Chengdu Aircraft Company (CAC) introduced the re-upgraded No.4 FC1/JF17 prototype at 2005 Beijing Aviation Exhibition. This is the second time that No.4 FC1/JF17 underwent upgrading within one year. Kanwaââ¬â¢s analysts believe that the root cause for CAC to further upgrade FC1 is that the US has been promoting F16C/D to Pakistan due to political considerations, and as a result FC1/JF17 is under immense pressure. Kanwaââ¬â¢s report from Pakistan says that Pakistan has principally decided to import 55 F16C/D Block 50/52. The US is attempting to squeeze the position of the Chinese products in the Pakistani combat aircraft market by way of providing ââ¬Åmilitary aidââ¬Â to and entering arms deals with Pakistan. A source from Pakistani military claims that the US has confirmed to give Pakistan a total military aid US$1.5 billion within 5 years starting in 2005. Meanwhile, once Pakistan decides to purchase F16, the US will increase the scale of military aid. In 2003, the US reimbursed Pakistan US$ 350 million, the money that Pakistan paid to purchase the US-made F16 Fighters 15 years ago but frozen by them due to Pakistanââ¬â¢s nuclear bomb test.
During the interview in Pakistan, Kanwa discovered that there were heated disputes within the Pakistani Air Force on whether to choose JF17 or F16C/D as the future mainstay fighter. There were controversies at most levels. Out of the need to protect domestic aviation industry, Pakistan will eventually procure JF17, and there is no doubt about this. But the core of the current disputes is on the quantity of the procurement. Majority of the Pakistani military officers are inclined to think that after acquiring new F16 fighters, the planned procurement of 150 JF17 fighters would inevitably be readjusted. As a consequence, the total output of JF17 in Pakistan will have to be much lower, which will push the cost and unit price of the fighter much higher. Such a vicious circle is what Pakistan does not want to see.
Within the Pakistani Air Force itself, the opinions about JF17 are very similar to that of the Chinese Air Force about J10A. With the rapid changes in the international security situation, the militaries of the two countries are having increasingly higher requirements for JF17 and J10A, hoping that the fighters are equipped with even more advanced technologies while containing the rise of cost.
Under this circumstance, CAC has no alternative but undertaking constant upgrading of JF17 while keeping the cost low, with a hope that Pakistan would be pleased with the upgraded fighters. ââ¬ÅJF17 is indeed a difficult project,ââ¬Â a source from the Chinese aviation industry said. As a matter of fact, the introduction of No.4 JF17 prototype has already been delayed until early next year. According to the original upgrading plan, test flight should have been conducted in September 2005.
The JF17 put on display in 2004 had already undergone technological upgrading, which included enlarging the internal space of the air-intake channels and adding 4 strip-shaped structures to control vortex.
The latest upgrading plan includes a redesigned aerodynamic structure of the front section of the fuselage, the addition of enlarged F/A-18 style leading edge extensions (LEX) to enhance lift efficiency, and improving the stability of the aircraft during high-attack angle flying. Kanwa speculates such upgrading is mainly because that Pakistani Air Force is now under the pressure from Indian Air Forceââ¬â¢s Su30MKI. The latterââ¬â¢s 30-degree attack angle and performance in low-speed flight are very impressive.
Meanwhile, the diverterless supersonic inlets (DSI) have also been redesigned for the airintake in order to streamline the structure and reduce weight. As a result, the fighter now has an improved performance in high-speed flight and much enhanced stealthy feature. A large rectangular-shaped fairing is installed on top of the vertical tailfin, and there will be a greater number of new electronic equipments and sensors fitted on the upgraded fighter. In order to reinforce FC1ââ¬â¢s land-attack precision, the new No.4 FC1 model is added with two LT2 laser-guided bombs.
During the interview in Pakistan, Kanwa discovered that there were heated disputes within the Pakistani Air Force on whether to choose JF17 or F16C/D as the future mainstay fighter. There were controversies at most levels. Out of the need to protect domestic aviation industry, Pakistan will eventually procure JF17, and there is no doubt about this. But the core of the current disputes is on the quantity of the procurement. Majority of the Pakistani military officers are inclined to think that after acquiring new F16 fighters, the planned procurement of 150 JF17 fighters would inevitably be readjusted. As a consequence, the total output of JF17 in Pakistan will have to be much lower, which will push the cost and unit price of the fighter much higher. Such a vicious circle is what Pakistan does not want to see.
Within the Pakistani Air Force itself, the opinions about JF17 are very similar to that of the Chinese Air Force about J10A. With the rapid changes in the international security situation, the militaries of the two countries are having increasingly higher requirements for JF17 and J10A, hoping that the fighters are equipped with even more advanced technologies while containing the rise of cost.
Under this circumstance, CAC has no alternative but undertaking constant upgrading of JF17 while keeping the cost low, with a hope that Pakistan would be pleased with the upgraded fighters. ââ¬ÅJF17 is indeed a difficult project,ââ¬Â a source from the Chinese aviation industry said. As a matter of fact, the introduction of No.4 JF17 prototype has already been delayed until early next year. According to the original upgrading plan, test flight should have been conducted in September 2005.
The JF17 put on display in 2004 had already undergone technological upgrading, which included enlarging the internal space of the air-intake channels and adding 4 strip-shaped structures to control vortex.
The latest upgrading plan includes a redesigned aerodynamic structure of the front section of the fuselage, the addition of enlarged F/A-18 style leading edge extensions (LEX) to enhance lift efficiency, and improving the stability of the aircraft during high-attack angle flying. Kanwa speculates such upgrading is mainly because that Pakistani Air Force is now under the pressure from Indian Air Forceââ¬â¢s Su30MKI. The latterââ¬â¢s 30-degree attack angle and performance in low-speed flight are very impressive.
Meanwhile, the diverterless supersonic inlets (DSI) have also been redesigned for the airintake in order to streamline the structure and reduce weight. As a result, the fighter now has an improved performance in high-speed flight and much enhanced stealthy feature. A large rectangular-shaped fairing is installed on top of the vertical tailfin, and there will be a greater number of new electronic equipments and sensors fitted on the upgraded fighter. In order to reinforce FC1ââ¬â¢s land-attack precision, the new No.4 FC1 model is added with two LT2 laser-guided bombs.
