No option can be counted out. New strategic games & tactics are all about diversification & advancement within limitations & affordability. No one ever believed that one day, PAC/PAF will be flying a capable AC i.e. JF-17 Thunder. Most of naysayers are now not just surprised but also, being shocked. Speaking of single engine TAI TFX design, one can assume the way that first world countries are replacing F-16s with JSF-35. It is a fact that we don't have such luxury like first world countries but on other hand; whatever we did with JF-17 Thunder to fulfill our most requirement & lessen the work load from advanced Fighter Jet; it suggests that we can still do so by opting for different yet capable enough platform to fill gaps in regards to 4.5++ and 5th Gen Air Craft.
As far as the calculation goes; PAF/PAC will go for 4.5++ Gen Fighter at first to compliment 5th Gen and that by saying; I assume NGF and then 5th Gen AZM. The gap will bridge technology induction, self reliance, building tactics and advancing strategies as well. These sort of programs aren't mere couple of years build but in-fact takes time & money as well as resident talent/R&D. While we started Thunder Program; nobody could have imagine what Pakistan achieved throughout the time we spent on the same. So, in other words; TFX exactly or not, such participation & collaborations will always come handy. I am certain that we have far more options to invite expertise beside Chinese and all I can see that China, Turkey & Russia as well being invited in respective domains for AZM as well. What we did with Turkish Milgem is by turning it into Jinnah Class frigate for immediate requirement and then we are looking at ToT as well as training etc so that Pakistan will continue with in-house production which will ultimately help us to come with our product by next. Conclusively, one cannot think in isolated manners when it comes to such kind of bigger projects having its own strategic significance.
IMO the 4+/4.5 gen fighter would at best be a continually upgraded JF-17. Project AZM will remain the PAF's primary FGFA option, though it might invest in the TF-X to secure some of its technology, it is unlikely to fully commit to that program until the prototype is flying, at which point, it'll review.
What is C100 and C200 ? Where did you see ?
Thank you
@jupiter2007 for posting the variant pics and names.
Amazed at you
@dBSPL for not knowning completely about your own NATIONAL LEVEL PROJECT !!! We Pakistanis on the other hand peel of skins from small piece of information to satisfy our cravings to Accept our advancements and successes !!!
Come to important point here,
@The Eagle @Bilal Khan (Quwa) @jupiter2007 ,
Airomerix did hint about our possible interest or involvement in TFX in future.
Now,
At the moment, Turkey has accepted C-100 design of TF-X 3 conceptual designs.
C-100 design is a dual engine, canardless, non-delta wing design similar to F-22 or J-31.
If Pakistan gets involved in TFX, AND given that the design involved will be JUST C-100 then i think we won’t be involved as full-partners rather just an experience seeking venture and possibly we would be interested in the systems instead of acquiring the aircraft.
REASON :
The design C-100 is similar to J-31 which is flying from 7 years and has seen atleast 3-4 prototypes and comes from a country with matured avionics, missiles and 5th Generation background and expertise if not very matured. And yet, we are not at the moment showing interest in J-31.
However, we have AZM which will be 5+ gen design, C-130 tail painting hinted similarities to YF-23 and FACS concept. It will be a dual engine medium/heavy fighter and most probably air superiority role.
Why would be get involved in TFX C-100 when we can get J-31 half a decade before (and i am not mentioning J-35 even which is not revealed completely but i am expecting high from that since it will be borne from J-31 project).
So Pak in TFX means
- Join in order to take Turkey on tables to bring Single engine Fighter development on parallel to C-100 dual engine. This Single engine could in turn be our NGF which will compliment AZM in future.
- Join TFX to take experience along with TAI and ASELSAN to co-study sensor fusion, 5th gen principles and how to improvise for 5+/6th gen. China itself is currently studying the further room for improvements and advancements on how to step up into future generation. So Pakistan will get chance to learn from Brains of China as well as brains from Turkey. This knowledge in turn will be used on AZM and parallel to TFX, AZM will fly some day as well. This scenario doesn’t involve Pakistan Procuring TFX but just learning from it. Knowledge from Critical studies of 6th Gen, Avionics, Lasers, advanced navigation and Machine Learning and AI as well as advancing EW.
- As for the third possibility, We might get interested into Turkish Engine project which was a joint effort between RR and Turkey. RR turned its back on turks. Russia interested to get involved. We could get a license production of this engine as well as become partners (too costly for this to happen and especially when the project itself isn’t certain).