Latest news with #PakistanAeronauticalComplex
India.com
5 days ago
- Business
- India.com
More worry for China, Pakistan, Turkey as after Philippines, this country plans to buy BrahMos from India, it is..
During the most recent India-Pakistan war, modern Chinese-built jets faced off against a combination of Russian and French fighters. While the battle of J-10C vs Rafale drew the most attention, even more interesting was the contest between the JF-17 Thunder and the Indian Su-30MKI – India's version of Russia's Su-30. It seems the two fighter jets may soon face each other again — this time in the highly charged Caucasus region. Pakistan has just signed a US$4.6 billion defense deal with Azerbaijan to provide 40 JF-17 Thunder fighters, and a further US$2 billion investment package. Azerbaijan initially ordered a total of 16 JF-17s due to technical issues with their air force's Soviet-made MiG fighters, but this new deal has authorized an enlargement of the order to 40 aircraft in total. Pakistan recently signed a US$4.6 billion defense agreement with Azerbaijan to supply 40 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, along with a US$2 billion accompanying investment package. Azerbaijan had initially ordered 16 JF-17s from Pakistan, but the new contract expands that purchase to 40 aircraft. According to The EurAsian Times report, JF-17 Thunder is a single-engine, multirole fighter aircraft that was co-developed by Pakistan and China. It was constructed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in cooperation with the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), and is intended to carry out a variety of missions, including air interceptions, ground strikes, anti-ship attacks, and aerial reconnaissance. The delivery of the 40 jets is likely to take place in stages over several years, and training programs for Azerbaijani pilots and technicians will also be included, reported EurAsian Times. Azerbaijan has been embroiled in a longstanding feud with Armenia, similar to the India-Pakistan conflict. Since 2020, there have been three brief wars—September 2020, September 2022, and September 2023—between the two nations. The wars all resulted in Baku tightening its control over the Nagorno-Karabakh corridor, an area internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians that was previously under Armenian rule. Since then, there has been a tenuous peace along the border, but tensions are high with both countries in an arms race. Another contentious issue is the Zangezur Corridor—a potential route that would connect all of Azerbaijan to connect with its Nakhchivan exclave without having to go through Armenian Syunik Province. With all these other potentially unresolved issues, the situation is ripe for escalation at any time, and Armenia must remain vigilant. Thus, Armenia cannot ignore the rapid modernization of the Azerbaijani Air Force, especially because its air force is in dire straits at the moment. A report published by Eurasian Times stated that Armenia urgently needs to upgrade its Air Force. The country has very few fighter jets, approximately only 10-15 Su-25 Frogfoot aircraft, and many of which may have been lost in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. Currently, Armenia has only 4 Su-30SMs bought from Russia in 2019, and has yet to receive a weapons package from Russia for the fighter jets. Now, Armenia has approached India to buy Su-30 fighter jets. At the end of October 2024, Armenia was interested in buying 8-12 Su-30MKIs from India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the negotiations have begun again with Armenia looking to buy 8-12 Su-30MKI fighter jets from India. However, Yerevan is once again considering purchasing 8-12 Su-30MKI fighter jets from India after Azerbaijan indicated a deal with Pakistan for 40 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. India produces the Su-30MKI fighter jets at HAL Facility under a license agreement from Sukhoi. India is notable for having one of the largest fleets of Su-30s in any nation in the world, with the Indian Air Force operating almost 260 of them. In December 2024, New Delhi signed a contract with Moscow to produce 12 more Su-30s where indigenous content exceeds 62%.
Express Tribune
16-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Pakistan to showcase JF-17 at prestigious Royal International Air Tattoo in UK
Listen to article Pakistan is set to display three of its aircraft at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) in the United Kingdom, held from July 18 to 20 at RAF Fairford, according to RIAT's official website. This year, Pakistan will showcase the JF-17 Thunder, C-130 Hercules, and IL-78 aircraft. Notably, the JF-17 makes its debut at the event, marking a significant milestone for Pakistan's aviation industry. The JF-17, developed jointly by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), is a multi-role combat aircraft designed to be cost-effective compared to other fighters like the F-16. It first flew in 2003 and has since undergone several upgrades. The current JF-17C features advanced radar, avionics, and a more powerful engine, making it one of the Pakistan Air Force's most reliable aircraft. Pakistan has steadily increased its global presence through such aviation showcases, with the JF-17 Thunder drawing particular attention. The aircraft is already in service with the air forces of Myanmar, Nigeria, and Azerbaijan.
