I've been following you for some time now and I agree with you on some matters if not all of them. My question is, shouldn't a nation invest in reinventing the wheel? it takes time, money and effort, yes but this single investment will bear fruits for decades. The knowledge gained from personal experience is far better than flying a ready made jet and/or assembling and maintaining it. I am a mechanical engineering student, and i specialize in design and analysis of machinery, from experience i can assure you that the knowledge gained from even the projects that do not have much commercial value or potency, one can learn and apply that knowledge to better potent machinery.
Hi,
No sane nation invests in re-inventing the wheel----. The thing is that the PAF is a fighting force---it is not a manufacturing conglomerate----it is not a factory producing nuts and bolts and aircraft----. Its primary purpose is to fight----procure the right aircraft and then train and train and be ready to fight----.
This manufacturing of aircraft is a drama staged by the air force----. It is a good drama that should have been staged in FREE TIME---and not o PRIME TIME.
Now as an engineering student---I can understand what you are interested in---you want the know how---yu want to put your hand on the machine----and what not---But this was not the job of the PAF.
Their job is to find parity with the enemy within the limit of their resources----starting with filling from the TOP DOWN.
What you young kids are forgetting is or do not know is that the reason the JF 17 is being pursued is that PAF analyzed and assessed in the early 2000 that the threat of war with india is minimal---.
So---they started Lollygagging----lost their focus---from 2002 till 2005---jumping from one aircraft to another and then to the F16 BLK52 for 72 aircraft.
Now remember----this air force was starving for an aircraft till sept 11 2001----it was begging left and right to find one---the desperation was so much that it was unbelievable----. When the sanctions came off-----India got really concerned----.
They wanted to SABOTGE the Pakistani procurement any which way they could----that is where the peace talks came in----drama here drama there----and PAF got fooled one more time----.
Just remember----people who strut around like if they are the gods of war in the air----are easily fooled as well----and for a 'baniya' to fool these strutters was easy----.
So---the moment the financial restraint hit pakistan----India was back to its normal game----scr-ew Pakistan----.
So---this lack of a primary air superiority fighter aircraft in paf colors by 2005 was out of sheer stupidity on the part of the PAF.
This brochure on the JF17----did you read the the specs on flight time----. In strike mode it is around 400-450 KM----in air superiority mode----it is what 700--750KM radius----.
That is a disgusting performance ----. This performance puts it at around 45 minutes of loiter time----facing an enemy who's main frame aircraft are at around 4 1/2 hours of loiter time.
Do you understand the importance of loiter time?
Now if you have 150 F16 BLK52's and a 100 J11's or a 100 J10C's----then you can compliment them with a force of 250 JF17's----but not without----.
I understand where you are coming from and agree with some of the things you have mentioned but until we have an alternate option available,and in large numbers -- we need to evolve the bird we have in our hand.
I have a serious issue with the power plant and the cockpit visibility (An inherent flaw in Sovies/sino fighters)
Hi,
I really don't think that the power plant should be an issue. Many a superior aircraft had lousy power---like the F14 and the Phantom----the mirage 3 was much to write home about----.
JF17 has a lot more power as compared to those aircraft----.
As for visibility---again---with all those nice gadget since there---visibility is a lesser issue----.
For me the biggest concern is the loiter time----. That was the reason the Syrians and the Egyptian MIG21s could not put up a fight---.