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JF-17 Thunder Multirole Fighter [Thread 5]

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Nose section of the Gripen NG on display, with the IRST and AESA radar Selex Skyward Raven ES-05.
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If the blk2 gets a redesigned probe, then the question that comes to mind is why did PAC not design JFT with a refueling probe from the beginning? Its been years since mirage retrofit and midas induction.
sir any idea how the block II will look like, any concept which PAC/CAC might have ,since the production has started so definitely they have some thing in mind could you please post a pic or two of the actual concept of the jf-17 block II (animated) pic of what the bird will look like

please hum baccho ke dil na todo sir' koi to pic post kare :yes4:
 
Pakistan Testing In-Flight Refuelling on JF-17 Thunder

December 19, 2013

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Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, along with Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafque Butt, Chief of Staff of the Pakistan Air Force, at the roll out ceremony for the 50th JF-17 Thunder at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, on December 18. Of particular interest in the background is JF-17 09-109, which is the first of the type to have been seen with a refuelling probe. PAF

ADDING TO the previous report on the roll out of the 50th Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Block 1 JF-17 Thunder at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), Kamra, yesterday, December 18, it also emerged during the ceremony that PAC Kamra has commenced testing of an in-flight refuelling (IFR) capability for the JF-17. As previously noted, IFR had been planned as one of the capabilities to be added as part of the Block 2 configuration.

During the ceremony yesterday, JF-17 09-109 from 26 Squadron ‘Black Spiders’ was noted with an IFR probe mounted just behind the cockpit on the starboard side. The probe was still painted in primer, suggesting it has probably only very recently been fitted to the airframe for trials. It is unclear as yet how far IFR testing has progressed, but it is thought likely that it is still in its very early stages.
AFD-Dave Allport

Pakistan Testing In-Flight Refuelling on JF-17 Thunder| AirForces Daily
 
Pakistan Rolls Out 50th JF-17, Block II Production To Commence

December 18, 2013

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Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif speaks during a Dec. 18 ceremony at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra. Pakistan launched production of a new version of a combat aircraft featuring upgraded avionics and weapons system. The plane, to be called Block-II JF-17, will be manufactured at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex west of Islamabad, which has so far produced 50 older-model Block-I JF-17s for the air force. (Aamir Qureshi / Getty Images)

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan rolled out its 50th JF-17 Thunder Block I multi-role combat aircraft Wednesday and will now begin construction of the next batch of 50 which will be of the Block II standard.

The 50th example of the Sino-Pakistani fighter was rolled out during a ceremony at Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in the town of Kamra not far from the capital Islamabad. Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, and Chinese dignitaries were in attendance.

Sharif lauded wider Sino-Pakistani defense cooperation as well as that in other fields.

He also noted he headed a previous administration in the 1990s that kick-started the program in the face of adversity that ultimately produced the JF-17. Sharif praised the program and the air force, and said the government “will fulfill all the needs of the Pakistani Air Force.”

At present the air force is gearing up to replace its legacy aircraft that consists mainly of Dassault Mirage-III/5 and Chengdu F-7P types after the retiring of the Nanchang A-5 Fantan attack aircraft, which was replaced by the first JF-17s.

The main advantage the JF-17 has bought so far is its beyond-visual-range air-to-air combat capability, which Pakistan lacked until relatively recently.

Analyst Usman Shabbir of the Pakistan Military Consortium think tank said 50 aircraft “are enough to form three squadrons with a typical squadron strength of 16 aircraft.” One squadron will most likely be based at Minhas/Kamra to assist with all the weapon and system integration plus flight testing and evaluation in addition to acting as the [operational conversion squadron],” he added.

“The two other squadrons would be normal multi-role squadrons with one based at Peshawar and the other at either Rafiqui/Shorkot or Masroor/Karachi.”

The next batch of 50 will bring additional capabilities.

“From early 2014 the first Block-II will rollout. Block-II has no airframe changes other than the addition of [an in-flight refuelling probe] which would later also be refitted to all Block-I aircraft. Most of the improvements are in radar and avionics,” said Shabbir.

The addition of an in-flight refuelling capability is of considerable importance, according to ex-Pakistan Air Force pilot and analyst Kaiser Tufail.

He highlighted that the JF-17 carries three large drop tanks as its internal fuel capacity is somewhat low, but believes there is a simple enough solution that could be applied.

“If the JF-17 Block II could address the issue of low internal fuel, then that would be a good development. This could be done by using conformal fuel tanks,” he said.

Tufail said he believes other options could be enlarged wings or fuselage, but these could change the aerodynamics of the plane.

Another possible future change, according to Tufail, could be that of the powerplant.

The JF-17 is powered by the Russian Klimov RD-93, which is a development of the RD-33 that powers the MiG-29 Fulcrum. Tufail said there is “nothing wrong” with the engine and that the air force is “quite pleased” with it.

He said the availability of the engine is assured, and any problems such as excessive smoke have been addressed. However, Tufail said he believes the air force “may want to diversify the engine supplier in the long term.”

Where an alternative engine would be procured from is uncertain. But the Chinese Guizhou WS-13, which reportedly powers the Chinese variant of the JF-17, the FC-1, Xiaolong/Fierce Dragon, is a good possibility.

Regarding improved avionics for the JF-17 Block II however, Tufail highlights that we do not yet know what has been selected as details of the new suite have not been publicized.

“The avionics on the JF-17 are seven years old already, so new technology could be integrated if available”, Tufail said.

Tufail said he thinks this should be reasonably easy.

“Avionics improvements are an ongoing process and the Block II is at a stage where new avionics can be integrated, which would be easier during the manufacturing stage, but still possible later during an upgrade,” he said.

