PAF & PLAAF Progress

With a need for new fighters the PAF has been looking at both recent Chinese developments & European options. The J-10 has recently figured high on the PAF’s agenda & implicit interest in the JXX series has also been expressed. However, the US decision to allow exports of F-16 aircraft to Pakistan (with no quotas or limitations) has brought about a whole change in priorities. However, with a will to transfer technology to India, it has brought about a questioning of US intentions.

Press reports suggest that upwards of 75 F-16s will be purchased by the PAF. No specifcations have been laid out but it appears that both ex-USAF F-16A/B & new build F-16C/D are sought. This it is believed would provide the PAF with both an element of commonality & usefulness. Afterall, the basic technologies of the F-16C/D are similar & almost an extension of the basic F-16A/B but offer greater capabilities. In addition, by mixing the fleets they can upgrade at far less cost than acquiring a totally new system.

However, the J-10 has also sparked the curiousity of the PAF. The J-10 being China’s premier fighter is expected to be purchased & exported in large numbers, however, as an unproven weapons system & with electronics of questionable quality the PAF has been reluctant to approach the type. Despite initially being a highly secretive project, the J-10 has become more open in recent years, owing perhaps to Chinese priority being issued to the JXX for development.

At an expected price of $18 million to $22 million, the J-10 would offer field performance expected to be slightly superior to the F-16A/B & arguably close to the F-16C/D. With electronics expected to be sourced from the West (especially FIAR Grifo) the J-10 would have huge export potential. However, the J-10 remains marred as long as a Chinese turbofan cannot be found.

With problems regarding the WS-10A engine, & the AL-31FN not likely (given current hassles with the RD-93 for the FC-1/JF-17/ J-9). Until the WS-10A can be developed to PLAAF standards (it is also expected to re-equip all PLAAF/PLAN Su-27SK/UBK/J-11 & Su-30MKK/MKK Mk.2 & J-10 fighter/bombers) the PAF wil have problems acquiring the type. Another problem includes the lack of weapons systems. So far, only the PL-11 has been cleared for the J-10 while the SD-10 (PL-12) remains in testing. Air to surface munitions have not been tested so far.

Unlike the F-16A/B, or F-16C/D, the PAF would have to carry out a lot more weapons trials, verifications & modifications. Such issues can delay fighter induction & operatability. A casepoint was the F-7PG, which share virtually a common airframe with the J-7E but was different in electronics, fits, & of course, weapons systems. Induction was delayed by two years & even today the F-7PG are still at IOC (Initial Operating Capability). The F-16 on the other hand would face such expensive procedures as weapons systems would already be verified.

Because of these reasons, the F-16 has become the favourite to compliment the JF-17 in PAF service. Although the PAF has not explicitly rejected the J-10 it has expressed its dissatisfacton at somewhat immature technologies (however, the decision to acquire the KLJ-7 -a KLJ-3 derivative of the J-10- radar for the first 50 JF-17 would appear to counter this). However, the issue of the engine appears to be most pressing. Until the WS-10A is ready, the PAF will continue to wait out the J-10.

In addition, with capabilities on par (although commonality) not on par with current F-16s the J-10 may be viewed as another type that could add logistical complications. While being more expensive than an F-16MLU, the J-10 would serve for longer & offers advantages over the basic F-16A/B airframe. It remains to be seen how the PAF will go about the J-10. Some observers suggest that only the F-16C/D Block 52 offers capabilities sufficiently ahead of the JF-17 to justify making them stablemates whereas the J-10 simply doesn’t go that far. But again, these observations do not take int account political volitility of the F-16 series & the fact that the J-10 would turn out to be a better long term investment.

A combination of the two with different roles would appear to be a wiser & more cost effective option alongside the JF-17. Indeed, with a force composed of F-16MLU, J-10A/B & JF-17 backed up by surviving Mirage III/5 & F-7PG/FT-7PG airframes, the PAF would ensure that it is sufficiently capable of maintaining the entire fleet. Likewise, niche roles for the Mirage fleet (such as reece or BDA -Bomb Damage Assessment) could become a major feature or new mission. In any case, replacing them simply requires expanding either the F-16MLU, J-10A/B or JF-17 fleet. Likewise, Pakistan could market (& benfit) from an export model J-10 based on PAF standards.

To simply ignore the J-10 with the avialbility of the F-16 series would, by contrast parmount to not persuing the best options avialable. The PAF has suffered from poor decision making in the past & political embargos from virtually all nations except China. Diversification of resources should not be bias towards domestic technology nor should it be limited to the latest Western designs but should also be towards the latest Chinese designs. As it turns, the JF-17 would make up at least half the PAF’s future force composition (with 200+ aircraft) & the remainder a mix of F-16MLU & J-10A/B would add & sharpen the claws of the PAF. Strength through diversity should include the latest hardware from all areas.

I believe by now all we can do is see what we are up to as Pakistani airforce is in Mark 05 exercise so we are not getting the latest info but when it is over we will be informed on everything not only that but Gen. Ehsan is gone to China….and there is this stupid rumor that China and Pakistan are to do joint exercises by early 2007, i am not sure about this at all can some one give me information on this?(i really doubt it though, if you do post please give link)

two more questions

-any news on AWACS/ERIEYES/A2A refuelling aircraft? :confused:

-or any news in the SAM or MISSLE section? :confused: :confused: