Pakistan Space Agency
SENIOR MEMBER
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- Apr 22, 2019
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That is literally the best outcome...i.e., a 75-100% 'Made in Pakistan' high-tech fighter that will replace the most numerous fighter in our air force. This solves economies-of-scale and controls acquisition cost. It also gives us the ability to build quantity in our air power, but without compromising quality (since it'd be an unstable 5+/6-gen).
Moreover, the scope of "lightweight" will keep changing. In the 1950s, it meant F-86, and today, it's Gripen/Tejas/JF-17. The Gripen E/F -- still lightweight -- is bigger, and the Indian Tejas Mk2 is moving in that direction.
That is true but Pakistan will have a need for a committed medium-weight class in the future. Putting all eggs in one weight class doesn't sound very wise.
In my humble opinion, the JF-17 will become more and more Pakistani over time anyway and the Chinese will probably dropout at some point and by that time Pakistan should have the necessary technological infrastructure in place to build improved Blocks by itself as needed.
But Pakistan needs replacements for F-16s that can carrt larger payloads, especially the nukes and also cover the entirety of India.
At some point Pakistan will not be eye-balling India just in the Kashmir sector or the near vicinity on the other side of the international border but will need something more meaty as a deep strike deterrent.
Just my personal opinion that size matters but it would be great if a single platform like the JF-17 could fulfil all of fighter-bomber needs of the PAF.