AllAfrica
12-06-2025
- Business
- AllAfrica
New heights for China's arms diplomacy in South Asia
China is arming Pakistan and Azerbaijan with high-tech fighter jets, missile shields and surveillance aircraft — a bold play to redraw the balance of power in South Asia and the Caucasus. This month, Breaking Defense reported that Pakistan confirmed China's offer of 40 fifth-generation Shenyang J-35 stealth fighters, KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft and HQ-19 air defense systems. The deal was first leaked in December 2024 and now publicly credited by Islamabad to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's diplomacy. Also known as the FC-31, the J-35 is developed for both China's air force and navy and made its debut at Airshow China 2024. It features stealth shaping similar to that of the US F-35 Lightning II. Deliveries to Pakistan are expected within the next few months. The announcement follows a separate US$4.6 billion agreement between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, in which Baku will procure 40 JF-17 fighter jets co-manufactured by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC). China's defense exports to Islamabad signal deeper strategic alignment amid growing regional competition. As Pakistan pursues advanced capabilities, the deal highlights China's growing presence in global arms sales, particularly among states seeking alternatives to Western defense suppliers. Defense Security Asia notes in an article this month that the J-35, HQ-19 and KJ-500 represent a considerable leap in Pakistan's air defense capabilities. According to the report, the J-35 fifth-generation fighter armed with PL-17 missiles boasting a range of over 400 kilometers enables Pakistan to target high-value Indian aerial assets from beyond visual range. It also states that the HQ-19 system, dubbed the 'Chinese THAAD,' is designed for the high-altitude interception of intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) and hypersonic threats up to 150 kilometers above the ground, utilizing hit-to-kill technology and promising exoatmospheric defense with tracking radars that reach 1,000 kilometers. Meanwhile, Defense Security Asia mentions that the KJ-500 provides 360-degree radar coverage with its active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, tracking up to 100 targets over a 470-kilometer range while coordinating air operations through advanced electronic intelligence. China's transfer of interoperable systems reflects its approach to systems warfare, as explained by Michael Dahm in a May 2025 article for Air & Space Forces Magazine. According to Dahm, one of the most essential takeaways from the April 2025 Kashmir clash is how Pakistan integrated its Chinese-origin weapons and air defenses against India, forming an effective kill chain. Dahm says that Pakistan's J-10 downing of a prized Indian Rafale jet says more about the quality of intangible factors between the opposing sides, such as system-of-systems integration, training and tactics, rather than the capabilities of either aircraft. Azerbaijan's decision to purchase JF-17 jets co-produced by China and Pakistan marks a significant departure from its traditional arms purchases from Russia. Paul Iddon notes in an April 2024 Business Insider article that while Russia has previously marketed the Su-30SM, Su-35 and MiG-25 fighters to Azerbaijan, the former's arms exports to the latter ceased in 2019, creating a vacuum for other arms exporters, such as Turkey, Pakistan, and China, to fill. In the same article, Federico Borsari notes that, as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions, Russia's arms exports have dropped as much as 64%, according to 2024 data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Borsari also notes that the poor performance of Russian aircraft in the Russia-Ukraine war may have prompted Azerbaijan to reconsider its arms purchases from Russia. Highlighting the political aspect of Azerbaijan's decision to purchase JF-17 jets, Sebastien Roblin notes in the same article that Russia's unreliability as a supplier, along with Western concerns over Azerbaijan's human rights record and potential future conflicts with Armenia, has made Turkey, Pakistan and China ideal partners. In terms of capability, Roblin says the JF-17 is a substantial upgrade over Azerbaijan's Soviet-era MiG-29 jets, with its newer electronics and the PL-15 missile possibly giving it an edge over Armenia's Russian-made Su-30SM fighters. China's arms sales to Pakistan and Azerbaijan tie into its larger military-economic interests. Jake Rinaldi mentions in a November 2024 article for the US Army War College that China's arms exports are driven by the need to protect its economic interests, gain influence in conflict zones, enhance the capabilities of its partners, build diplomatic relationships and offset research and development costs. Importantly, Pakistan and Azerbaijan are part of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a global land-and-sea infrastructure project that aims to offset the latter's 'Malacca Dilemma,' a strategic weakness wherein most of its trade and fuel imports passes through the narrow waterway, leaving it vulnerable to a US blockade in the event of a conflict. In line with that, Mohit Choudhary mentions in a February 2023 article for the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs that as China's sea lanes of communication (SLOCs) straddle the Indian Ocean, China leverages economic, diplomatic and security influence in a region fraught with fragile states such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Choudhary notes that India views the Indian Ocean as its sphere of influence, and China's increasing presence in the region through dual-use port infrastructure and arms exports heightens India's sense of insecurity. Likewise, Emil Avdaliani mentions in an April 2025 South China Morning Post (SCMP) article that China's ambitions in West Asia and the Black Sea region have grown in the past years, with the strategic goal of developing the Middle Corridor, a trade route that connects Europe and China via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, requiring significant economic and security investment. Avdaliani states that while Russia remains a significant source of military technology for Central Asia and, by extension, the Caucasus, the space for Russian arms exports is narrowing while China opens its defense industry, thereby eroding Russia's regional sphere of influence. China isn't just selling weapons. It is building alliances, projecting power and rewriting the rules of the global arms game. It is transforming arms sales into strategic tools of influence — building alliances, displacing rivals and reshaping the rules of power projection from the Indian Ocean to the Black Sea.
