Should Pakistan go for a Twinjet or not?

[C130]

F/A 18 Advance Super Hornet

I like the load out of 6 SDB and 2 AIM-120

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

F/A 18 Advance Super Hornet

I like the load out of 6 SDB and 2 AIM-120

I would love to see this in service with PAF.. But than again due to limited funds and prone to sanctions it wouldn't be a really nice choice.


Better choice (if they want to go for a twin engine jet) would be a Chinese built SU aka J series flankers.

Or they could just buy 2 sqds to equip the navy and wait for the 5th gen fighters.

Before anything else, I must say that I am not an expert in the field. So everything I say here is nothing but my own analysis and intellect.

I have been observing a lot of arguments and debates regarding if 'Pakistan should go for Twinjet or not', and thought of putting forth my point of view.

I would say NO, Pakistan must not go with a twinjet in near future.

First of all, money is not the only problem in buying expensive air-superiority twinjet fighters. There is a lot more to that i.e. maintenance, cost per flight, heat signatures, training etc
Not just that, it also depends on where the airforce is intended to operate.
YES, the area and the combat radius.
There should be a whole lot of a blog about just this topic but I'd try to shorten it as much as I could.

Examples given in this regard are Britain, India, France etc

Britain is an Island and besides her is the friendly European Union.
Actually and literally Britain doesn't need a very strong airforce. They need a strong naval arm which by the way they have best in the world.
RAF operates about 120 Typhoons not because they need it but because its the most advanced fighter in the world after F-22 Raptor and also because its produced especially as a fighter for the European forces. Keep in mind, Britain's military budget is about $70b (10 times the budget of Pakistan's.)

India needs twinjets not because they want to show off but because they literally need it. China lies just above it, a much larger country with a greater strategic depth and then there is Pakistan in the West obviously. India needs a very strong naval arm as well, keeping in view that half of the Indian territory is surrounded by waters (just like Britain), they also need naval versions of the fighters for their aircraft carriers along with it (again just like Britain). So that's why we see India going for twinjets. India's military budget is about $50b (Pakistan's military budget is $7b)

Then comes the maintenance issues with the twinjets esp when you are buying from other countries. Remember few months back when India had to ground all of its Su-30's fleet for maintenance. Remember 6-7 Su-30MKIs have crashed since 2009 due to technical issues.

Another big issue is the infrared(heat) signatures. Bigger engines leave bigger heat signatures. Two engines leave even bigger signatures. So no or very less stealthiness with twinjets. Excluding the F-22 Raptor obviously, all other twinjets leave really big blips on the radar. As a result it is easier for infrared radar to detect a twinjet as compared to a singlejet and hit it with a infrared guided missile.

Prices of modern twinjets (per unit):

Eurofighter Typhoon - $130 m
Dassault Rafale - $100 m
F-15K - $100 m
F/A-18 Super Hornet - $60 m
Su-30 MKI - $60 m
MiG-29 - $30 m

Price of modern singlejets (per unit):

JAS Gripen - $70 m
F-16 E/F - $50 m
JF-17 Block II - $30 m

So in short, one can buy 1 Typhoon or 4 JF-17s.
Which is a better option esp. when you are producing JF-17s locally.

I hope this explains a lot. But as I said, there is still a lot more to mention. Let me know what you think.
NOTE: Prices are of the most advanced variants of the respective jets. The budget amounts are that of 2014.
Sources of facts and figures: Wikipedia.

Thanks to PDF for maintaining such a reliable platform. Best wishes to the Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Kamra with the future to come.
Best part about JF-17 Thunder is that its scalable, its still evolving, may it be avionics or weapons. God knows what comes out of it after few years. Maybe the best MRF in the world outrunning the F-16.

Pakistan Zindabad

Indias defence budget is around 36 billion and they need that to replace obsolete soviet platforms.

 

[C130]

I would love to see this in service with PAF.. But than again due to limited funds and prone to sanctions it wouldn't be a really nice choice.


Better choice (if they want to go for a twin engine jet) would be a Chinese built SU aka J series flankers.

Or they could just buy 2 sqds to equip the navy and wait for the 5th gen fighters.




Indias defence budget is around 36 billion and they need that to replace obsolete soviet platforms.

I would love to see this in service with PAF.. But than again due to limited funds and prone to sanctions it wouldn't be a really nice choice.


Better choice (if they want to go for a twin engine jet) would be a Chinese built SU aka J series flankers.

Or they could just buy 2 sqds to equip the navy and wait for the 5th gen fighters.




