JF-17X- A Pakistani Stealth Fighter

[santa cruz slugg]

One option that comes to mind is the RBE2, which according to pshamim is being considered. (I know its PESA but I read somewhere its got an AESA version too, or perhaps in the near future).

I might be wrong but isn't the RBE2 the Rafales radar? There is a AESA version being built for the French Air Force and it would be on the Rafale if Brazil or India or UAE chose them. I don't know if its for export though. When the secon JF-17 batch comes out it would be brand new so i don't know if France would give it to the JF-17.
I always assumed that there would be a Chinese AESA on the JF-17. The only AESA's for export currently are the F-16 upgrade and the Elta 2052 (when its finished development). I don't think that there is a need to rush putting the AESA on the JF-17. The older blocks can be upgraded with it later on anyway. Might as well get a solid AESA instead of putting the first available one that comes along.

 

[Hasnain2009]

We dont have any true 4.5 gen AC, any we are expecting 5gen stealth, and build by PAC, its too much!! Stealth jet means all weapons loaded internally, so current JF-17 cant be upgraded to stealth, and study for new AC cant be started, bcoz its needs billions of $$, be pratical, we cant make stealth, even china cant make stealth before 2015, only PAF is upgrading JF-17 massively with adding minor stealth features and western avionics, and ECM pods and electronic warfare!!

 

[ARSENAL6]

Nothing is impossible. Inshallah PAF will have its own 5th generation fighter air craft.

Inishallah Pakistan will have 7th generation fighter while her enimies dream of a 6th.

 

[Destructlord]

When its gonna fly?

 

[ironman]

JF-17X- A Pakistani Stealth Fighter

In what is seen as a counter to India’s effort to jointly develop the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) with Russia’s Sukhoi Aircraft Corp, Pakistan’s Kamra-based Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and China’s Chengdu Aerospace Corp (CAC) last October inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop an advanced, stealthy, single-seat and single-engined derivative of the JF-17 Thunder fourth-generation light multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) that is already being co-developed by PAC and CAC. Consequently, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is expected to induct only 100 JF-17s into service between this year and 2014, and subsequently switch over to the acquisition of another 150 JF-17-derived fifth-generation stealthy MRCAs between 2015 and 2025. Present plans call for the latter MRCA to be powered by SNECMA Moteurs’ M88-3 twin-shaft bypass turbofan, incorporate a digital glass cockpit and open-architecture avionics suite, and use SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems’ Vixen 500E X-band multi-mode active phased-array radar, or AESA, an integrated electronic warfare/defensive aids suite being developed by China’s CETC, along with a helmet-mounted sighting-cum-cueing system for which systems from THALES, BAE Systems and Denel Aerospace are being evaluated. The M88 turbofan for this aircraft will have variable camber inlet guide vanes, while its high-pressure compressor will have a sixth stage, and its exhaust nozzle will be of the ejector type. The turbofan will deliver 50kN (11,250lb) of dry thrust and 75kN (17,000lb) with afterburning. The primary offensive armament to be carried by this aircraft will be two underwing-mounted Hatf-8 (also called ‘Raad’ or ‘thunder’ in Arabic) air-launched cruise missile, which has a range of 350km. For air combat engagements, the stealthy MRCA will be armed with three types of air-to-air missiles: 60km-range PL-12 beyond visual range missile; 15km-range PL-13 within visual range missile; and PL-14 ramjet-powered 100km-range missile. The latter two have been developed by China in cooperation with South Africa’s Denel Aerospace.


Defence Aviation

5th Generation with inferior thrust than current?. I doubt credibility of the link.

 

[mean_bird]

5th Generation with inferior thrust than current?. I doubt credibility of the link.

This is all fanboy discussion if you haven't noticed yet.

But to answer your question, fanboy pics show twin engines so thrust shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Munir]

I feel that the JF-17 aircraft will not morph into JF-17X, but I believe that the
JF-17 design can/will definitely evolve into something more futuristic if Pakistan
so desires. Allow me to quote the example of the MCA currently on the boards in India,
though a new aircraft altogether, the design borrows heavily from the LCA.

What I'm saying is that while there will might not be an aircraft called 'JF-17 Stealth Fighter', there might be another aircraft called 'JF-23 Stealth fighter' which might look a little like the JF-17X(as shown in the initial post on this thread) and would have borrowed quite a few things from the JF-17, but will be a new aircraft altogther. And that new aircraft can definitely be a 5th generation.

On the other hand, whats stopping a current model JF-17 into being converted into something stealthy? Let's remember that most of the aircraft nowadays are run by sophisticated fly-by-wire systems which are advanced enough to compensate for any minor deficiencies in the design (they can even make a washing machine fly I guess!!) and also the digital data structure of current aircraft are also built to be expandable.

