Quwa Premium’s Monthly Report for February 2018 provides a detailed overview of the leading events affecting the development of the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighter program. It starts with discussing the factors that led to the development of the JF-17, providing context of the PAF’s rationale and interests in its decision-making. This is joined by an outline of pertinent JF-17-related events in 2017, such as the raising of the No. 14 Squadron, maiden test-flight of the JF-17B, deliveries of Aselsan ASELPOD targeting pods and others. Context is provided (using open-source references) in regards to the PAF’s subsystem, weapon and powerplant selections, which had all steered the JF-17 to its current form. This report concludes with an outlook of the JF-17 program in 2018 along with an overview of potential interests for the industry in regards to the forthcoming JF-17 Block-III.
Background on the JF-17
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) embarked on the process of domestically manufacturing a multi-role fighter in the aftermath of recurring sanctions, most notably by the US through the Pressler Amendments, which resulted on a hold of 28 F-16A/B Block-15 OCU (Operational Capability Upgrade) fighters ordered and paid for by Pakistan. However, through the 1990s it was also apparent that there was a paucity of affordable fighters that could be procured in relatively sizable numbers, i.e. to supplant the PAF’s aging Shenyang F-6s. The Peace Gate III/IV F-16s (i.e. 71 in total) were supposed to assume that task, but Pressler firmly put an end to that prospect, and the alternatives – i.e. the Mirage 2000 and JAS-39A/B Gripen – were either too costly or simply untenable due to political challenges.
Interestingly, Pakistan had toyed with the idea of domestically manufacturing a fighter much earlier than taking on the JF-17. In 1949, an advisor to the Pakistani Ministry of Defence – Mir Laiq Ali – had apparently begun negotiations with Lockheed Martin to supply – along with assembly and eventually manufacturing – F-80 fighters to Pakistan.[1] However, this effort was scuttled amid pressure from Britain on the Pakistani government, resulting in the transfer of 36 Supermarine Attackers to the then Royal Pakistan Air Force.[2] In 1987, the PAF awarded Northrop Grumman and the Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC) a contract to study a significant upgrade of CAC’s F-7 involving a solid nose, side-intakes, the General Electric (GE) F-404 turbofan engine and modern Western radar and avionics.[3] However, US sanctions on China following the Tiananmen Square incident along with mounting costs shelved that program (Sabre II).
In 1992, CAC offered the PAF an opportunity to support a clean-sheet design, which the PAF accepted in 1994, resulting in a memorandum-of-understanding (MoU) being signed in 1995.[4] The design of the fighter was frozen in 1996, with a co-development contract being signed in 1999.[5] Russia’s Mikoyan was also contracted by CAC to provide consultation support, while Klimov was sought to supply its RD-93 turbofan engine. Furthermore, a workshare production contract was signed which would see Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) manufacture 58% of the fighter, particularly the airframe.[6]
Designated Super-7, the first prototype rolled-out in China in 2003, with its maiden test-flight occurring in August 2003.[7] However, an updated design would fly in May 2006 – i.e. Prototype 4 – which incorporated revised leading-edge root extensions (LERX) and diverterless supersonic intakes (DSI).[8] Prototype 4 formed the basis of the final JF-17, which the PAF began testing from March 2007 through 2010.[9] In April 2011, the PAF converted its two Nanchang A-5 squadrons – No. 16 and No. 26 – to the JF-17 Block-I, stationing the former in Kamra and the later in Peshawar.[10] In February 2015, the first JF-17 Block-II conducted its maiden flight, with the twin-seat JF-17B following in April 2017.[11][12]
The PAF JF-17 in 2017
By the end of 2017, PAC rolled-out the 50th JF-17 Block-II, resulting in a total of 100 JF-17s in service with the PAF (or entering service in the near-future). Thus far, the JF-17s have been allocated to at a minimum of five frontline squadrons: No. 16, No. 26, No. 2, No. 14 and Combat Commanders School. The PAF raised a sixth JF-17 unit In February through an entirely fighter squadron – i.e. No. 28 “Phoenix” – in Quetta.[13]
With No. 28 stationed at Quetta, the PAF has spread JF-17s across each of its operational environments, i.e. maritime (No. 2), central (No. 14 and No. 16), north (No. 26) and the west (No. 28). The allocation to Quetta indicates that the PAF is aiming to greatly strengthen its Western Front (borders with Afghanistan and Iran) but also potentially have a permanent unit of executing counterinsurgency (COIN) operations in the southwest region (complementing No. 26 in the north and northwest). However, COIN will not be the sole capability of the No. 28, but mission flexibility appears to be among the PAF’s objectives.
It is curious that a new fighter squadron was raised as the JF-17 was converting F-7P units. Thus, No. 18 – an operational conversion unit (OCU) equipped with the F-7P and FT-7P – made sense as the next unit to transition. However, the PAF raised a new lead-in-fighter-trainer (LIFT) unit designated ‘Shooter Squadron’, suggesting that the remnant F-7P/FT-7P could be allocated to that unit. Interestingly, the PAF has yet to commit to orders for the dual-seat JF-17B, and though it remains tentative on its plans, the JF-17B could be sought as a dual-LIFT and OCU platform in the future.[14]
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