Azerbaijan confirms JF-17 delivery

One of the JF-17s at Nasosnaya Air Base. (Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Azerbaijan)

JF-17 multirole fighters are now in service with the Azerbaijani Air Force, it was confirmed on 6 July, when the country's Ministry of Defence (MoD) released a video showing the new aircraft for the first time.

The single-seat JF-17s 24-501 and 24-502 were shown taking off with three external fuel tanks and no weapons. Patches worn by the pilots identified the Azerbaijani variant as the JF-17C Block III.

The MoD did not name the airbase where the video was filmed but it could be identified as Nasosnaya, which satellite imagery shows has recently undergone a significant upgrade that included the construction of 16 aircraft shelters.

The footage of the two pilots walking to their aircraft showed 24-501 was under the 12th shelter and 24-502 was further down the line with the noses of two more JF-17s protruding from the neighbouring shelters. At least five Su-25 strike aircraft, which are normally based at Kyurdamir, were parked under the shelters further up the line.

The JF-17s had the word ‘Jaguar' written in Latin script and a graphic of the wild cat on their tails, presumably the emblem of the new squadron that has been established to operate the aircraft. The Azerbaijani Su-25s with the new grey livery have a wolf graphic on their noses but the unit is called the Su-25 Squadron.

For more, please see: Azerbaijan reveals long-range air surveillance radar acquisition