JF-17 overhaul project started at AVIC Changsha

[Beast]

This is a bit interesting that I found through undermentioned sources. For instance, it is an overhaul project for JF-17 started in China. The article also states that subjected project/overhaul line will be doing the job from 2nd Gen to 3rd Generation and we all understand that Chinese 2nd Generation term is equal to other 3rd generation for the rest of the world hence, Chinese 3rd Generation indicates as 4th Generation overhauling. My understanding could be wrong too but I found it to post so that we can discuss and understand much better. The machine repair would be most probably to indicate about structure stengthening/Airframe repair on par with 4th Generation plans. So by the same understanding, one can assume that JF-17 overhaul will actually move its standard from mere 4th Generation to ++ standard. For an example we see how Fighting Falcon (F-16) proceeded with upgrades and structure strengthening. It may be mentioned as the overhaul will actually take the air-frame strength to coup with future weapon advancement, payload etc.

My understanding could be wrong or incorrect in interpretation hence, you all are welcome to discuss.

Chinese friends are hereby called upon to share a better translated version and Google Translate does not help fully in this regard.

I will quote a paragraph from the same article, for the time being.

The first "Fierce Dragon" aircraft overhaul line project started

https://twitter.com/x/status/928615419413282816

This is a very vague and short article. Basically, it didn't mention much. I can bet due to the sensitivity of the issue. From what I understand. It shall be block 1 upgrade to block 2 by AVIC for the initial batch of JF-17 which I believe its the JF-17 block 1. It talks about upgrade of generation from two to three. But how do you define the generation? Is it Chinese classification of aviation generation or purely in terms of understanding solely based on JF-17?

 

[Dotachin]

So current JF-17 are 3rd generation fighters ?!

 

[maravan91]

Overhaul is needed when aircraft completes iit's specific service life.

 

[HRK]

I don't know why would China like to have OVERHAUL facility for JF-17 they are not operating any JF-17 additionally we also know that an overhaul facility of JF-17 already exist in Pakistan in fact we have already overhaul some JF-17s from earlier batch

plz read the displayed banner

 

[VCheng]

I don't know why would China like to have OVERHAUL facility for JF-17 they are not operating any JF-17 additionally we also know that an overhaul facility of JF-17 already exist in Pakistan in fact we have already overhaul some JF-17s from earlier batch

That is a great question, Sir. I look forward to the answer, if available. (If you can read it, my first post in this thread was deleted, but was based off a similar question that I tried to answer.)

 

[CriticalThought]

I don't know why would China like to have OVERHAUL facility for JF-17 they are not operating any JF-17 additionally we also know that an overhaul facility of JF-17 already exist in Pakistan in fact we have already overhaul some JF-17s from earlier batch

plz read the displayed banner
View attachment 435914

They need overhaul because they are selling 16 Thunders to Myanmar. And there could be others in the pipeline as well.

 

[Sinnerman108]

I don't know why would China like to have OVERHAUL facility for JF-17 they are not operating any JF-17 additionally we also know that an overhaul facility of JF-17 already exist in Pakistan in fact we have already overhaul some JF-17s from earlier batch

plz read the displayed banner
View attachment 435914

China needs to have an overhaul facility to serve customers they are selling the plane to.

Remember, China is leading the sales effort much more than Pakistan.

 

[The Eagle]

This is a very vague and short article. Basically, it didn't mention much. I can bet due to the sensitivity of the issue. From what I understand. It shall be block 1 upgrade to block 2 by AVIC for the initial batch of JF-17 which I believe its the JF-17 block 1. It talks about upgrade of generation from two to three. But how do you define the generation? Is it Chinese classification of aviation generation or purely in terms of understanding solely based on JF-17?

As far as I understand, it is solely based upon Chinese Classification for generation. However, may other informed members shed some light for our better understanding.

 

[VCheng]

China needs to have an overhaul facility to serve customers they are selling the plane to.

Remember, China is leading the sales effort much more than Pakistan.

It seems China is getting ready to sell, and service, this state-of-the-art joint-venture excellent aircraft to, and for, many clients. An appropriate step in planning, obviously.

