Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-16

[Ash]

ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia has been examining the prospect of becoming a partner in Pakistan's fighter jet program.

Officials said the Saudi Defense Ministry has been reviewing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet program.
The officials said representatives of the ministry as well as the Royal Saudi Air Force were examining the feasibility of procuring JF-17 as part of cooperation with Islamabad."This project could provide the kingdom with technology that could be used in future projects," an official said.

On Jan. 20, Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Salman Bin Sultan visited Pakistan and toured the JF-17 project, modeled after the U.S.-origin F-16 and which entered production in late 2013. Salman, hosted by Pakistani Chief of Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif, was said to have focused on enhanced defense cooperation, including training and an exchange of expertise.

"During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security and enhanced bilateral defense collaboration including training exchange program were discussed," an official statement said.

Pakistan has been deemed the leading strategic ally of Saudi Arabia. Western diplomats said Pakistan, with assistance from China, has provided ballistic missiles and non-conventional weapons expertise to the Gulf
Cooperation Council kingdom.Officials said Pakistan has offered to supply the Saudi military with aircraft, main battle tanks and submarines. They said the offer included technology transfer as well as co-production in Saudi Arabia.
"The expectation is that Saudi purchases from Pakistan will increase over the coming year," the official said.

Saudi eyeing Pakistan’s JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-16 | World Tribune

 

[Srinivas_K]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

JF 17 is just an upgraded version of MIG 21. It lacks Maneuverability and it is interesting to know what features of F16 the latest version of JF17 is incorporating.

 

[jmj_overlord]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

saudis increasing cooperation with pakis........with US relaxing their policies on iran, it seems saudis are knocking on every available doors to counter iran. Anyway lca would have been a better choice had the production fully started.....

 

[mehrotraprince]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

"This project could provide the kingdom with technology that could be used in future projects," an official said.

Which technology the reporter is talking of?
Engine: Russian
Radar: China (Russian copied)
Avionics: Mainly Chinese + European
Airframe: Chinese
Raw material for airframe: China
Software: China
Tires, Parachute brakes etc: China
Design: China

Whats is pakistan's contribution: 50% money during development + payment on soft loans for aircraft cost + assembling Radar, disassembled airframes, avionics etc.

JF-17: Purely metal frame + no full fledged fly by wire + still no confirmed BVR (important because already 2 squadrons are in service) + 3000 hrs life + Only Chinese BVR missiles (in future), since no one shares code source for BVR missiles for integration with foreign radars + Hardly a 4th gen aircraft (yes I mean it).

 

[ladder]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

Has Russia approved engine resale to Saudi Arabia?

Till that happens or the Chinese engine matures, this deal can't materialize.

 

[gadeshi]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

RD-93 reexport is fully granted.
JF-17 is not a complete Chinese development. It bases on MiG LFI-80 (Fighter for Special Periods - cheap fighter for war-time production) project.
The case is that approxymately 1/3 of former MiG engineers has emigrated into China after MiG DB disaster in harsh 90-s.
So, we can see many "very Chinese" faces on several photos. They are "Chinese" engineers Li-Si-Tsin, Si-Ni-Tsin and Van-Ju-Shin (from the Soviet Korean War time folklore)

 

[ladder]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

Has Russia approved engine resale to Saudi Arabia?

Till that happens or the Chinese engine matures, this deal can't materialize.

My bad, Russia has allowed reexport of RD-93 to Saudi Arabia.

Under the inter-governmental bilateral agreement in November 2007 China was allowed to re-export RD-93 as part of FC-1 fighter to Egypt, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Algeria," press service of state arms exporting monopoly ROE was quoted as saying by the daily. - See more at: Russia blocks sale of engines for Sino-Pak fighter jets - Hindustan Times

Russia blocks sale of engines for Sino-Pak fighter jets - Hindustan Times

 

[kseeker]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia has been examining the prospect of becoming a partner in Pakistan's fighter jet program.

Officials said the Saudi Defense Ministry has been reviewing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet program.

Paki's must be jumping out of joy :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

Buy 1 JF-17 and get 1 Paki Pilot, life time support/ugrades FREE

Why would Saaudi's are even reviewing that Junk Fighter in the first place? the recent Saaudi - Amreeka stranded relationship over Iran crisis?

 

[sayareakd]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

why would rich man would buy cheap car.

same way why would KSA would buy cheap fighter when they can afford top of the line fighter.

 

[amoy]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

why would rich man would buy cheap car.

same way why would KSA would buy cheap fighter when they can afford top of the line fighter.

key words in the original post include - partner, co-production, tech transfer, shared expertise, strategic ally.

see the full array of offers our pal Pakistan proposes to GCC?

these things cant b bought with money even the capability of "reverse engineering"

Sent from my 5910 using Tapatalk 2

 

[sayareakd]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

key words in the original post include - partner, co-production, tech transfer, shared expertise, strategic ally.

see the full array of offers our pal Pakistan proposes to GCC?

these things cant b bought with money even the capability of "reverse engineering"

Sent from my 5910 using Tapatalk 2

Come on KSA dont even fly their own fighters they have foreign fighters. Do you seriously care to have production facility. All they need to do is to call and fighter will be at their runway. They are so loaded with $$$$.

