JF-17 Thunder Multirole Fighter [Thread 6]

[Bratva]

JF-17 Thunder: Govt to buy jet engines directly from Russia
By Naveed Miraj
Published: February 15, 2015


ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will directly import engines from Russia to manufacture its JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. The engines were earlier imported via China.

According to sources in ministry of defence production, China has recently issued no objection certificate (NOC) to Pakistan, which was earlier producing the fighter jet as a joint venture with China.

“The Chinese NOC now allows Pakistan to import fighter jet engines from Russia directly,” a source said. “This will not only reduce the cost of production of the fighter jet but will also lead to enhanced defence cooperation between Russia and Pakistan.”

Islamabad and Moscow had recently agreed to boost cooperation in several spheres including that of defence during the recent Russian defence minister’s visit to Pakistan. “This is a significant move since Pakistan had never struck any direct defence deal with Russia,” the sources said.

“Russia was clearly tilted towards India and the new Russian policy towards Pakistan is seen as a coup pulled by the country’s foreign policy.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2015.

 

[Gryphon]

EXCLUSIVE: China sells fighter jets to Argentina which are able to attack Falkland Islands

 

[In arduis fidelis]

This one definitely looks promising.My gut feeling says JFT found its first buyer.

 

[My-Analogous]

EXCLUSIVE: China sells fighter jets to Argentina which are able to attack Falkland Islands

please post the link again. this one is not working

 

[lutfishah]

please post the link again. this one is not working

China have sold fighter jets to Argentina capable of attacking the Falklands | UK | News | Daily Express
Argentina and UK Falklands spat spiced up by Russian jets — RT News

JF17s will be sold to Argentina.
Quote from express :
"A senior RAF source said: “The procurement of Chinese aircraft is worrying; they are modern, fast and very capable."

In a "working group" formed by the two countries, Beijing agreed to supply around 20 FC-1/JF-17 "Thunder" fighter jets produced by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.

The single-seat, single-engine, fighter has a top speed of Mach 1.8 at altitude of 55,000 ft and combat range of 840 miles, allowing it to comfortably fly to Port Stanley and back from the Tierra del Fuego air base in southern Argentina.

 

[Manticore]

ISLAMABAD — A deal for Pakistan to directly import Russian engines for the JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighter will improve the program and may lead to more Russian-made parts for the aircraft, analysts say.

News broke over the weekend that Pakistan would directly import the Klimov RD-93 engines from Russia rather than via China, which reportedly also supports the deal.

Kaiser Tufail, an analyst and former air commodore, said he believes the deal is significant on cost and political grounds.

"I think a direct deal with Russia for supply of the engines basically removes the Chinese middleman, resulting in cheaper procurement cost. It is also reflective of a thaw in what has been a frosty relationship with Russia over the past several decades," he said.

Considering the JF-17 is a Sino-Pakistani project, Tufail said: "China's approval of direct procurement from Russia is also significant, and can be seen as trilateral cooperation between the three countries, in which Pakistan enjoys a pivotal position."

Engine availability has always been a source of speculation for the JF-17 program — initially the lack of a Western-made powerplant — and whether Moscow would continue to supply the RD-93, leading Pakistan to look for an alternative.

An alternative does exist in the Chinese Guizhou WS-13, but analysts do not consider it yet to have matured. With the guaranteed availability of the RD-93, the only issue is whether a more powerful, and perhaps thrust-vectoring, variant may be adopted at a future date.

The European EJ200 is also being offered, but for potential customers such as Saudi Arabia.

Brian Cloughley, analyst and former Australia defense attache to Islamabad, said, "I think there is already examination of the means of upgrading the JF-17 in many ways, and it would be surprising if this did not include more powerful engines, and certainly an improved version of the RD-93 would be a sensible choice."

Cloughley said financing may be an issue, but it's something he said he believed politics will overcome. "As usual, it all comes down to cost — but Russia is cutting the price of its exported defense material in order to acquire and lock-in markets."

