I wonder what kind of competition would the Tejas and any other probable air-crafts constructed in the same category would give to our JF-17, with respect to the time-frame.
Additionally 'Is it prudent to wait it out till 2016 to even begin taking orders'; I think the PAC/CAC is going to take into consideration the size of the order much more so than our time frame. If a country that doesn't need more than a few dozen new aircrafts over the next few years comes our way....a little tweaking of our plans might not unfathomable, me thinks.
Oscar, do you think thats a possibility or is the PAF going to insist on the 2016 time line and all available resources are going to be expended on exclusively reaching our targets before the dead-line.
Any countries that sign a MoI will be given access to simulators and basic aircraft training.
The current PAF order stands at 150.. which is scheduled to be completed by 2016.
As funds stand today there arent enough to plan beyond that
CURRENTLY.
The PAF badly wishes for an all BVR force and the JF-17 is that capability jump that provides it.
Our aircraft are getting old.. and are now severely outdated, therefore most senior staff of the PAF echo the sentiment of meeting one's own need first. Moreover...the only production line for the JF-17 is in Pakistan...and the only one capable of maintaining a high rate of production as the FC-1's in China are not on a streamlined production line.(
one that can produce the whole aircraft
from start to end in a "henry ford" fashion, with excellent quality)
It will be Illegal for the Chinese to sell the Fc-1 without PAC's explicit permission, otherwise there was talk of the Chinese setting up a complete production line in parallel to the one in Kamra. Due to genuine fears that the Chinese may cut us out of the profits or sell to customers Pakistan does not approve of makes the PAF want to keep it that way so that IT has say in which customer gets the aircraft or not. There is a worry that some nations may allow India to inspect or fly their JF-17s or FC-1s which is where PAC would like approval power for any sales.
So.. the quandary of such fears is that production lines stay in Pakistan till our own orders are met.. and Pakistan keeps right of refusal for sale to those countries that express interest.
Then there is the financial problem.. there are not enough funds as it is to produce/purchase the planned PAF fleet whilst keeping the current one in some sort of combat ready shape. The JF-17s are needed to quickly replace all obsolescent inventory on a timetable which we
cannot afford to change.
To divert production from the PAF's orders and try to expand the line to keep up with both will cost funds that the PAF does not have and does not want to borrow.
2012 is already here.. there are now close to 60 JF-17's flying excluding the Prototypes in China.
All potential customers for the JF-17 that have expressed interest in the aircraft have yet to go beyond a handshake interest.
Be it Azerbaijan, Egypt, Libya and two other countries. While they have come and shown interest again and again..some even getting simulator time.. they have also not expressed interest for immediate purchase(
except for one). They too are content with wearing out their older airframes for a few more years before taking the plunge in (
hopefully)better economic times.
