JF-17 Program Continues to Grow

Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani extended the government’s complete support of the JF-17 Thunder aircraft program. PM said this project has proven to be a great positive in the Pak-China relationship.

“This is the project that can become a true flagship of the historic cooperation and strengthen the relationship between our two countries”. These were the words of Gilani as he addressed a gathering of Chinese and Pakistani technicians during his visitation to the JF-17 manufacturing facility at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.

He also expressed his satisfaction and pride of the successful progress of the JF-17 program and the fact that it is constantly completing milestones. The JF-17 project is definitely one of the biggest joint project going on between Pakistan and its strategic partner – China. Both governments expect that such cooperation will strengthen their time-tested relationship. Gilani said that every Pakistani is cherishing the help which China provides to the JF-17 program and a couple of other project. PM believes this project will write another glorious chapter in the history of the cooperation between the two countries.

Gilani wasn’t the only official visiting the factory, other names there were General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force were also visitors of the factory. They had the opportunity to witness the amazing progress which the JF=17 aircraft manufacturing program has achieved.

The JF-17 project is one of the most ambitious Pakistani programs and it has successfully complete many milestones. Thanks to this program, Pakistan can now proudly stand amongst the group of countries which manufacture modern combat aircraft.

The JF-17 is one of the most cost-effective, multi-role combat aircraft and it is specifically designed to meet the needs of the Pakistan Air Force.

The first batch is expected to be of 50 JF-17 Thunder aircraft which are to be equipped with the Chinese radar and SD-10 Beyond Visual Range Missile. Later batches are expected to be equipped with a more advanced radar.

The JF-17 military program is not the only program Pakistan-China cooperate on, other programs include F-22p Frigate and ZDK-03, which consists of Chinese AESA radar mounted on the Y-8F600 platform.

Pakistan Tested Babur Cruise Missile

Pakistan on Thursday test fired a Babur cruise missile, a missile which has been a development of NESCOM.

Pakistan’s Babur cruise missile with a max range of 700 KM, and subsonic speed is a deadly missile which rivals the Indian BrahMos cruise missile. The missile has the capability of remaining in the terrain hugging mode while being highly maneuverable with pin point accuracy. Babur cruise missile can carry either strategic or conventional warheads.

The test was witnessed by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Khalid Shamim Wynne along with other senior officers from the armed forces. Officers from strategic organizations, scientists and engineers were also present.

Wynne reiterated that the test will go a long way in consolidating Pakistan’s strategic deterrence capability, and further strengthening national security.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani also congratulated the scientists and engineers on the success of the test.

The missile test was a normal procedure for the continuous validating of the system.

Pakistan Navy Fast Attack Craft

On Tuesday, China formally started the manufacturing of two state-of-the-art fast attack missile crafts for the Pakistan Navy. These crafts are an addition to a couple of naval frigates which are being built for the strategic partner.

The ceremony of the Fast Attack Craft FAC(M) of Pakistan Navy was held at Xinggang Shipyard. The Pakistan navy has signed a contract with Offshore International Company Limited (CSOC) & China Shipbuilding for the construction of the two modern missile crafts which will be geared with the latest sensors and weapons.

The Vice Admiral Tanveer Faiz Ahmed of the Pakistan Navy attended the ceremony. The arrangement states that one of the crafts will be built in Tianjin while the other one will be manufactured in Pakistan’s Karachi docks. The first craft was expected to be inducted in the force last October. At the moment there is no information about the financial agreements on this deal.

China is a major weapons system supplier to Pakistan and it is deeply involved in a series of defence projects with its ally. This includes the joint development of the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet which will be manufactured by both countries with engines supplied by Russia.

A couple of naval frigates for the Pakistan Navy are also being constructed in china and at the moment three of them have been inducted into service. The fourth one is still being manufactured in the Karachi Shipyard.

Pakistan Air Force modernization plans

According to officials, Pakistan is negotiating with the U.S to purchase more Lockheed Martin F-16s in addition to the ones which they already have. In the same time Pakistan is developing its defense manufacturing capabilities in order to reduce its dependency on U.S.

Air Chief Marshall Rao Qamar Suleman announced the purchase while attending an air chiefs’ conference. Rao was asked how many aircraft does Pakistan want and he declined to specify a number, but said that all purchases are still in the negotiating stage and nothing is sure.

During 2006 the U.S. Congress agreed on giving Pakistan 28 F-16C/Ds under an excess defence articles scheme. Recently, Pakistan received the first 14 of 28 and according to Rao there is no information when these aircraft will arrive.

At the moment Pakistan’s Air force has a total of 63 F-16/S (45 A/Bs and 18 C/Ds). All of the A/Bs are scheduled to go through a midlife upgrade in order to become C/D aircraft. At the moment the first three of all A/Bs are undergoing the upgrade at Turkish Aero Space Industries (TAI). Rao expects that all of the aircraft will be upgraded by 2013/14. Rao added that four other F-16s were sent to the U.S for technical verification in order to develop the upgrade kits for TAI.

Pakistan is allied not only with the U.S, but also with China which allows them to produce JF-17 fighters at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra. The fighters are jointly developed by Pakistan and China.

Rao stated that since he became chief of air staff, he has put a lot of efforts in increasing Pakistan’s manufacturing capability of defensive installations. This is very important for the country’s future, because it will allow it to become independent of the sanctions and embargoes which U.S has set on it.

The 2nd squadron of JF-17s will become flyable by the end of the March and will simultaneously phase out all Nanchang A-5s ground attack aircraft which Pakistan bought from China.

According to Rao, The Chengdu F-7s and Dassault Mirages will also be replaced by the JF-17s due to the fact that these planes have aged way too much to be safe to fly and in the same time usable in modern warfare. Rao was also asked about the datalinks which will connect F-16s and JF-17s. He responded that Pakistan is working on developing its own solution for this problem. The datalink will be able to send information from the JF-17 to a ground station and from there via special interface the information will be transferred to the F-16s.

Pakistan doesn’t only have various fighter types, but also different models of early warning and control aircraft. At the moment the country has three Saab Erieye aircraft and is expected to receive a fourth one by the mid of 2011. The first Shaanxi ZDK-03 is expected to arrive in the same time. Pakistan has ordered a total of four of these aircraft. Pakistan also has major requirements for its UAVs. The Italian Selex Galileo Falco UAV are currently being used in Pakistan and the government has agreed with the company to manufacture some UAVs in Pakistan which will allow them to export them through the local market. The production of these aircraft is expected to being in 2011.