Indias defence budget is around 36 billion and they need that to replace obsolete soviet platforms.

how many aircraft for 4 squandrons??? gotta think it only cost about 4 billion for 48 Advance Super Hornets including support.


sanctions sanctions sancations all I hear is sanctions. what could Pakistan possibly do to incur sanctions???

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

how many aircraft for 4 squandrons??? gotta think it only cost about 4 billion for 48 Advance Super Hornets including support.


sanctions sanctions sancations all I hear is sanctions. what could Pakistan possibly do to incur sanctions???

Maybe it's coz we have faced Americas wrath (sanctions) for decades.. Which has made us insecure or something lol.

 

[Super Falcon]

F 18 hornet i think will not be wise to buy it is very expansive we have a option from russia new mig 35 it is mostly for export no one yet bought it i think if we show interest we can get it or J 11 is another good option

 

[ACE OF THE AIR]

F 18 hornet i think will not be wise to buy it is very expansive we have a option from russia new mig 35 it is mostly for export no one yet bought it i think if we show interest we can get it or J 11 is another good option

F-18 A/B have been evaluated... Australia Chief of Army staff visit...

 

[HAIDER]

I think it is too vague...is it meant for the airforce or the Naval air arm?

Naval Air Arm...then I would suggest only the heavy twin engined platform. Because you will be facing a formidable fleet in a huge area,,,and in case of a blockade the air arm must have the capability to carry heavy weapon loads for a long distance. It will be like attacking HVA that is moving all the time and has a huge defensive arsenal.

Air Force I would stick to what Niaz is saying, A single engined fighter is a much better option for Pakistan. But it must have an engine like the F-135 in it then it makes sense. India and Pakistan are neighbours and both of them can see deep into each others air space now.

You need dual engine for navel platform, because plane need big boast to lift off from short tarmac. But now after deployment of F35, US and his allies will start scraping the carriers and redirect toward the concept of French Mistral. Bow and arrow concept will slowly disappear from ACs.

 

[Last Samuri]

The IDEAL SOLUTION for PAF

IS

100 Thunders work horse
100 Falcons cutting edge
50 Flankers J11 twin engine option with vast range/options
50 J31 fifth gen

but whos paying $$$$$$$$$

 

[Super Falcon]

Agreed but if we can get few mig 35 or Su 35 along with S 300 we are good to go

SU 35 65 million a unit for air superiority its cheap

 

[nana41]

The IDEAL SOLUTION for PAF

IS

100 Thunders work horse
100 Falcons cutting edge
50 Flankers J11 twin engine option with vast range/options
50 J31 fifth gen

but whos paying $$$$$$$$$

Hang Zardari/Bhutto family,Shareef family,Asfandyar family,Pervez/Shujaat family,altaf and his muhajir thugs,Mullah diesel and all the looters upside down.Shake them till they throw up the stolen money from their stomachs called Switzerland,England,Abu Dhabi,I am sure even your not very good choice of machines can be bought ,you will have lots and lots of money spared for other national causes.

 

[mingle]

F/A 18 Advance Super Hornet

I like the load out of 6 SDB and 2 AIM-120

Its a fantastic plane fit into navel needs of pak .i think if pak negociate with boeing may be price comes down two sqd r enough for navy needs cum with jf 17 thunders as compliment .3 billions should be enough for 28 -36 planes but it fit the bill for sure .Cheif test pilot is ricardo travin is canadian ex CF 18 Guy .Sanction r past not future with pak us relations US will love to sell it to pak if pak spare some $$$

 

[ACE OF THE AIR]

Agreed but if we can get few mig 35 or Su 35 along with S 300 we are good to go

SU 35 65 million a unit for air superiority its cheap

It is even cheaper to get the J-10 which is also an air superiority fighter.

 

[Super Falcon]

Fa 18 hornet is awsome but we cant buy it remember sanctions better option will be JH 17 or SU 35 65 million a piece almost half of hornet price double the power

 

[Kabira]

PAF will eventually go for twin engine for 5th gen.

 

[Super Falcon]

Dear J 10 is multirole and single engine we need something twin engine and airsuperiority jet till how long we rely on multirole it is not complete fighter it can do half of what dedicated fighter can do most multirole jet are more better for air to ground F 16 of us airforce dedicated for destroying radars etc we need something can rule the skies which of like SU 35 SU 37 F 15

Yes they have no option twin jet is order of need this is big hole in paf which paf need to fill