Interesting Note:
Meanwhile, Moscow daily, Kommersant, reported that future production of JF-17 would be in jepody. The Sukhoi and MiG-RSK director general, Mikhail Pogosian has written to the Russian export agency, Rosoboronexport, opposing the sale of the next tranche of 100 RD-93 engines that power the JF-17 and FC-1. The first 100 RD-93 engines were sold to the Chinese CAC in 2005 as 'export only' for China. Anticipating the Russian move, China has been working on its own engine WS-13 to replace the RD-93. The WS-13 was reportedly certified by the Chinese in 2007, has been in production since 2009, and is presently undergoing flight tests on an FC-1.
Asked about the Chinese WS-13 engine at the Farnborough Air Show, AVM Arif rportedly said "the engine needs time to mature, and it could be five years or more before it is ready." However, without disclosing, he said that Pakistan has other options for engines other than Russia and China. Show News (Farnborough) reported that the PAF is extremely happy with the JF-17, which has better than the older Lockheed Martin models of F-16A/B block 15 in its inventory. "The JF-17 has better avionics , a glass cockpit and the KLJ-17 radar can be compared to the Thales RC400," according to PAF pilots. Arif said that the PAF would have a mix of F-16C/D 52 Block 52 plus aircraft that they are now receiving from the US at the upper end and JF-17 at the lower end.
From "FORCE", August 2010. Force is an Indian Defence Magazine.