Yzd Khalifa
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Firstly it's not Pakistan's project- it is China's.
Well at this point then the Tejas should have been seen as a Franco-American-Israeli-Indo project. The Thunder is a Pakistani project and that's that.
I can see the Saudis being somewhat interested in this as they are trying very hard to build up their own defence industrial manufacturing base
This has nothing to do with the sake of enhancing or developing our military machine solely. If this deal is being sealed, which I hope, then KSA will empower its self-defensive capabilities. You may refer to the projects I attached here:
Saudi's AEC to Develop F-15SA Sub-systems and AMRAAMs
Al-Salam Aerospace Industries Begin F-15SA wings production
Saudi Arabia unveils locally developed Gyro-Stablization system
Saudi PSATRI Inaugurates new Research Centers
Saker Family of Saudi UAVs
Saudi Arabia plans 1000 Military industry projects
Saudi Arabia Building a City Dedicated to Military Industry
Saudi Made Drone Showcased
3 Saudi Military UAVs Unveiled
UAE unveils AL-TARIQ Precision Guided Bombs Kit
AEC finishes upgrading all Tornado jets with indigenous systems
Sabic to build carbon fiber plant in Kingdom
Saudi Arabia, S.A Launch Defense Radars, Electronics Research Program
Saudi Advanced Electronics Company (The upcoming Defense Giant)
Saudi Arabia to Manufacture F-15SA Wings Locally
BAE Systems Saudi Arabia in ToT contract with Al-Salam and AEC
Saudi PanNesma signs JV with Rayethon
PSATRI signs ToT agreement with Italian PSA
UAE working on a 500Kg and 1000Kg variant of the Ybhon Xtreme JDAM
Joint UAE-Ukranian Helicopter project QUEST
Yabhon Xtreme. The UAE JDAM.
Middle East Propulsion Company (MEPC)
MADE IN UAE
However I just don't see the Thunder project being all that attractive to them
How do you know that the project isn't attractive to them? Do you know in which role will KSA be going to use it? Maybe this could be a replacement for our aging advance trainer Aircrafts.
Firstly they have 0 need for the Thunder and they are already spending a lot in other areas related to the EFT
Unless you know for what purpose are they going to use the Thunders, we can't be sure about what they need.
lastly what kind of relations do the Saudis have with the Chinese?
Considering the fact that we did procure many Chinese defense equipments in the past, I don't see any a problem which may raise concern to the Chinese or the Pakistanis.
And considering the fact that we signed aplenty of defense agreements among others with both countries, I don't see any problem in this deal.
Not to mention the $70 billions trade-volume between China and KSA.
lastly what kind of relations do the Saudis have with the Chinese.
Based on my first-hand experience on the ground, I see our relations with them being more than excellent.
Would the Chinese even want the Saudis involved? The Chinese will be the ones calling the shots after all- they have the final say.
They just offered an anti-aircraft missile system to KSA last year, and much more. With the good relations we enjoy with Pakistan, China, I guess the deal could see the light sooner than what others might expect.
They hardly need their money and the Saudis bring almost NOTHING to the project from a knowledge point of view.
Money isn't everything in politics. If money could have been a game-changer card, It would have abort the protest in Ukraine, the calls to join the EU, or it could have expanded Iran's influence on Egypt with the $16 billion dollars package they offered to the MB prior to the second revolt.
Speaking of scientific knowledge point of view, I don't think that China or Pakistan can make much more scientific in this. What they simply can do is to reinforce the JF-17 Block 1 into a much more advanced system or they could make an upgrade configurations that's all.
As for KSA, I think it is safe to say that neither China or Pakistan would be interested in the configurations we could make in this jet if we got it. But to us, we could do much much more, you may refer to the links which I attached earlier in this post, again. The new module of the F-15SA has lots of indigenous - Saudi - technology but sadly not much on the Typhoon
All in all I am more than willing to state for the record that nothing will come of this.
No one says that such deal is being stroke as of right now. At the same time we can't be sure that nothing will come into this or that. We simply are looking for a healthy constructive discussion, that's all.
There always seems to be a lot of speculation around the Thunder that turns to naught after a while- how many nations have been reported to be "seriously' interested in the Thunder now? And how many export orders? I'm not sure if it is just spin or someone is intentionally making things up but it makes one very cynical about anything that is reported on the Thunder from this point of view
I don't think that the Pakistanis are dying for getting their jet sold here and there. As I stated earlier, nothing being cynical in this. We only want a healthy debate that's all.
Aside, just for the record, most of our military projects with Pakistan as well as China, are being sealed while the radar is being turned off.
Firstly it's not Pakistan's project- it is China's.
I can see the Saudis being somewhat interested in this as they are trying very hard to build up their own defence industrial manufacturing base. However I just don't see the Thunder project being all that attractive to them. Firstly they have 0 need for the Thunder and they are already spending a lot in other areas related to the EFT and lastly what kind of relations do the Saudis have with the Chinese? Would the Chinese even want the Saudis involved? The Chinese will be the ones calling the shots after all- they have the final say. They hardly need their money and the Saudis bring almost NOTHING to the project from a knowledge point of view.
All in all I am more than willing to state for the record that nothing will come of this.
There always seems to be a lot of speculation around the Thunder that turns to naught after a while- how many nations have been reported to be "seriously' interested in the Thunder now? And how many export orders? I'm not sure if it is just spin or someone is intentionally making things up but it makes one very cynical about anything that is reported on the Thunder from this point of view.