India concerned after Pakistan's JF-17 export order
By
Web Desk
Published: July 21, 2015
PAF JF- 17 Aircraft parked at Le Bourget. PHOTO: APP
Pakistan’s first export order of the JF-17 ‘Thunder’ fighter aircraft at the first day of the International Paris Air Show has left India concerned.
Pakistan was successful in securing its first ever export order for its JF-17 Thunder fighter at the first day of the International Paris Air Show where a contract was confirmed to have been signed with an Asian country.
PAF Air Commodore dealing in sales and marketing, Khalid Mahmood said “A contract has been signed with an Asian country.” However the name of the country was not disclosed and deliveries are likely to begin in 2017.
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The latest models of the jets, which are locally produced in cooperation with China, are lightweight multi-role aircraft capable of Mach 2.0 (twice the speed of sound) with an operational ceiling of 55,000 feet.
Eighty people were promoting the JF-17 in Paris this year, reflecting a significant marketing push.
In comparison Indian Air Force (IAF) is struggling with its light combat aircraft ‘Tejas’, which will take another year to become ready for combat.
The IAF is greatly concerned as it is down to just 35 fighter squadrons while at least 44 are needed to tackle a threat from Pakistan or China.
Moreover the much needed Tejas Mark-II which has a more powerful engine likely needs foreign collaboration if the premier prototype is to take to the skies by 2018-2019 as per expected deadlines.
“Tejas Mark-II is still on the drawing board, with only the preliminary design review being completed till now. The critical design review is far off,” a source claimed.
Read: Pakistan eager to secure first ever-order for the JF-17 at Paris Air Show
On the other hand an ongoing commercial negotiation for the acquisition of 36 expensive twin-engine Rafale fighters – the numbers of which may be doubled – is expected to be sealed in a month.
However the delivery of the jets which are to be acquired via France is expected to be in two years.
The utility of the Tejas which are progressing at snail’s pace lies in them leading to a quicker development of the proposed fifth generation air craft fighter; advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA).
The article originally appeared on Economic Times
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Made-in-Pakistan JF-17 fighter goes global, desi Tejas yet to take off - The Economic Times
By Rajat Pandit, TNN | 21 Jul, 2015, 12.02PM IST
NEW DELHI: At a time when Pakistan has already clinched the first export order for its JF-17 'Thunder' fighter built with China's help, India's home-grown light combat aircraft Tejas will take yet another year to become fully combat-ready.
What is even more worrying is that the critically-required Tejas Mark-II, with a more powerful engine, is likely to need a strong infusion of foreign collaboration if the first prototype has to take to the skies by 2018-19 as per already much-revised ..
This has triggered a major worry since IAF is down to just 35 fighter squadrons when at least 44 are needed to handle a "collusive threat" from Pakistan and China. Moreover, only half of the fighters in the 35 squadrons are operationally available at any given time due to obsolescence, poor serviceability and maintenance.
Even if the ongoing commercial negotiation to directly acquire 36 expensive twin-engine Rafale fighters - IAF is pushing for double that number -- is sealed in a month, it will take well over two years for the deliveries of the French jets to begin.
With older MiG-21s and MiG-27s being progressively retired, the single-engine Tejas is needed fast to make the fall in numbers. But it will get the final operational clearance (FOC) only by mid-2016 now, missing the revised December 2015 dea ..
Read more at:
Made-in-Pakistan JF-17 fighter goes global, desi Tejas yet to take off - The Economic Times
, it's just that IAF is comparing it against the standards set by the likes of Rafales and Gripens. 
