In order to meet the local and export order requirements, PAF is going to boost the production of JF-17 Thunder, PAF's median fighter jet, in 2016, top PAF officials told the media.
Air Marshal Javaid Ahmed, chairman of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), was quoted saying, "We are in active negotiations with serious buyers from Asia, Africa and the Middle East for JF-17 Thunder and Super Mushshak and are quite optimistic of signing agreements soon," Air Marshal Ahmed told Khaleej Times at the Dubai Airshow.
Pakistan has already secured the first export order from an undisclosed Asian buyer for its JF-17 Thunder jet fighters at Paris Air Show in June earlier this year.
Air Marshal also made Pakistan's requirements clear at the occasion."We are looking for orders of about 250 aircraft in addition to international sales in the next few years. I'm very hopeful that we would be able to sign another customer for JF-17 Thunder very soon," Air Marshal Ahmed said.
Air Marshal also made Pakistan's requirements clear at the occasion."We are looking for orders of about 250 aircraft in addition to international sales in the next few years. I'm very hopeful that we would be able to sign another customer for JF-17 Thunder very soon," Air Marshal Ahmed said.
This statement by chairman PAC hints a solid progress as far as export effort of JF-17 are concerned. Military aviation industry experts are on the agreement that JF-17 has created serious interest among many developing nations around the world and now PAC is pushing for converting this interest into solid export orders. Major selling point of the JF-17 is its cost, which is likely to be in the rage of $16-$20 depending upon the requirement of client. This price is almost one fourth of US-made F-16 Falcon aircraft.
Telling about new capacity enhancement of JF-17 manufacturing factory at PAC Air Marshal Javail Ahamd told, "Hopefully, we will be producing 20 aircraft at the aeronautical complex," he added.Currently, PAC is producing 16 aircraft annually.
"It takes 10-12 months to garner all resources for production and that is enough time to meet the export commitment. We have been working very closely with our Chinese partners to further increase the production capacity," he told.
Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research, said the JF-17 Thunder sales prospects in the GCC states look very robust given the ongoing security concerns in the region. However, pricing remains an issue to give the jet a chance to effectively compete against other single-seat fighters.
"Given the strong relationship Pakistan enjoys with the likes of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, it's possible export orders would come from these nations first," Ahmad told Khaleej Times.
JF-17 Thunder, which was first inducted in 2010, is co-developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation of China. It is deployed for aerial reconnaissance, ground attack and aircraft interception with an operational ceiling of 55,000 feet. "Pakistan Aeronautical Complex has the capacity to enhance JF-17 Thunder production rates. We initially started at a slow phase and are manufacturing 16 aircraft this year," the chairman said, adding that 12 aircraft have already been produced in 2015 so far and four more will be ready by year-end.
Super Mushak Export:
To a question about Super Mushak, he said Pakistan has already signed a contract for trainer aircraft with Iraq and two more deals are likely to mature in coming months.
"We are actively in negotiations with two other countries in the GCC and Mena region. Some African countries are also keen to buy Super Mushshak, which is a very good military trainer aircraft," he said.
Pakistan signed two deals with Iraq in May 2014 to supply 20 Super Mushshak MFI-17 aircraft and give training to Iraqi Air Force. Denmark, Norway, Iran, Oman, Syria and Saudi Arabia are among other customer of Super Mushshak, which is on static and aerial display at the Dubai Airshow.