 

[The Eagle]

I don't know why would China like to have OVERHAUL facility for JF-17 they are not operating any JF-17 additionally we also know that an overhaul facility of JF-17 already exist in Pakistan in fact we have already overhaul some JF-17s from earlier batch

plz read the displayed banner
View attachment 435914

China having a facility too, actually highlights the choice for the customer among both manufacturers.

 

[hussain0216]

Remember, China is leading the sales effort much more than Pakistan.

Its the other way round, Pakistan is leading the sales effort except maybe for Myanmar

 

[HRK]

They need overhaul because they are selling 16 Thunders to Myanmar. And there could be others in the pipeline as well.

China needs to have an overhaul facility to serve customers they are selling the plane to.

Remember, China is leading the sales effort much more than Pakistan.

There are reasons which raise some questions on this overhaul facility

1- New JF-17/FC-1 will not require overhaul for at least 8-10 years, which mean any new customer for JF-17 will not avail this facility for the period mention above

2- We know only Myanmar has ordered 16 jets and yet has not received any JF-17/FC-1, the other customer Nigeria as per some reports ordered only 3-4 JF-17 so a FACILITY for OVERHAUL for just 20 jets is not a right decision (keep in mind overhaul will be due after 8-10 years of operations)

3- Which mean this facility would be used for the JF-17 fleet serving PAF (if its really an OVERHAUL facility [google translation is confusing]), which further mean either our existing overhaul facility for JF-17 is not big enough to handle the current requirements or we have outsourced the overhauling of JF-17 to China

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Always great to have multiple overhaul facilities across China and Pakistan
I do look forward to see expansion of KAMRA factory operation to 2 more factories and of course overhaul capabilities.

The strength in JF17 thunder project lies with Coopration between both China & Pakistan and certainly that is a great plus, it is a great flexibility to be able to service planes either in Pakistan or China

Certainly KAMRA has to step up it's game as well, expanion of production goal from 16 to 50 and that also includes overhaul segment

Going from Second generation to Third generation may also refer to going from Block 2 to Block 3

 

[武成王]

I read some Chinese media, this has nothing to do with Thunder version, say Block I, II or III. Gen 2 means F7 etc, Gen 3 means J10, JF-17 etc. This industrial union usually offer overhaul services to foreign customers who bought F7 (Gen2), this is the first time that they started a facility to offer service to JF-17 (Gen3, it's supposed to be a Block I, delivered 10 years ago).

In the end of the article, it said by the contract between PRC and Pakistan, Pakistan will setup its own facility to service the full life cycle of JF-17.

 

[razgriz19]

This is a bit interesting that I found through undermentioned sources. For instance, it is an overhaul project for JF-17 started in China. The article also states that subjected project/overhaul line will be doing the job from 2nd Gen to 3rd Generation and we all understand that Chinese 2nd Generation term is equal to other 3rd generation for the rest of the world hence, Chinese 3rd Generation indicates as 4th Generation overhauling. My understanding could be wrong too but I found it to post so that we can discuss and understand much better. The machine repair would be most probably to indicate about structure stengthening/Airframe repair on par with 4th Generation plans. So by the same understanding, one can assume that JF-17 overhaul will actually move its standard from mere 4th Generation to ++ standard. For an example we see how Fighting Falcon (F-16) proceeded with upgrades and structure strengthening. It may be mentioned as the overhaul will actually take the air-frame strength to coup with future weapon advancement, payload etc.

My understanding could be wrong or incorrect in interpretation hence, you all are welcome to discuss.

Chinese friends are hereby called upon to share a better translated version and Google Translate does not help fully in this regard.

I will quote a paragraph from the same article, for the time being.

The first "Fierce Dragon" aircraft overhaul line project started

https://twitter.com/x/status/928615419413282816

Just by reading the little blurb in blue, i think what they mean is that they have only overhauled 3rd generation aircraft before and this would be the first time they would be overhauling a 4th generation aircraft. (weird as they also have J-10 in service, some of them surely have gone through major inspection phases...)
And i don't think Pakistan has established an overhaul facility as of yet, it will most likely be in place of Mirage rebuilt factory. Just because we're manufacturing the aircraft doesn't mean we have the capacity to do major overhauling.

P.S Overhaul doesn't mean upgrade. It just simply means the aircraft has reached its TBO limit and every part and piece has to be disassembled for inspection before being put together. Of course if there are any upgrades planned this would be the time to do them as the aircraft would be down to its bare bones.