China and Pakistan’s “Joint Fighter-17” (JF-17) is a single-engine, multi-role fighter of Pakistan Air Force (PAF), with the ability to conduct aerial reconnaissance, ground attack, and interception missions. Both, China and Pakistan, are desperately looking for buyers of JF-17s. The publicly announced rejection of the JF-17 by Malaysia and Sri Lanka appears to have been a setback for the modernisation programme of PAF. Several times, the Pakistani and other media reported that a number of air forces were considering the purchase of the JF-17. Later such claims were proven false. They also listed more than a dozen potential export markets for the JF-17, including Argentina, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Myanmar, Nigeria, the Philippines, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. The export possibilities for the JF-17 have been the subject of countless rumours and false beginnings.

BRIEF HISTORY

JF-17 was the dream project for Pakistan. It multiplied the PAF’s dreams, but the development of the project, since inception, was ‘dim’, and the dividends only existed as dreams. In June 1999, China and Pakistan signed a contract to develop and produce the Chengdu ‘FC-1 / Super-7’ in Pakistan. The Chinese designation “FC-1” stands for “Fighter China-1”. They had agreed to split the project cost. In addition, there are striking similarities between it and the US company Lockheed Martin’s F-16. Both nations’ air forces agreed to place sizable orders for the aircraft as part of the 50:50 partnership agreement. PAF has a minimum need of 200 of these platforms. The plane’s name was changed to “Joint Fighter-17” in 2003, with the “-17” denoting that, in the PAF’s vision, it is the successor to the F-16. The hype surrounding it as the best fighter aircraft in the world was completely baseless.

The ‘first’ prototype went into production in September 2002, and a full-size mock-up was on show at the Air Show China in November 2002. The fighter was introduced to replace the PAF fleet’s outdated A-5C, F-7P, Mirage 3 and Mirage 5 aircraft, all of which were originally planned for replacement.

The Aircraft Manufacturing Factory (AMF) final assembly line at Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra has already started producing the multirole fighter aircraft JF-17 “Thunder” Block III. According to Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, the PAF Chief of Air Staff, another 50 x JF-17 Block IIIs are anticipated to be inducted by 2024.

FALSE CLAIMS

According to information published in March 2022 by “Sweden’s Stockholm International Peace Research Institute” (SIPRI), Beijing satisfied 72 per cent of Islamabad’s demand for major arms between 2017 and 2021. In contrast, according to SIPRI, 47 per cent of China’s total major arms exports during that period went to Pakistan. Several of the agreements are marked “co-production” or “joint programme,” suggesting significant contribution of Pakistani Research and Development (R&D). This, however, is factually false, as SIPRI’s analysis demonstrates that, in the vast majority of cases, the R&D is either entirely or primarily Chinese. Chinese teams have even created the modules specifically demanded by Pakistan.

According to a New York Times (NYT) report, the PAF has “an alternative to the US-built F-16 fighters thanks to the JF-17”. As per the reports, “Pakistan assembles the Chinese aircraft at the Kamra Aeronautical Complex in the Punjab region. China-Pakistan Economic Cooperation” (CPEC), which is a component of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is linked to Pakistan’s alliance with the Chinese Air Force. Pakistan is working with China on distinctly defence-related projects as part of the BRI, including a covert plan to develop new fighter jets, which China claims to be a peaceful project.” The NYT report was immediately refuted by the Pakistan Foreign Office who claimed that CPEC was purely an economic endeavour with no military component.

According to a report in the UK’s Financial Times newspaper, the West is irritated by the growing defence cooperation between China and Pakistan. The joint JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, the Burraq armed drone, and the specially designed AIPequipped submarines are all mentioned in the paper as examples of the close cooperation between the two countries.

Though Pakistan asserts that the PAC, at Kamra, has the maximum Share (58 per cent) of the production, this is untrue. The JF-17 is put together at a sub-assembly line of Kamra’s Aircraft Manufacturing Factory using raw materials and production kits imported from CAIC, China. Only a few sub-assemblies, including the wings, front fuselage, and tail, are produced by PAC using materials that are once again imported from China. The ejection seat is from Martin Baker; however, the majority of the systems are Chinese, South African, and European (UK).

PAF’s JF-17 has maintenance problems that are getting worse every day. The reason is the RD-93, the engine of JF-17s. The RD-93 is Russian made engine.

JF-17 was intended to be a low-priced, lightweight, all-weather multi-role fighter with a Chinese airframe, outfitted with Western avionics, and powered by the Russian Klimov RD- 93 Aero Engine.

Pakistan had in mind a fighter jet that would be at par with the Su-30 MKI, MiG-29, and Mirage 2000. The aircraft’s better capabilities were even mentioned as a reason why China would introduce it. According to a statement from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), “JF-17s were built to meet the requirements of international customers and the global market. “However, because it is a low-cost fighter built with sub-standard Chinese avionics and armaments, the aircraft is significantly below its anticipated capabilities. According to reports, in its western border regions, Pakistan has used jets made in China to kill terrorists. These fighters were JF-17B, an updated version of the JF-17.

