Author Profile: Syed Aseem Ul Islam is PhD candidate at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, specializing in adaptive and model-predictive flight control systems. He received his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad, and his master’s degree in flight dynamics and control from the University of Michigan.
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) recently revealed a wide range of updates on its projects, including its next-generation fighter aircraft (NGFA) program under Project AZM, the status of the JF-17 Block-III, and several other key focus areas.[1]
First Steps Towards Digital Engineering
Air Marshal Noman highlighted that PAC has been using digital engineering tools and processes to refine its JF-17 production line. PAC is applying digitization, where feasible, to boost the output and improve the quality of JF-17-related manufacturing. Air Marshal Noman added that PAC is collaborating (possibly with the newly established Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Computing) with other entities on implementing artificial intelligence (AI). This is a strong indicator that the PAF could be thinking about incorporating new maintenance and support processes, such as predictive maintenance using digital twins, to its workflow.
Preliminary Design of the Azm FGFA
In terms of Project AZM, PAC revealed that the “project is being conceptualized and preliminary designs are ongoing.” In other words, the PAF has yet to finalize the design. This revelation is not surprising – for the PAF, the requirements and technologies that would go into the NGFA are fluid in nature, and subject to change over time. In fact, this is a conscientious way of approaching one’s first in-house fighter (much less a next-generation platform). Moreover, PAC is doing a lot of “learning on the job” as it works to build new design, development, and testing infrastructure from scratch to support the program.
According to PAC, AZM is currently in the preliminary design stage, and as a result, the NGFA is still subject to significant changes in design and mission requirements. PAC said that once the PAF finalizes the initial design, it will put AZM through three additional cycles (each spanning two years) of design work. Basically, one can expect numerous changes (and possibly redesigns) between the point the PAC has a preliminary design and when the PAF freezes the final design. This process will take longer than the six years planned.
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