Pakistan announces 5th-gen fighter and medium-altitude long-endurance UAV programs

[Zhukov]

Current fleet procurement strategy !
*F-16 + Mirage direct purchase
*JF-17 home grown-investment-industrial partnership

Pakistan is stabilizing the allies well with operating Western (F-16) and Chinese (Home-grown JF-17) fighters so Replacement of those fighters will also be done with same principles.

Next procurement scenario !
*Pakistan F-16s will be replaced with another Western class fighter (TF-X/F-35/Rafale)
*JF-17 will be replaced with another Chinese fighters (J-31 or J-20)

The gold question is Which fighter project Pakistan is going to select for investment/industrial partnership/joint-production-exportation to boost industrial capabilities ? I bet my money on TF-X.

JF17s arent replacing any time sooner mate. they are freshly inducted birds. They are workhorse of PAF. They have already replaced A5 bombers and replacing F7 Interceptors.
Now next replacement will be Mirage 3s and 5s i have no idea what will the replacement in near future of 3 5 years. I bet it will be J31 or may be a stop gap 4.5th generation.
And this new project i believe is the replacement of Legendary F16s and i agree Pak might should Participate in TFX Project with a Pakistani Variant that replaces American Avionics and other parts with European Chinese and Home Grown Systems. Cause we ain't going that well with Yankees as well as you guys are atleast in near future.

If PAF is proposing to change the fleet composition then its anyone guess what they are planning.

 

[SOHEIL]

Is it really so simple? Than why not iran successful since 1989 nuclear blue prints and centrifuges they have,which came from Pakistan but in 2016 your country give up nuclear weapons ambitions over to Barrack hussain obama.so brother nothing is easy if you don't concentrate,and no thing is impossible if you have will and skill. Thanks

How do you know we didn't !?

It was a political decision ... We didn't want to invest so much money on nuclear weapons but we have delivery systems and they are ready to do if situation changes!

 

[Basel]

We need to refer back to what the PAF itself is saying ... e.g. (1) the ACM said the PAF is looking "beyond" 5th-gen, (2) they set up AvDI to basically take on the design work of the FGF, and (3) they want to carry out most of the development in Pakistan in order to acquire and fully control the technology in-house. This is basically the markings of an original design, and not the TFX, J-20 or FC-31.

As for "why" they would want it an original design, there are several reasons:

First, this specific program could be meant to replace the JF-17, which would be due for phasing out in the late 2030s and early 2040s. In this respect, the PAF would need a fighter it can induct in numbers.

Second, they want to spend the next 15-20 years to produce a fighter that will be a contemporary of the fighters emerging in the 2030s and 2040s. In other words, stop playing catch-up where after having JF-17, we started seeing the world move ahead with 4.5 and 5th-gen.

Third, going off-the-shelf - even with the FC-31 - might not provide the sufficient amount of technology ownership necessary to build a robust aviation base in Pakistan. The FC-31 or TFX routes might not take PAC very far from where it already is - i.e. maintenance and manufacturing a portion of the sub-assemblies.

Fourth, actually design a fighter that is uniquely tailored for the PAF's requirements, which might emphasize lower operating costs, scalability, customization and future features, such as optionally piloted modules (switching the plane from being manned to unmanned) and controlling a flight of UCAVs.

Regarding cost. Sure, there'll be a savings in development by going for two off-the-shelf designs, but there will also be cost increases in operating so many large twin-engine jets. In this market, there are interestingly no other lighter weight designs optimized for low cost operation and expendability. None.

Another single-engine lightweight jet might seem off-putting, it might remind some of the limitations of the JF-17 all over again. However, the JF-17 was meant to replace F-7s. The alternate way to look at a lightweight 5+ gen fighter is to view it from the angle of future air warfare. A lightweight, low-cost and expendable design can be used as a manned or unmanned aircraft, the latter optimized for very high-risk offensive missions.

Fifth, having an original design with majority technology ownership and development in Pakistan would provide Pakistan with its own exportable good. A program of this nature is something you could offer to many states, and even a few sales would amount to billions in dollars of production and after-sale support work for the economy.

The one main issue will be engine which fulfil 5th gen bird requirements and only China, Turkey (their influence on UK) and possibly Russia can help in this matter.

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

The one main issue will be engine which fulfil 5th gen bird requirements and only China, Turkey (their influence on UK) and possibly Russia can help in this matter.

Yep ... but depending on the plane's size, they could also talk to Ukraine. I am looking at it from the standpoint of setting up a turnkey engine manufacturing base in Pakistan. I doubt it would be possible ... but it wouldn't be a bad idea to try and tap into the expertise available (China, Russia, UK and Ukraine) to develop and mature a domestic turbofan over the next 20 years.

 

[Basel]

Yep ... but depending on the plane's size, they could also talk to Ukraine. I am looking at it from the standpoint of setting up a turnkey engine manufacturing base in Pakistan. I doubt it would be possible ... but it wouldn't be a bad idea to try and tap into the expertise available (China, Russia, UK and Ukraine) to develop and mature a domestic turbofan over the next 20 years.

Turkey, China and may be Russia or UK can be big contributor while Italy, South Africa, Ukraine etc can help build specific components or munitions.

If Pakistan play it's diplomatic cards well then some European companies will like to join it's program (UK is key here) while finance can be arranged from China (if you get what I am saying) win-win situation.

 

[Itaalvi]

Pakistan wants to master the tech of stealth and that is why the announce 5th Gen drone in order to get knowledge and experience required to build 5th Gen stealth fighter.

 

[Eagle_Nest]

One question
As india has recent deals of guardian drones with israel /USA.
What is capacity/Position of Pakistan in drone technology comparing to india after they got the machines?

 

[indianfighter1999]

pakistan already produces burraq indigenously India is far behind.

 

[salarsikander]

One question
As india has recent deals of guardian drones with israel /USA.
What is capacity/Position of Pakistan in drone technology comparing to india after they got the machines?

As compared to India. Nowhere.

 

[Kompromat]

PAF will do it. On the other hand a Harvard study is projecting a healthy 60% expansion in Pakistan's GDP for the next decade.

 

[Itaalvi]

One question
As india has recent deals of guardian drones with israel /USA.
What is capacity/Position of Pakistan in drone technology comparing to india after they got the machines?

We already inducted and using armed drone called Buraq.

 

[خره مينه لګته وي]

Pakistan wants to master the tech of stealth and that is why the announce 5th Gen drone in order to get knowledge and experience required to build 5th Gen stealth fighter.

it's not a 5th gen drone !!

As india has recent deals of guardian drones with israel /USA.
What is capacity/Position of Pakistan in drone technology comparing to india after they got the machines?

India is getting unarmed drones !! Give money to USA,Uncle Sam they'll also hand it over to Pakistan..we can also get Armed Drones from China..

1- Pakistani Armed Drone.

2- China's - Cloud Shadow UAV,drone.

3- Chinese - AVIC unveils Wing Loong II

 

[SOHEIL]

Cloud Shadow UAV drone.

 

[Awan68]

PAF will do it. On the other hand a Harvard study is projecting a healthy 60% expansion in Pakistan's GDP for the next decade.

i think it will be more than that after the gdp rebase in 2018.

 

[BATMAN]

But bro ... Developing nuclear weapons is much simpler than 5th generation fighters!

If there was no support from Pakistan, it would be most difficult for both of you Iran and India.