So considering the above why can't a few radar-deflecting curves be added to the current JF-17 aircraft and a few more tinkering here & there to turn the current JF-17s into JF-117s. Huh? could some engineers offer their thoughts?

Look at the LCA there is hardly anything evolving in the design. It is basicly a downgraded Mirage 2000 but then with numerous parties helping to get it in acceptable by IAF.

The JF17 had a different frontal area. Then it added DSI. It added Lerx. And I think it will add lot more cause it is plug and play design. About MRCA. Look at some pics ok Keymag. It is just F35 with totally misdesigned LCA wings... If someone knows the basic of designs then you will notice some major errors. Not that I did all my aviation design classes but I surely remember most of them.

The LCA has hardly potential to evolve. No wonder Dassault went to Rafale. No wonder MRCA is different idea. JF17 can do a lot more. F16 went from the old A model to block60... That is serious evolving... Jf17 now is basicly block32-block40... There is plenty room for better performance. But one must not forget that UCAVS and stealth planes are more important...

 

[Arsalan]

well for me ots not a good idea,

we must have a stealth fighter but we may jointly produce it with China or someone else. there had been talks about the option for China Pakistan and Turkey to jointly produce one, but it must be a new platform. we must not dream of JF17 turning into a 5 th generation AC. it is Meant ot be a low cost expor oriented AC seeking to replace the F7 , Mig 21 and the A5 fleets. we cannot turn it int an F35 or something!!

also we will not be able to accquire the 5th generation plane on large number as it will surely be expensive, the jf 17 must be improved intensively by accquiring a new radar, more composites and more hard points, this will help us to fill in the neymerical gap of the PAF fleet by inducting the in number and it will be good enought to compete the SU27 ot the Mig29zz

that is the most we must demand of the JF17, this is what it can turn out to be and this is what will be good enough for us!
for a 5 th generation we can chose to either but two or three squadrons or jointly produce them!

may Allah Help Us

 

[MadDog]

Guys can some one give a link from a reliable site...to support this fact that JF 17-X is being developed.

 

[mean_bird]

Guys can some one give a link from a reliable site...to support this fact that JF 17-X is being developed.

You want a reliable site for a fanboy rumor?

 

[Kharian_Beast]

You want a reliable site for a fanboy rumor?

Gold medal goes to mean_bird.

 

[AjnabiZ]

Here is a Photoshop image

 

[saiko]

uh yeah take one look at the shape of the JF-17. you can not take that article seriously. they would be better off starting from scratch.

and the other upgrades talked about - apg-79 goes for $3.5 million new. a helmet mounted sight and a slightly better engine (how much could that possibly cost given what's in there right now? not much) and you've substantially upgraded a very cheap fighter. those are all tangibles that will help it while still keeping the cost down. giving it supercruise would be rather pointless imo. spend the money on the better radar, engine, ECM and better missiles and call it a day by buying a bunch of them.

round out your f-16/fc-20 inventory to give you something that can credibly take on the su-30 and perform cost effective upgrades until china comes up with a 5th gen player, buy some of those and by then you'll be looking forward to UCAVs and such.

 

[Hayreddin]

Here is a Photoshop image

good joke ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
my brother ,dont do only copy paste,,,,,,,,
this pic nothing to do with jf17 project.

 

[SBD-3]

Well guys I dont have the knowledge and exprience as you all have but what I cant understand is that why PAF would go for a stealth fighter even if at current it is not even in a position to manufecture all the components of JF-17? it would take years and years to develop stealth fighters look at the the multi billion dollars projects like F/A-22 and JF/A-35 do you onestly think pakistan has such financial capasity? even thunder havent matured yet and still its early stages.Firstly PAF should go through the process as planned because JF-17 is not ment to be a deep strike fighter like J-10.It is more a CAS and Interceptor, a true light weight multirole machine.With Ra'ad giving PAF comprehensive stand-off capability the case for a stealth plane is not appropariate at the moment. I think PAC should design a new fighter from scratches that would fit into the role .Here Pakistan can have a lot of benifit like the reasearch can be bought from "blood brothers" a major cost elimination factor and futher such a project can also be co-owned with a financially sound partner like KSA for example for continious funding
or PAF can make a commitment with PLAAF for future point ToT for J-10 or J-11
I think if PAF is able to get through thunder project and perhaps go for both J-10 and J-11 then we dont need any stealth fighters, Just potent radars and good missiles on excellent fighters to nail any 5th gen threat from IAF