Would love to see the link to this new 50 aircraft deal with China.
Becoz as far as i know, we had received 8 JF-17s, when the deal for 42 JF-17s was done last year in March i believe, so in those 42 Jf-17s contracted, we have so far received 6, making 14 of them in the first Sqd raised, as 8 were already there, 6 added more which got manufactured in pakistan and china both.
The new batch of next 50 or 100 JF-17s would only be ordered after the rumored French avionics deal is signed, as PAF has to be sure if we are gonna get the French avionics or not, before they order mor JF-17s.
What i perceive and what it looks to be happening is, PAF would like to have 50 JF-17s as per the initial batch to be in PAF colors by the end of 2011. By this year end, 14 already in the air, it seems the year end figure would reach 25 or so, and same number of aircraft next year, thus first 50 batch completed.
If the french deal is signed by this year, hopefully by next year, we will see the arrival of the french avionics to Pakistan. And the next batch of JF-17s would be ordered too by that time.
So if we get 50 JF-17s by 2011, it leaves 4 years to the target year of 2015 to have another 100 JF-17s to make the total 150, making on avg 25 JF-17s each year, the target of 150 will be reached by 2015.
To me this is the only realistic approach that i see.
As inducting 25 aircraft each year is a very tough and hard target, as per my understanding of how aircraft and pilots and ground crew gets inducted. And the 25 JF-17s would be the mutual ones, meaning ones coming from China and the ones being manufactured in Pakistan.
Anyhow, plz do show the link which says 50 JF-17s have been ordered, as the last order was for 42 JF-17s.