@iLION12345_1
I think something like this could be an interesting application from a CAS standpoint.
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Basically, as the PAF gradually moves towards more J-10CE and JF-17 Block-3s, I think there's an opportunity to repurpose the Block-1s into a more CAS-type platform. I don't know how much more the Block-I can handle from an electronics standpoint, but adding a low-powered, air-cooled AESA radar, HMD/S and targeting pod can unlock a few things. Namely, we could deploy AGMs like the AAHAN above and pair with outside-the-cockpit cueing.
This could basically become our Jaguar in the sense of providing precision anti-armor/vehicle capability. We could even go a step further and try making a Sensor-Fuzed Weapon-type system (e.g., pair small loitering munitions into a stand-off range dispenser, like GB500).
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Using dedicated fighter jets for CAS in the Pakistan-india theatre provides a rather unique set of both use cases and threats due to the SAM and fighter rich environment we’d have over a rather small geographical area. The Pakistan-india theatre is so unique, that there is really no other example around the world we can realistically apply to it.
Firstly it raises some major questions regarding wether the combined-ops training of the forces is strong enough to where a multi-layered and multi-day assault over (and across) the border can be planned and executed.
Let’s say a strike corps of the PA is going on an armored offensive into Indian territory in a certain location, can PAF firstly divert CAS assets and dedicate them to cover said offensive, on top of that can the PAF divert and dedicate A2A assets to said strike corps to cover the birds providing CAS to them, on top of that can the PAF divert and dedicate long range strike assets to said corps for SEAD/DEAD, and then there’s the air EW, ELINT and AWACS layers on top of that, while also coordinating with PA SHORADs, LOMADs and HIMARs systems, Gunships and tank commanders. Not to mention an entirely new layer of UAVs with the PA and the PAF.
In this way it raises equal questions about how good the PAF is at asset management and cross-task planning (how well each different type of aircraft can take care of the other, I.e. the SEAD/DEAD birds for the A2A and CAS, the A2A birds for the SEAD/DEAD and CAS etc).
This is just a small glimpse into how complex a CAS operation for the PAF is, if they can pull all of this off within acceptable standards, then yes, the JF-17 block 1s, or any fighter for that matter, can be a very useful CAS bird.
Given Pakistans terrain, air-refueling would be a minimum, and the jets could even go about without more than one drop tank and carry more ordinance instead, deciding to refuel at the nearest base instead of staying on station longer (that’s up to the PAF to decide what ratio of loiter time versus amount of ordinance works best).
I realize very little of this is in actual response or relation to your post, which really I have nothing to add to it, I agree with you, but I like to bring all of these possibilities up to remind us how many factors are being calculated for a single, seemingly simple, CAS run.
That being said, I feel like PAF is already converting older JF-17 blocks to A2G roles sort of “spiritually”, they know that once they have enough Block 3s and J-10Cs, they can give as many roles from the mirage to the JF-17 as they want.
It’s already carrying REKs, doing SEAD/DEAD with ARMs, now carrying Ra’ads and ASHMs etc, all of this once belonged to the mirage, which is now only unique in its SOW carrying capability (something I assume PAF is working on, getting new SOWs that work with the JF) and more importantly; it’s bomb-truck capability.
So if you’ve noticed, the more J-10Cs and Block 3s we get, the more precision strike roles the older JF-17 blocks take, I can’t say for certain how much this gives them a boost in CAS capabilities, but I can say that the more J-10Cs and Block 3s we get, the more free mirages we have that are no longer doing anything, and those are honestly perfect for basic CAS roles with large amounts of (unguided/cheaply guided) ordinance. That’s why I think the mirage still has a big role to play in the PAF, it’s been through countless roles already, now it could have another one. If anything I hope the PAF is looking into making them better CAS platforms and getting out the last bit of life from them this way instead of trying to put BVRs on them (I still don’t get the point behind that…).
Why not just upgrade the Block 1s to Block 3 standard?
Block 1s are already upgraded to block 2 standard IIRC. Upgrading to block 3 would take rather massive changes, at this point they’d rather keep producing more fighters to increase numbers instead of taking block 1s and 2s off active duty to upgrade them, that would be both expensive and decrease available aircraft.
There is a better method to upgrade them if PAF wants to; wait until the airframes/engines run out of life and do a full rebuild of them into block 3s, but that depends on wether it’s cost effective, it could be cheaper to simply produce new block 3s.
