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Confirmed : PAF Negotiating For L-15 LIFT Aircrafts !

AVIC even promised to design a custom L-15 with afterburning engines and radar for the PAF's needs at the time.
The L-15B has afterburning powerplant.

...and when I spoke with the CATIC Representative yesterday, I inquired which variant was PAF interested in.

- The Basic (L-15AW) - currently on Static & Aerial Display here.

OR

- The Afterburing one (L-15B)

The response was...the latter.

I also wanna add that (it appears) that "if" this deal goes through, its coming with all the goodies. You know, Leather Seats, BOSE Speakers, Sunroof 🤣 ...

...and as @Windjammer mentioned, it will be stopping back in Pakistan again after the Air Show & might be staying there - for unspecified period for further Tests/Evaluation.
 
The L-15B has afterburning powerplant.

...and when I spoke with the CATIC Representative yesterday, I inquired which variant was PAF interested in.

- The Basic (L-15AW) - currently on Static & Aerial Display here.

OR

- The Afterburing one (L-15B)

The response was...the latter.

I also wanna add that (it appears) that "if" this deal goes through, its coming with all the goodies. You know, Leather Seats, BOSE Speakers, Sunroof 🤣 ...

...and as @Windjammer mentioned, it will be stopping back in Pakistan again after the Air Show & might be staying there - for unspecified period for further Tests/Evaluation.
PESA Radar and aerial refueling?
 
Pakistan maybe in negotiations for L-15 but those should not be coming to replace F-7PGs. F-7 P / Pgs are combat fighters (interceptors) whereas L-15 is dedicated LIFT. F-7 series replacement on role basis should be JF-17s.




Jeff bravo isn't a dedicated LIFT but a multirole combat aircraft with conversion training ability. However, Jeff bravo could have possibly reduced the need for a dedicated LIFT platform but not eliminated it completely.

if PAF is only looking for dedicated LIFT then off the shelf L-15 makes sense as the timelines and cost to develop a JF-17 bravo could be higher, That's just my opinion, don't know the actual cost of L-15 though.
If PAF is going for twin engine LIFT aircraft then it's clearly for future training of 5th gen pilots as it can simulate it and our 5th gen will be twin engine and possibly from China.
 
This is huge. PAF is finally opting for a next generation LlFT platform. Chinese L-15 is considered one of the best in its category!
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PESA Radar and aerial refueling?
Truth be told, those are the things that I didn't bother discussing 'cause its something...
a. On their brochure.
b. They'd expect you to know.

You gotta understand that at these Air Shows, once you strike a conversation with these Defense Contractors, they automatically like to inquire who you are - especially if its the Media looking for a scoop.

You really have to hit the jackpot to find someone willing to strike a conversation...and spill the beans.

I don't think I need to remind anyone, but if others recall - I was the one who mentioned the J-10P when no one even imagined that the J-10 was even a possibility. It was a slip of the tongue by CATIC's own.

Yesterday, I was trying to extract as much as I could because I felt there were number of Topics to cover & I didn't want to seem uninterested in their own projects - unrelated to PAF (eg: Y-20's new engines).

We spoke about L-15's, J-10's (Dual-Seater), J-20's/FC-31...
 
View attachment 1025034
The news was circulating when the L-15s were seen flying from Karachi to Islamabad and then on to Dubai. Furthermore it's said they would be stopping in Pakistan during their return flight.

Breaking : CATIC has confirmed to correspondents during Dubai Air Show 2023 that Pakistan is in formal negotiations for acquisition of L-15 LIFT fighters to replace its aging F-7PG fighters which are currently used to carry out Operational Conversion of PAF Pilots.

View attachment 1025024
The way things going, after 10-15 years, PAF=P(LA)AF.
PAF is not even evaluating non-chinese platforms via competitive process. The credit based purchases of Chinese hardware are driving the competitive acquisitions out.
 
The way things going, after 10-15 years, PAF=P(LA)AF.
PAF is not even evaluating non-chinese platforms via competitive process. The credit based purchases of Chinese hardware are driving the competitive acquisitions out.
Let's not overlook some hard and sad realities. Which country has been a reliable supplier of such platforms to the PAF .
 
Truth be told, those are the things that I didn't bother discussing 'cause its something...
a. On their brochure.
b. They'd expect you to know.

You gotta understand that at these Air Shows, once you strike a conversation with these Defense Contractors, they automatically like to inquire who you are - especially if its the Media looking for a scoop.

You really have to hit the jackpot to find someone willing to strike a conversation...and spill the beans.

I don't think I need to remind anyone, but if others recall - I was the one who mentioned the J-10P when no one even imagined that the J-10 was even a possibility. It was a slip of the tongue by CATIC's own.

Yesterday, I was trying to extract as much as I could because I felt there were number of Topics to cover & I didn't want to seem uninterested in their own projects - unrelated to PAF (eg: Y-20's new engines).

We spoke about L-15's, J-10's (Dual-Seater), J-20's/FC-31...
Maybe you can do a thread on the information you got on all these topics. All of these are very interesting.
 
View attachment 1025034
The news was circulating when the L-15s were seen flying from Karachi to Islamabad and then on to Dubai. Furthermore it's said they would be stopping in Pakistan during their return flight.

Breaking : CATIC has confirmed to correspondents during Dubai Air Show 2023 that Pakistan is in formal negotiations for acquisition of L-15 LIFT fighters to replace its aging F-7PG fighters which are currently used to carry out Operational Conversion of PAF Pilots.

View attachment 1025024

What happened to Hurjet ? Thought PAF was interested in that platform.

If PAF do buy them - lets hope they do a better job protecting them than they did with the F7s at PAF Mianwali ...
 
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What happened to Hurjet ? Thought PAF was interested in that platform.

If PAF do buy them - lets hope they do a better job protecting them than they did with the F7s at PAF Mianwali ...
Hurjet was taken first flight this year long way to go in a mass production stage
 

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