According to SIPRI, reports, JF-17 are planned to be equipped with the Ra’ad Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM). This will provide this PAF’s fighter-bombers with a standoff nuclear capability. It has been flight-tested seven times since 2007. The last reported flight test was in 2016.

The Ra’ad-II, an improved model that made its debut in 2017 and is presumed to have a 600-kilometer range, is an improved version. Ra’ad II is nuclear-capable ALCM variant and also known as the Hatf VIII.

IMPACT OF RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

The PAF’s JF-17, claimed to be frontline fighter, has maintenance problems that are getting worse every day. The reason is the RD-93, the engine of JF-17. The RD-93 is Russian made engine. Aircraft engines need to be regularly overhauled as part of the scheduled maintenance plans defined by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). After a certain number of flight hours, these engines are mandatorily required to be replaced. These maintenance activities are highly affected as original equipment supplier ‘Rosoboronexport’ is under strict economic sanctions by the United States of America and other NATO Countries, due to Russia-Ukraine war. Rosoboronexport is the only state-controlled intermediary in Russia for exports and imports of the full spectrum of military and dual-purpose goods, services, and technologies, since 2018.

Rosoboronexport is unable to conduct transactions in US dollars due to the sanctions. Thus, according to sources, there are payment issues that the two governments and the concerned banks have yet to resolve. As a result, getting the JF-17 ready for flight is getting more challenging and will get more complex.

The PAF and the “China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation” (CATIC), are attempting to substitute a Chinese RD-93 engine for the Russian one as a workaround. However, it remains to be seen ‘how capable this retro-fitment will be’ and ‘how long it will take to get materialised’.

ISSUES WITH PAF JF-17

Over 100 JF-17 Block 1 & 2 fighters are currently in service with the PAF. There are about 40 un-airworthy aircraft. Guide vanes, exhaust nozzles, and flame stabilisers have reportedly developed cracks in a significant number of engines. It’s challenging to replace the substandard engines.

JF-17 in the Air Defence role was reported to be unreliable. It has an indigenous Link-17 data link. Reports say “it does not have sufficient data transfer rate. The aircraft’s true interoperability capability is limited as it can never be integrated with the F-16 fighter’s Link-16”. The ‘Thunder’ does not have even an effective BVR or Airborne Interception radar. It was hailed as the second-best PAF fighter after the F-16, but “on February 27, 2019, in the face of effective jamming and strikes by Indian pilots, all of its Range Extension Kit (REK) bombs missed their intended target.

JF-17 avionics are supported by the KLJ-7 radar, but it consistently performs much below stipulated levels and has experienced numerous operational problems since the project’s inception.

The competence of a fighter aircraft is assessed on the basis of the effectivity avionics, weapons, and engine configuration. JF-17 is assessed to be much inferior to the stipulated standards. The major unremarkable flaws of JF-17 are:

• Low Endurance;
• Poor Accuracy;
• Unreliable Airborne Interception Radar;
• Low Weapon Carrying Capability;
• Maintenance problems;
• Low credibility of Aircraft Main Computer, and
• Frequent failures of a number of its modules.

It was termed as “PAF JF-17 Blunder” after the crash of JF-17 during a training mission on September 15, 2020.

Numerous JF-17 aircraft failures were reported, which were largely attributable to the RD-93 engines’ serviceability. Worried Pakistan bypassed China and went straight to Russia to purchase the RD-93 engines. Series of negotiations between Islamabad and Moscow paid the dividends. Now Kilmov, the Russian engine manufacturer has expressed its willingness to provide RD-93 engines. The deal includes relevant accompanying repair systems and maintenance facilities to JF-17 aircraft.

CONCLUSION

With a minimum reliance on imports from other nations, the JF-17 was made to satisfy the tactical and strategic needs of the Pakistani Air Force. After the US restricted sales of F-16 warplanes following the 1990 Pressler amendment-imposed arms embargo on Pakistan, the JF-17 has become a mainstay of the PAF. Claimed to be a low-cost, indigenous, all-weather multi-role fighter of Pakistan, JF-17 ’Thunder’, turned out to be a failure. With the high cost of operations and maintenance compared to more modern weapon systems, the JF-17 Thunder has now turned into a liability for Islamabad. The JF-17 recorded a string of crashes and frequent technical breakdowns, casting serious doubts on the fitness of the aircraft. The JF-17 struggled against IAF Mirage 2000 and Su-30s on February 27, 2019, in an effort to retaliate to the Indian Air Force targeting a Pakistani terrorist group.

About 15 x JF-17s from the PAF are located in Masroor, Karachi (this is its second squadron); about 50 are in Minhas, Kamra (14th and 16th squadron); about 15 are in Samungli, close to Quetta; and about 20 are in Peshawar. These JF-17s will eventually require new engines for replacements, overhauled engines, or other associated spare parts in due course. More than 50 per cent of the 137 x JF-17s that the PAF owned were grounded as a result of the numerous snags of the aircraft.

PAF has to initiate necessary measures for long term planning of preventive as well as scheduled maintenance of its aircraft fleets for the sustenance of required op-preparedness.