Mt friend when you live long enough to see and remember it makes a difference .In the era of dial ups and old
www.******************** many things were written and share pre 2000`s late 1990`s
Overview
The JF-17 is designed to meet the tactical and strategic needs of the Pakistani Air Force with a minimal reliance on imports from other countries. In addition,
the requirement was for the aircraft to have sufficient space for future upgrades and/or equipment specified by export buyers. The JF-17 is considered to be in the "mid-high-tech class" of fighter aircraft.
So it was intended for exports from day one
Programme
In 1986 China signed a US$550 million agreement with Grumman to modernise its J-7 (Chinese copy of the MiG-21 Fishbed) fighter aircraft under the "Super-7" upgrade project. Western companies from the US and Britain were competing to provide the engine and avionics. The project was cancelled in early 1990, in the wake of the cooling of political relations with the West, as well as in response to a 40% increase in the cost of the project. However, Chengdu managed to continue the programme with its own resources and the project was re-branded as FC-1 (Fighter China-1).
Following the 1993 US sanction against China and Pakistan on the transfer of ballistic missile components and technology, problems of acquiring Western technology has driven Pakistan to seek helps from its Chinese ally. Beijing and Islamabad concluded a joint development and production agreement in June 1999 to co-develop the FC-1 fighter aircraft. According to the agreement, China Aviation Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) and Pakistan each contribute 50% of the development costs, which was estimated as about US$150 million. Chengdu was chosen to be the primary contractor, with Russian Mikoyan Aero-Science Production Group (MASPG) providing assistance in some design work as well as its RD-93 turbofan engine to power the aircraft.
The first FC-1 rolled out from the assembly line on 31 May 2003, and its 15-minute maiden flight took place on 24 August 2003. So far four prototypes have been built, with the second for static tests and the rest in flying tests. The initial production of 16 aircraft is expected to start in mid-2006, and the PAF has a requirement for 150 aircraft under the designation of the JF-17 to replace its Chengdu F-7P fighters in current service. Pakistani aviation industry will also be involved in the production of some avionics for the aircraft.
The FC-1 is mainly targeting the international market as
a potential replacement for the second-generation fighters such as the Northrop F-5 Tiger, Dassault Mirage III/5, Shenyang J-6, MiG-21/F-7 Fishbed, and Nanchang Q-5 aircraft. CATIC and CAC are trying to persuade the PLAAF to acquire additional FC-1s to reduce the unit price, but a firm contract has yet been reached. In addition, CATIC/CAC is also trying to promote the aircraft to other
potential customers including Bangladesh, Egypt and Nigeria.
FYI this bold part answers your query on export potential and other design parameters .
巴基斯坦向生产歼-7M战斗机的成都飞机公司(成飞)提出,共同在歼-7M的基础上研制新战斗机,当时的中方总设计师是著名飞机设计专家屠基达。巴方将此定名为“佩刀Ⅱ”方案,中方定为歼-7CP。从当时公开的图片看,基本思想是在歼-7的基础上采取与歼-8Ⅱ相同的两侧进气道、翼根前缘增加了前缘襟翼,换装发动机
web.archive.org
Pratt & Whitney offered the Super-7 project three engine options; PW1212, F404, and PW1216, with local manufacturing in either China or Pakistan. Rolls Royce offered its RB199-127/128 turbofan engine; this plan was scrapped in 1989.
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