Cloughley also highlighted a perennial fear of sanctions for Pakistan that still shapes its policies. "This is yet another blowback effect of sanctions, and it may cost the west considerably in the long term."

However, Tufail questioned the need for the JF-17 needing a replacement engine.

"I believe it is a premature idea, as the current RD-93 is powerful enough, providing a thrust-to-weight ratio of almost 1:1," said Tufail.

"So far the engine has performed flawlessly, both from an operational and maintenance point of view, its relatively low [time between overhaul] notwithstanding. When the PAF eventually decides to replace the current engine, it would likely be on the TBO factor," he added.

Tufail explained that under present circumstances, the JF-17 may not be suited to a more powerful engine.

"It also needs to be understood that any thrust increase in an aircraft that is not amply endowed with a large internal fuel quantity is not a feasible option. The RD-93 is, therefore, likely to continue on the current version of the JF-17 for the foreseeable future," Tufail said.

Cloughley said the engine deal could lead to further Russian involvement in the JF-17. "I have no doubt that Moscow and Islamabad are looking at all sorts of equipment, and it would make sense for Pakistan to make deals — providing they are acceptable to China."

The engine deal could eventually lead to weapons deals, Tufail said.

"Over a long term, Russian weapons would surely come under consideration, but I believe for the time being, we won't get into retrofits," he said.

Tufail added: "These are effort intensive for they need time to iron out the interface glitches. For the next 5-7 years, the PAF would like the weapon system to mature, though I am sure studies of Russian weapons integration would surely get underway during this period."

Russia-Pakistan Deal May Lead to More Sales
Russia-Pakistan Deal May Lead to More Sales

 

[Viper0011.]

ISLAMABAD — A deal for Pakistan to directly import Russian engines for the JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighter will improve the program and may lead to more Russian-made parts for the aircraft, analysts say.

Russian BVR's and some Radar tech is on the cards in the future for the JFT platform. A few countries who already use Russian platforms, would want such package to replace Mig-21's and other older platforms.
So expect some deals like those. Russians have gotten smarter. They want other customers outside of India and China. And they know that by playing the Pakistani card, they can help Pakistan sell JFT to many muslim countries with Russian engines, radars and BVR missiles.

Either way, they make more $$$$ and gain indirect influence in these deals also. Smart move and pretty strategic too. The Russians are going everywhere to establish business relationships as their economy is crippling due to sanctions!

 

[Kompromat]

Zhuk AESA would be nice

 

[MastanKhan]

Russian BVR's and some Radar tech is on the cards in the future for the JFT platform. A few countries who already use Russian platforms, would want such package to replace Mig-21's and other older platforms.
So expect some deals like those. Russians have gotten smarter. They want other customers outside of India and China. And they know that by playing the Pakistani card, they can help Pakistan sell JFT to many muslim countries with Russian engines, radars and BVR missiles.

Either way, they make more $$$$ and gain indirect influence in these deals also. Smart move and pretty strategic too. The Russians are going everywhere to establish business relationships as their economy is crippling due to sanctions!

Hi,

What that does for Russia is to market the next tier up aircraft in the coming years to some of those countries.

 

[Sine Nomine]

Zhuk AESA would be nice

Would be a problem>>

 

[Gryphon]

Russia-Pakistan Deal May Lead to More Sales

By Usman Ansari
February 16, 2015

Visitors look at a PAC JF-17 Thunder multi-role combat aircraft Dec. 3 in Karachi.(Photo: Rizwan Tabassum/AFP)

ISLAMABAD — A deal for Pakistan to directly import Russian engines for the JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighter will improve the program and may lead to more Russian-made parts for the aircraft, analysts say.

News broke over the weekend that Pakistan would directly import the Klimov RD-93 engines from Russia rather than via China, which reportedly also supports the deal.

