With Klimov saying it is a TOP PRIORITY, that say there is a REAL PUSH/NEED/DEMAND for this engine. … … The Klimov poster that was displayed two years ago also shows a higher thrust RD-93. … … These are two separate sources talking of an uprated engine.
Concerning what 9,300kgf (20,503lbf) can do on a fighter that size, please compare with the Gripen NG with the F414G with 22,000lbf.
The RD93 upgrade is on offer for sure, since it would be based on the RD33 MK upgrade, but the key for the JF 17 is, that developing this varient will cost money and the Russians are not going to fund it, they don't even buy more Migs with such an engine anymore and there is only JF17 that would require a single engine varient (Mig 29K, Mig 35, J31 would all use the normal MK version). So would PAF fund upgrades of the RD93 engine, or wait for a suitable Chinese engine till it's reliable and powerful enough, to safe costs?
Also the comparison to the GE 414G btw is a bit more difficult, since the thrust increase for the Gripen is far bigger:
RD33-3/RD93 - 49,4kN dry / RD 33MK - 52,8kN dry => 7%
RD33-3/RD93 - 84,4kN wet / RD 33MK - 90kN wet => 6,7%
RM12 - 55kn dry / GE414G - 62,3kn dry => 13%
RM12 - 80,5kn wet / GE414G - 98kn dry => 21,8%
Even if the RD-93MA would have 93kN wet thrust, that would only be an increase of roughly 10,2% and even less for the dry thrust, so would an upgrade really get JF 17 that much compared to WS13?