Non-Subscriber Extract
Pakistan considers mix of Chinese, French weapons for its JF-17s
By Reuben F Johnson
29 November 2007
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) may operate a mixed fleet of JF-17 fighter aircraft with some using Chinese radars and missiles and others operating French radars and air-to-air missiles, according to senior Pakistani officials.
Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) is currently considering an offer from France's defence procurement agency (Délegation Générale pour l'Armement - DGA) to supply Thales RC 400 radars and MBDA MICA air-to-air missiles for integration onto the JF-17 fighter, which is being produced co-operatively with China's Chengdu Aircraft Industries Group.
The programme's managers told Jane's that they are "quite serious" about integrating this European equipment onto the JF-17 and that the "offer [to purchase this equipment] is also quite serious".
Currently the PAC and the PAF are conducting flight evaluations of prototype aircraft fitted with the Chinese-built NRIET KLJ-10 radar and the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation /China Leihua Electronic Technology Research Institute SD-10/PL-12 active-homing medium-range air-to-air missile.
Image: A JF-17 fighter aircraft displayed at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex at Kamra, outside Islamabad. (Pakistan Aeronautical Complex)