So the Mirages of the 1960s vintage can fly with the PAF for 50+ years of frontline service, yet a plane designed in the 90s and produced in the 2000s is only good for 20? If that were the case, why even bother with creating a facility to fully overhaul the jet? JF-17's existing airframes will be in service for a long time to come, and easily double the service life then the 15-20 year estimates. The first jets that were manufactured are just starting to go through overhaul now after about 10 years of service. If the 15-20 years contention is correct, its implying that they will be only overhauled once in their life. We all know how many times F-6, F-7s and Mirages have gone through major overhauls to know PAF will not be throwing away its newest jets.
Hi,
The 60's mirages fly for 50 years is because of the refurbishment of whole of the aircraft frame upwards---.
We are operating them because they still are an excellent platform for the job that they can do and the duties that they can perform---.
They still are an excellent strike platform for ground and naval targets---.
As we have all the facilities to upgrade these aircraft---it costs us a minsicule amount to have a working strike aircraft than can carry 2 anti ship missiles---.
We have a plethora of slightly or mildly used mirage 3 & 5's---we have a lots of brand new engines and some slightly used engines as well---and we can overhaul these engines as good as new---.
So again---this aircraft's primary use is strike---and some for recon---and for these missions---you do not need a top notch aircraft---you need a functional aircraft---.
Now for the JF17---its cost is cheap---because of our cheap labor---. The lockmart engineer makes in one day that our engineer makes it in one month as salary---.
Our technician's salary of one month is that of one days salary of a tech at lockmart---.
The JF17 is our most modern frontline aircraft---. For the cost ratio to a similarly capable foreign aircraft to the life of the aircraft---we still come out way ahead---.
Life cyclce is very important for a major weapons system---but what is more important is what it can do for you when you go to war---remember that is what is its primary function---fighting capability---.
Now knowing that we can life cycle upgrade it in 15 years---it gives us a bigger advantage---we will have a more modern aircraft in our hands in the 15th-16th year than as compared to 25-30 years upgrade---.
Next---once the JF17 reaches the BLK design stability in the BLK3 or BLK 4---we are much better off replacing the older blocks with newer ones---because we get the most modern weapons and electronics warfare systems available to us---.
By that time---the life cycle of our aircraft would also have increased by default---why---because as this is one pf the major builds by us and our allies---we will learn what needs to be done to make it a 30 or a 40 year life aircraft---.
Rome was not built in a day---.