Previous reports have stated the suite is of Chinese origin, and Tufail said he believes this is perfectly acceptable as “Chinese avionics have improved remarkably” since the 1990s, and some are comparable to those found on the F-16.

Pakistan Rolls Out 50th JF-17, Block II Production To Commence | Defense News | defensenews.com
 
Question - Will all JF17 Block 1's be upgraded to Block 2 standards

So by 2016 will we have 100 Block 2 standard JF17's

all will be converted to block 2 PROBABLY after the production of block 3
 
PAC announces start of JF-17 Block 2 construction

Author:Farhan Bokhari, Kamra, Pakistan

Last posted:2013-Dec-19

Images:1 image

The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) on 18 December rolled out its 50th and final JF-17 Block 1 Thunder fighter aircraft, and announced the launch of Block 2 production.

PAC has completed production of the Block 1 version of the JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft.

A ceremony to mark the event at PAC's Kamra facility north of Islamabad was attended by prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who also witnessed the Pakistan Air Force and PAC sign a formal agreement with China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) for joint international sales and marketing of the aircraft.

Sharif said the success of the JF-17 programme, a collaboration between China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation and the PAF-run PAC, "shows that our air force is fully capable of defending our country".

According to a PAF press release, Block 2 JF-17s "will have improved versions of avionics sub-systems, air-to-air refuelling capability, additional weapon-carrying capability, optimised maintenance facilitation and some operational capabilities".

The statement did not provide further details on any of these systems but added that "Pakistan's share in co-production of the airframe of the JF-17 aircraft is 58%".

PAF officials at the 2013 Dubai Airshow stated then that a Block 3 variant of the JF-17 "exists in the form of a conceptual design and a list of mission requirements but no concrete decisions have been made about the choice and configuration of the onboard systems for the aircraft". Jane's All the World's Aircraft notes that the Block 3 upgrade is planned to be launched in 2016, and in the meantime CAC and PAC are collaborating in developing a combat-capable, two-seat conversion trainer variant that is expected to enhance export prospects.

Air Vice Marshal Javaid Ahmed, head of the JF-17 programme for the PAF, stated that potential customers for the existing version of the aircraft were likely to come from South America, Africa, the Middle East or Southeast Asia. "These countries of the developing world will be attracted to this aircraft given its specifications and a competitive price," he said.

ANALYSIS
Western analysts in Islamabad who are familiar with the progress of the JF-17 fighter plane said the PAF/PAC collaboration with CATIC is built primarily on providing developing countries with a cheaper alternative to expensive Western aircraft.

Although neither China nor Pakistan have publicly disclosed a price tag, a senior Pakistani government official stated that it could be in the range of around USD25 million per aircraft. A Western defence official based in Islamabad added that this price "could be about half to one-third of the price of a comparable Western fighter".
JDW
 
Another view.

IFR is not as big as you think it is....

JF-17+Thunder+Fighter+Jets+Fitted+with+Fixed+In-Flight+Refuelling+%28IFR%29+Probe+pakistan+air+force+paf+il-78+tanker+blcok+I+II+III+IV%281%29.jpg

Ok now this aircraft serial number is 09-109, dosent this makes it the 9th aircraft? that will be clock one then!
Will appreciate the confirmation from exports on these serials. as far as i remember in 09-109, the first 09 is for year, 2009, and 109 is the aircraft number 9, Block 1.

PLEASE CONFIRM
 
Ok now this aircraft serial number is 09-109, dosent this makes it the 9th aircraft? that will be clock one then!
Will appreciate the confirmation from exports on these serials. as far as i remember in 09-109, the first 09 is for year, 2009, and 109 is the aircraft number 9, Block 1.

PLEASE CONFIRM

09.. inducted in 2009..
It is an operational aircraft sourced for testing.
 
I don't quite understand, why is there suddenly a flurry of reports that JF-17 has been inducted? Wasn't it inducted and in operational service since a few years? Is it misreporting? What significant milestone was just achieved by block-1, other than the 50th being rolled out?

Also, they say that pak's workshare in the airframe manufacture is 58%. Which parts are made in china?

How many firm orders have been placed by the PAF? How many in block-1?
 
I don't quite understand, why is there suddenly a flurry of reports that JF-17 has been inducted? Wasn't it inducted and in operational service since a few years? Is it misreporting? What significant milestone was just achieved by block-1, other than the 50th being rolled out?

Also, they say that pak's workshare in the airframe manufacture is 58%. Which parts are made in china?

How many firm orders have been placed by the PAF? How many in block-1?

Completion and handover of block-1 (batch of first 50)and commencement of block 2 itself is a significant milestone, hence, the flurry of reports.

The 58% is mostly the front section of the airframe, plus , 70-80% of avionics is being manufactured locally too.

For block 1 the firm order was for 50 all have been delivered. Now the firm order is for a batch of 50 block 2s.
 
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I found this image on the internet trust me im in love with the artistic impression of this paint job :smitten:

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taken from :
post no 131
posted on 19th July 2013, 12:38
 
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sir any idea how the block II will look like, any concept which PAC/CAC might have ,since the production has started so definitely they have some thing in mind could you please post a pic or two of the actual concept of the jf-17 block II (animated) pic of what the bird will look like

please hum baccho ke dil na todo sir' koi to pic post kare :yes4:
wait till june 2014
 
sir any idea how the block II will look like, any concept which PAC/CAC might have ,since the production has started so definitely they have some thing in mind could you please post a pic or two of the actual concept of the jf-17 block II (animated) pic of what the bird will look like

please hum baccho ke dil na todo sir' koi to pic post kare :yes4:

this is Block II basically. No structural changes as pointed in many articles, only changes are in avionics.
ANDDDDD This is the first Pic of Jf-17 in Pakistan with FULL WEAPONS LOAD! :yahoo::pakistan:!
(earlier posted by mafiya)

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