Chinese Fighter Jets to Reach Pakistan

Chinese Fighter Jets to Reach Pakistan
Russia has officially sanctioned China to re-export aircraft engines to Pakistan. The permit revives the chance of supplying 150 China’s JF-17 fighter jets to Pakistan and the $238-million contract for delivering aircraft engines from Russia with the optional extension to $3.75 billion. In president’s administration, they don’t think deliveries will cloud military and engineering cooperation of Russia and India, which budget is estimated at $1.5 billion a year.
It was a source with Russia’s government that leaked information about Russia’s-Chinese agreement for joint assembly of JF-17 fighter jets with RD-93 engines of Klimov works’ design (made by Chernyshev works) and for selling the aircraft to third countries – Pakistan and a few states of South-East Asia and Africa. “The standing of China is traditionally very strong” there, the source said.

President Vladimir Putin personally supervised the deal and inked sanctioning documents, representatives of president’s administration specified. The deal was backed up by all parties concerned – Defense Ministry, Federal Industry Agency and Rosoboronexport, which is the state exporter of weapons.

But the sanction doesn’t mean adding Pakistan to the list of states of direct military and technical cooperation with Russia. It is rather the matter of a single contract.

Under the contract with China, Pakistan will get 150 JF-17 Thunder (FC-1) fighter jets worth $2.3 billion overall. In 2005, Rosoboronexport made a $238-million contract with China to deliver for FC-1s a hundred RD-93 engines, spares to them and to provide maintenance. Beijing is ready to buy up to 1,000 engines, should they be upgraded for thrust augmentation. In this case, the aggregate budget of contract will step up to $3.75 billion.

www.kommersant.com...

In other fighter news regarding chinese fighters, the J-10 fighter is now being tested with the chinese made WS-10A engine

J-10 Fighter to be Fitted with a Chinese-Made Engine


Chinese media reported on 15 April that the Chengdu J-10 fighter was to be fitted with a indigenously-built engine "within this year".

According to the report, a senior official of Chengdu-based 611 Aircraft Design Institute recently told the press that although the early production variant of the J-10 was fitted with a foreign-made engine for lower risk, the fighter would certainly be fitted with a Chinese indigenous engine, and this was likely to happen this year.

Currently the J-10 fighters in service with the PLA Air Force are powered by a Russian-made Lyulka-Saturn AL-31F turbofan engine. This means that the aircraft cannot be sold to a foreign customer without Russia’s consent. Such a limitation was reflected in the sale of another Chinese-made fighter FC-1/JF-17, which also uses the Russian-made engine. To avoid offending its biggest weapon buyer India, Russia was reluctant to allow the fighter powered by its RD93 engine to be exported to Pakistan, causing delays in the delivery of the fighter.

China has been developing its own WS-10A (commercial name: Taihang) turbofan engine for over a decade, but the project has encountered enormous technical difficulties. The engine was only certified for design finalisation in early 2006. Integration of the engine with the J-10 fighter is believed to be underway at Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.

Although the J-10 has yet been offered to the export market, many countries including Pakistan, Thailand, and Sri Lanka have already expressed their interests in this fighter. Once the fighter is fitted with the Chinese indigenous engine, it can be sold to any customer without restriction.

sinodefence.com...

I suspect this has alot to do with serious haggling, bartering and negotiating between the Russian and Indian authorities in areas ranging from BrahMos-Yakhont exports, the PAK-FA program, the MRCA tender, Akula II lease/purchaser(ATV support) etc etc..

Like I'd said before, these decisions are permanent... only until someone goes and does a 180 again!


Somehow I feel the MiG-35 is not such a strong contender for the MRCA anymore.

But I seriously hope they don't buy the F-18 or F-16!

Typhoon or Rafale!


btw I like the wording here:

The permit revives the chance of supplying 150 China’s JF-17 fighter jets to Pakistan and the $238-million contract for delivering aircraft engines from Russia with the optional extension to $3.75 billion. In president’s administration, they don’t think deliveries will cloud military and engineering cooperation of Russia and India, which budget is estimated at $1.5 billion a year.

"The permit revives the chance of supplying..."??!!
Aww c'mon gimme a break..
Finalise it(or scuttle it) once and for all!

In other news

Pakistan starts domestic production of JF-17 fighter

Pakistan has begun domestic production of the JF-17 Thunder fighter, with its air force hoping to take delivery of up to 10 aircraft and form an operational squadron by year-end.

Jointly developed with China, where it is designated the FC-1, the aircraft will initially use Russian-made RD-93 engines - a move that has raised India's ire - but will eventually be powered by China's developmental WS-13.

Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed, air force chief of staff, says the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) will be able to manufacture 15 fighters within the next year, with the rate increasing to 25 a year by 2011.

Islamabad already has two JF-17s and will take delivery of six more from China by early February to test avionics and weapon systems. Under the terms of its contract with Chengdu Aircraft, Pakistan will buy 150 domestically produced JF-17s to replace its Chengdu F-7Ps, but it could eventually procure 300 aircraft to reduce its dependence on US- and Russian-built fighters.
Link

6 More FC-1s have arrived in Pakistan

I have a few technical questions on this a/c which I have not spent much time finding:

-What is the max mach at sea level?

-What are the weapon suites of the current delivered/in-manufacture versions of the JF-17? All Chinese or western-compatible as of now itself? So that is already delivered PL-9Cs, SD-10s, and other jazz?

-Are these delivered versions undergoing some induction procedures and are they serving as OCUs? When will they be operationally deployed in sqns? It seems IOC will not be reached till end 2008? When is FOC expected?

Originally posted by Daedalus3
-Are these delivered versions undergoing some induction procedures

As far as I am aware, the FC-1 is there for the Pakistanis to test the new system and tactics. No weapons as yet, they seem to be using the simulator to do that for now at least.

Top speed is not released to my knowledge.

One thing for certain is that 50 of the first aircraft will be having Chinese avionics systems which will be manufactured in Pakistan to some extent (I think its 60%)