(IHS Janes)The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has discussed buying Su-35 'Flanker-E' fighter aircraft from Russia in potentially the largest defence deal between the two countries, but a final decision is yet to be made, a senior Pakistani government official has confirmed to IHS Jane's .
The official was responding to Russian media reports that Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov had said talks were underway for an unspecified number of Su-35s, which follow a recent agreement to provide Mi-35M 'Hind E' attack helicopters to Islamabad.
While the official said "it's too early to say if a deal will conclude and the terms", the fact that discussions have taken place shows Russia's willingness to sell advanced hardware with Pakistan despite Moscow's longstanding ties with India.
The official said Pakistan's interest in the Su-35 was driven by the PAF's need for a twin-engine fighter "that can fly for a longer range than the JF-17 and penetrate more deeply into the enemy's territory". The PAF flies a mixed fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16s, Dassault Mirage-5s, Chinese-manufactured F-7s, and the JF-17 Thunder, which is jointly produced by China and Pakistan.
In November 2014 a senior Pakistani official told IHS Jane's that Pakistan was in discussions with China to buy 30 to 40 FC-31s - the export version of China's J-31 fifth-generation platform. At the time, the official told IHS Jane's that Pakistan was interested in the platform partly because it was fitted with two RD-93 Russian Klimov engines, which also powers the JF-17. PAF officials have also told IHS Jane's in the past that they have considered the purchase of up to 40 Chengdu J-10 fighters.
ANALYSIS
So, It is official now!
So, It is official now!
Finally Pakistan is looking for building a response for expanding Indian maritime aviation threat after induction of Mig-29K on board INS Vikramaditya. Pakistan Naval Aviation and PAF both have no match for such potent aircraft in Indian arsenal. Need for a twin engine fighter for this particular role was there since long time. But Pakistan's problem are multi-folded. Not only IAF and IN have high tech fighter jets in numbers, India has a long coastal line along Arabian Sea which runs southwards deep into Indian Ocean. This coastline provide strategic depth to IN and IAF against any PN/PAF response in case of war. Keeping all these point in mind, SU-35 is perhaps the most suitable fighter PAF must procure. It has both the range and higher payload. PAF's current fighter inventory lack on range parameter particularly. According to IHS Janes, the negotiations are still in early phase hopefully this time PAF would not make a mess like they did in 1990's when Pakistan was interested in securing a deal of SU-27 Basic flanker model from Ukraine!