Kaiser Tufail, an analyst and former air commodore, said he believes the deal is significant on cost and political grounds.

"I think a direct deal with Russia for supply of the engines basically removes the Chinese middleman, resulting in cheaper procurement cost. It is also reflective of a thaw in what has been a frosty relationship with Russia over the past several decades," he said.

Considering the JF-17 is a Sino-Pakistani project, Tufail said: "China's approval of direct procurement from Russia is also significant, and can be seen as trilateral cooperation between the three countries, in which Pakistan enjoys a pivotal position."

Engine availability has always been a source of speculation for the JF-17 program — initially the lack of a Western-made powerplant — and whether Moscow would continue to supply the RD-93, leading Pakistan to look for an alternative.

An alternative does exist in the Chinese Guizhou WS-13, but analysts do not consider it yet to have matured. With the guaranteed availability of the RD-93, the only issue is whether a more powerful, and perhaps thrust-vectoring, variant may be adopted at a future date.

The European EJ200 is also being offered, but for potential customers such as Saudi Arabia.

Brian Cloughley, analyst and former Australia defense attache to Islamabad, said, "I think there is already examination of the means of upgrading the JF-17 in many ways, and it would be surprising if this did not include more powerful engines, and certainly an improved version of the RD-93 would be a sensible choice."

Cloughley said financing may be an issue, but it's something he said he believed politics will overcome. "As usual, it all comes down to cost — but Russia is cutting the price of its exported defense material in order to acquire and lock-in markets."

Cloughley also highlighted a perennial fear of sanctions for Pakistan that still shapes its policies. "This is yet another blowback effect of sanctions, and it may cost the west considerably in the long term."

However, Tufail questioned the need for the JF-17 needing a replacement engine.

"I believe it is a premature idea, as the current RD-93 is powerful enough, providing a thrust-to-weight ratio of almost 1:1," said Tufail.

"So far the engine has performed flawlessly, both from an operational and maintenance point of view, its relatively low [time between overhaul] notwithstanding. When the PAF eventually decides to replace the current engine, it would likely be on the TBO factor," he added.

Tufail explained that under present circumstances, the JF-17 may not be suited to a more powerful engine.

"It also needs to be understood that any thrust increase in an aircraft that is not amply endowed with a large internal fuel quantity is not a feasible option. The RD-93 is, therefore, likely to continue on the current version of the JF-17 for the foreseeable future," Tufail said.

Cloughley said the engine deal could lead to further Russian involvement in the JF-17. "I have no doubt that Moscow and Islamabad are looking at all sorts of equipment, and it would make sense for Pakistan to make deals — providing they are acceptable to China."

The engine deal could eventually lead to weapons deals, Tufail said.

"Over a long term, Russian weapons would surely come under consideration, but I believe for the time being, we won't get into retrofits," he said.

Tufail added: "These are effort intensive for they need time to iron out the interface glitches. For the next 5-7 years, the PAF would like the weapon system to mature, though I am sure studies of Russian weapons integration would surely get underway during this period."

Russia-Pakistan Deal May Lead to More Sales - Defense News

 

[HRK]

However, Tufail questioned the need for the JF-17 needing a replacement engine.

"I believe it is a premature idea, as the current RD-93 is powerful enough, providing a thrust-to-weight ratio of almost 1:1," said Tufail

Cloughley said the engine deal could lead to further Russian involvement in the JF-17.

The engine deal could eventually lead to weapons deals, Tufail said.

"Over a long term, Russian weapons would surely come under consideration, but I believe for the time being, we won't get into retrofits,"

For the next 5-7 years, the PAF would like the weapon system to mature, though I am sure studies of Russian weapons integration would surely get underway during this period."

some very interesting points .... I must say ....

 

[nomi007]

 

[My-Analogous]

I think our Block 3 will be rename as Beast 1. Let see what Russia will offer for our beast.

 

[The SC]

People say it is photoshoped, but it already looks like a beast...