile's location, trail and such. It can even estimate engagement time. It can be expanded to a fighter/missile recognition system. It can also provide some infrared imaging, communicate with RWR and hopefully can develop passive signal detection technology.
04's EW suite also has a ECM pod. It and the ECM on the tail provide joint work. ECM current uses traidtional infrared something? modern missile's countermeasure to this is getting stronger each day. To let this simple and cheap ECM achieve high efficiency shows system's level, RWR, MPR and such. This system is only equipped by rafale and F-22. F-18E/F and F-16E/F needs upgrade to have this. 04 should also have ECM inside of fighter. It uses modern ECM technology and uses precise tracking system. Can achieve the affect of large ECM machine with small equipment. This ECM is most modern active guided AAM. It can also counter gither radar lock and scan. It's mainly for PAF's enemy IAF's R-77 missiles.
To acommodate modern web of combat. 04 is equipped with 2 ECM vs radar tower and something else. It can receive datalink info from ground of AWACS. Other equippments include big air computer? and advanced digital processing signal and such. The electronic system stores everything, all the bugs and such. It can use computer to process this. Reduces ground maintenance.
It uses western standard MIL-STD-1760 to allow for integration of western weapons and can also get hooked on with Russian weapons. It will probably uses PL-9C, SD-10, PL-11, AIM-9L/M and AIM-7F. It also good use LGBs and possible A2G missile integration. "