On 12 March 2019, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) announced that it test fired a new domestically developed precision-guided munition from a JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighter.
“The successful trial has provided JF-17 Thunder a very potent and assured day and night capability to engage variety of targets with pinpoint accuracy,” the PAF stated through an official press release.
The PAF did not provide information about the munition’s range or capabilities, except releasing a video of the munition launching and hitting its target.
Interestingly, the object in the video was obscured with a black box, indicating that the PAF did not want to disclose the design or characteristics of the new munition.
Had the new munition been a Range Extension Kit (REK)-equipped Mark-80-series general purpose bomb (GPB), there would have been little reason to obscure its new test video.
The REK had already been revealed to the public, with the PAF even showing a video of it launching from the JF-17 during the 2018 International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) in November of last year.
Moreover, the REK’s marketing company, Global Industrial & Defence Solutions (GIDS), also revealed the technical specifications and capabilities of the REK since at least IDEAS 2016.
Quwa Plus
Go Beyond the Headlines on Pakistan’s Defence and Security.
Quwa Plus gives you deeper reporting, briefings, and analysis on Pakistan’s defence programs, foreign policy, national security, and regional strategy. Follow the developments that matter to professionals, analysts, and serious readers tracking Pakistan’s security landscape.
Join ($29.99/Year) Already a subscriber?Sign in