 

[gadeshi]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

key words in the original post include - partner, co-production, tech transfer, shared expertise, strategic ally.

see the full array of offers our pal Pakistan proposes to GCC?

these things cant b bought with money even the capability of "reverse engineering"

Sent from my 5910 using Tapatalk 2

Yeah, Saudis have no tech or experience to produce any viable fighters, even such a simple one as JF-17.
And no country except China will transfer that techs to them.

 

[amoy]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

KSA, welcome aboard JF17 too!:thumb:

Fighter talks may afford Argentina advanced Chinese missile systems - IHS Jane's 360

Argentina may be in a position to field advanced Chinese air-to-air and anti-ship weaponry if talks regarding the potential co-production of the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) FC-1/JF-17 multirole combat aircraft come to fruition.

FAdeA officials told IHS Jane's that technology transfer issues remain a sticking point for potential co-production of the FC-1/JF-17. Nonetheless, the discussions are the first formal effort that could lead to the co-production of a modern Chinese fighter in Latin America. They added that the co-produced FC-1 could be called the 'Pulqui-III', recalling FAdeA's Pulqui-II, Latin America's first swept wing jet fighter, which was designed by Germany's Kurt Tank for the government of Juan Peron.

 

[bose]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

What a combination, designed by Isrealis based on F-16, a Russian engine, french avionics and Chinese duplicates... Saudis have gone mad!!!

 

[ninja85]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

Whats is pakistan's contribution: 50% money during development + payment on soft loans for aircraft cost + assembling Radar, disassembled airframes, avionics etc.

first pakibeggars begs money from china,then china gives them loan and pakibeggars invest that loan money back into chinese defence programs,

its like you buying loan from the same who is selling you a car.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

Saudi`s need a cheap aircraft to bomb rebels out at cheaper price than using some big F-15 ..

 

[sydsnyper]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

China eventually could end up arming all unworthy buyers (mostly in africa and middle east) and fuel an arms race, they lack the conscience for it anyway. It could be more dangerous than the arms race fueled by the cold war, at least in those days there were set allies and factions to whom arms would be sold to.

 

[amoy]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

In his new memoir, Robert Gates describes a 2010 meeting where Saudi leader King Abdullah agreed to the enormous arms purchase. Gates said the king's advisers wanted him to buy French or Russian jets, but King Abdullah opted for the U.S. ones because, according to Gates, "he saw the huge purchase as an investment in a long-term strategic relationship with the United States, linking our militaries for decades to come."

Still, since that time U.S.-Saudi ties have soured amid disagreements over Iran, Syria and Palestine. In October of last year, the Wall Street Journal reported that "the Saudis told the U.S. that they were open to alternatives to their long-standing defense partnership, emphasizing that they would look for good weapons at good prices." Then, shortly after the P5+1 and Iran inked an interim agreement on the latter's nuclear program in November, an advisor to the Saud family told reporters that Saudi Arabia is looking for other allies besides the U.S. Many believe that the Saudi government views Pakistan as a more reliable strategic ally than the United States.

Pakistan, for its part, has long been trying to find countries to buy the JF-17 in order to reduce the per-unit cost the Pakistan Air Force pays for procuring the plane.

As The Diplomat reported back in October, the Pakistani Air Force expects to begin exporting the aircraft this year. A report that ran in multiple Pakistani newspapers at the time said: "The Pakistan Air Force has been assigned [a] target of exporting 5 to 7 JF-17 Thunder planes next year and discussions in this regard are under way with Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Qatar and other friendly countries."

Yet China and Pakistan have long struggled to find customers for the JF-17, which China calls the FC-1. This hasn't been for lack of trying, as the two countries have aggressively marketed the plane over the last few years. For example, a Flight Global article in 2010 said that China was in negotiations with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Venezuela, while Pakistan was in talks with Turkey and Egypt. Later there were reports that Argentina and China were in talks about a co-production deal for the FC-1, while Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro confirmed Pakistan had offered his country the JF-17, saying it was superior to the U.S. F-16.

Last month, when rolling out the Block-II JF-17 aircrafts, the project director, Air Vice Marshal Javaid Ahmad, said that "several countries in Central Asia, South America and Africa had shown interest in buying the new plane."

Although Saudi Arabia is rarely mentioned in these reports, there have been some rumors that Saudi Arabia is interested in buying the aircraft. Indian media outlets, quoting Russian industry publications, reported in 2010 that Russia had blocked sales of its RD-93 engines to China over concerns that the JF-17/ FC-1 would compete in international markets with Russia's own MiG-29.

The Indian reports quoted Russia's state arms export monopoly, Rosoboronexport (ROE), as saying in a press release: "Under the inter-governmental bilateral agreement in November 2007 China was allowed to re-export RD-93 as part of FC-1 fighter to Egypt, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Algeria."

Pakistani JF-17s have also periodically made re-fueling stops in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia May Buy Pakistani-Chinese Fighter Jets | The Diplomat

 

[Blackwater]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

may be saudi want to equipped taliban with jf-17. as it is proved saudi are the biggest funder of taliban in pakistan

 

[Haman10]

Re: Saudi eyeing Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, modeled from U.S. F-1

so great !

then we have more saudi junk to shoot down and inflict more damage

just in case

who buys jf-17 anyway ? except saudiz of course