Miami Herald
11-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Major Pakistan Defense Boost as China Military Ties Deepen
Pakistan is set to boost its defense budget by 17 percent, allocating $9 billion (2.55 trillion rupees) as tensions with India soar following a deadly flare-up in April. In response to this heightened threat, Islamabad revealed that China has offered cutting-edge military hardware-including 40 J-35 stealth fighter jets and ballistic missile defense systems-signaling a significant escalation in their strategic alliance. Newsweek has reached out to the Pakistani and Indian foreign ministries for comment. This increase in defense spending underscores Pakistan's urgent focus on modernizing its military capabilities amid a volatile regional security environment. The rise in budget allocation comes after the most intense conflict with India in years, raising concerns about future escalation. Simultaneously, China's role as Pakistan's primary arms supplier is becoming more prominent, reshaping the military balance in South Asia. Pakistan's finance ministry announced a defense budget increase to $9 billion (2.55 trillion rupees) for the 2025-26 fiscal year, up from $7.7 billion (2.18 trillion rupees) the previous year. Defense spending remains the country's second-largest budget item after debt servicing, underscoring Islamabad's prioritization of military strength despite significant economic challenges. The recent conflict between India and Pakistan, in which dozens of people were killed, came in the wake of an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. Pakistan denied Indian allegations of involvement in the attack. Since 2019, China has supplied about 82 percent of Pakistan's imported weapons, a sharp rise from 51 percent during 2009–2012, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. This dependency is reflected in China's recent offer to sell Pakistan a comprehensive military package that includes 40 Shenyang J-35 stealth fighter jets, Shaanxi KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, and HQ-19 ballistic missile defense systems, as confirmed by official Pakistani government statements and defense industry sources. The J-35, still under development, is a fifth-generation stealth fighter comparable to the U.S. F-35 Lightning II. It features low-observable design, an internal weapons bay, and advanced radar for networked warfare. The KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft boosts Pakistan's aerial surveillance with its large radar dish and active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, providing 360-degree coverage vital for early threat detection. The HQ-19 missile defense system offers ballistic missile interception, an important asset for Pakistan's layered defense. Pakistan also recently secured a $4.6 billion contract with Azerbaijan for 40 JF-17 fighter jets, co-developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China, further cementing its military-industrial partnership with Beijing. Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb: "National defense is the most important priority of the government. For this national duty, Rs2,550 billion [$9.04 billion] will be allocated." Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif: "After defeating India in a conventional war, now we have to go beyond it in the economic field as well." Pakistan's expanded defense budget and China's offer of advanced military hardware are set to further intensify the regional arms race, particularly with India, which has also increased its defense spending. The coming year could test Pakistan's ability to balance military modernization with economic stability as the country navigates a tense security environment and complex geopolitical partnerships. Related Articles India to Get New Spy Planes to Counter Nuclear Rivals Pakistan and ChinaIndia Holds Major Air Drill Near Pakistan After Giant DogfightWorld's Highest Rail Bridge Opens to Reshape Nuclear Rivals' Power MapGlobal Arms Race Warning Issued As Nuclear Warheads Increase 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
India.com
02-06-2025
- Business
- India.com
Pakistan's much hyped JF-17 fighter jet with Chinese frame and Russian engine costs..., much cheaper than India's...
New Delhi: Tensions between India and Pakistan are at an all-time high following the ceasefire. During Operation Sindoor, Pakistan attacked several Indian border towns with drones and missiles. India also retaliated strongly and destroyed many Pakistani targets. In the meantime, there is a lot of discussion about India's Rafale fighter jet and Pakistan's JF-17 Thunder fighter jet. India has purchased Rafale from France, while the JF-17 Thunder has been jointly developed by China and Pakistan. There is a significant price difference between the two. Rafale is considered the second most expensive fighter in the world after the F-22, while the price of JF-17 Thunder is comparatively much lower. The JF-17 Thunder is considered the backbone of Pakistan's Air Force alongside the F-16 fighter. It was built by the Chinese company Avic Chengdu Aircraft Co Ltd. Shares of this company rose by 53 percent in five days during the conflict. The JF-17 Thunder is a fourth-generation lightweight, single-engine multirole fighter. It has been jointly developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC). The JF-17 can be used for multiple roles, including interception, ground attack, anti-ship, and aerial reconnaissance. The JF-17 can deploy diverse ordnance, including air-to-air, air-to-surface, and anti-ship missiles, guided and unguided bombs, and a 23 mm GSh-23-2 twin-barrel autocannon. Powered by a Guizhou WS-13 or Klimov RD-93 afterburning turbofan, it has a top speed of Mach 1.6. The JF-17 was inducted in the PAF in February 2010. Although a lot of makeshift technology has been used in this fighter, it features a Chinese airframe, a Western avionics system, and a Russian engine. Its biggest advantage is that it is very cheap. This is why countries that cannot afford expensive fighters like Rafale, F-16, and Eurofighter Typhoon opt for JF-17 Thunder. These include Azerbaijan, Myanmar, and Nigeria. According to media reports, the price of one unit is 25 million dollars, which is about 2.13 billion rupees, while the price of Rafale is around 135 million dollars or 11 billion rupees.
