I think this refers to the very first Block III JF-17 Prototype!

Air chief visits 24 Air Division, Chengdu Aircraft Industry

ISLAMABAD/BEIJING – Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman on Wednesday visited 24 Air Division at Tianjin, China.

Earlier upon his arrival, Air Chief Sohail Aman was received by24 Air Division Commander Senior Colonel Wang Hongyan. He was given a briefing about the working of 24 Air Div and latest J-10 fighter aircraft and its capabilities.

The air chief also witnessed the aerobatics of J-10 aircraft by the famous Ba Yi aerobatics team of PLAAF. He appreciated the skills of the Chinese pilots and the maneuverability of J-10 aircraft.

Later, Sohail Aman also visited Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAC) and Chengdu Aircraft design Institute (CADI). He was given a presentation by the management of CADI encompassing various projects of the industry.

He also visited the workshops and laboratories and appreciated the work standards being maintained at the industry. He also witnesses the ongoing modifications on JF-17 Prototype-5 aircraft and simulator at CADI.

The air chief also met the PAF personnel working at CADI and lauded their contributions and asked them to keep on working with same zeal and devotion. The air chief is on a five-day official visit to China.

http://www.pakistanherald.com/news/6207/03-june-2015/air-chief-visits-24-air-division(com)-chengdu-aircraft-industry

With Block II JF-17 now rolling off the production lines, pretty sure the visit is finalising Block III configuration. In recent interview ACM mentioned this would include AESA and new weapons. Interesting to see the interest in the J-31 still strong. Unsure why PAF would need a Y-20 class airlifter though

PAF Chief in China to discuss upgradation of JF-17 warplanes

Pakistan Air Force Chief today met top Chinese defence officials as the two countries look to upgrade the jointly produced JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, amid India’s move to acquire 36 Rafale warplanes from France.

PAF Chief Air Marshal Sohail Aman, who is on a five day visit to China, met Gen Fan Changlong, Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission (CMC), the high command of the Chinese military.

The visit is aimed at increasing combat capabilities of JF-17 Thunder, single-engine multi-role combat aircraft jointly produced by the two countries, at par with the latest lethal and sophisticated aircraft of the world, PAF spokesman had said ahead of Sohail’s visit to the communist giant.
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PAF plans to acquire 200 fighter jets this year.

Fan and Sohail pledged to strengthen practical cooperation in training, military equipment and anti-terrorism, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

“China and Pakistan have become ‘iron friends’, always trusting and supporting each other,” Fan said while expressing hope that the two countries’ military cooperation will contribute to regional peace and stability.

Pakistan has always placed the two country’s bilateral relationship as a top priority. Pakistan is willing to join hands with China to strengthen all-round military-to-military exchanges and cooperation, particularly in the air force, Sohail said.

Sohail hoped the two countries’ military cooperation will provide a safe and secure environment for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and deepen their all-weather friendship and all-dimensional cooperation.

Pakistan relies heavily on Chinese military ware and also evinced keen interest in the new weapon systems being vigorously developed by China such as J-31 stealth aircraft and the wide bodied Y-20 heavy military aircraft which China says is comparable to the Russian-made IL-76 and the US’ C-17.

Sohail’s visit came amid India’s move to acquire 36 twin- engine multi role fighter aircraft Rafale.

In March, Pakistan Naval Chief Muhammad Zakaullah had visited China during which the deal to sell eight Chinese submarines to Pakistan navy was reportedly clinched.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/paf-chief-in-china-to-discuss-upgradation-of-jf-17-warplanes-115060200909_1.html

Your hopes and aspirations for the future aside, the Pakistan military today operates 30 different types of aircraft, compared to 29 for the Indian military.

I’ve proved to everyone on thos forum thats not the case, you were double counting retired types, surprised you did not list F-86 Sabres and F-104 Starfightewrs as still being flown.

Also, as shown, India is nowwhere near having the capability to retire its old planes for at least another 10 years, let alone think of cutting down the number of fighter types.

With every passing month more JF-17s and F-16s are modernising the PAF. We can go over the same arguments again and again, but even you (and teh Indian defence minister) have agreed….

The F-7PG was inducted starting 2002, not in the late 90s. And that BTW is precisely why its not retiring any time soon, let alone in the next five years.

(And for the record, you were wrong about the Bisons too which were upgraded units of newer MiG-21bis airframes, which in turn were manufactured 1980-85.)

So my point is right anyway, by the time F-7PGs are phased out of PAF (certainly before 2028) PAF will be retiring planes around 20 years younger then the Bison which will still be in IAF service.

Maybe worth reading up on it before making comments that make you look uninformed in front of the entire forum mate

And if you were to stop to actually read it instead of stumbling past it, you’ll find I said that the MiG-21bis will be retired. The IAF will continue to induct the Tejas Mk1 & Su-30MKI over the next ten years.

You know what you wrote. Anyway, it seems then you agree with my point and my original points remain. IAF will be flying MIG-21s till at least 2028

The Rafale deal has not been signed and is unlikely to ever move past negotiation. Nor will it ever co-exist with the MiG-27.

Don’t be silly. The vast majority of the IAF fleet was built after 1980 with almost a third of that delivered over the last 15 years.

Well, in that Janes article the defence minister believes its a done deal. I’ll take his statements over your opinion regarding the 36 rafaels. Thanks.

The Jaguars, MIG-21s and MIG-27s in all add up to around 300 planes. All of them are 30+ years old, with the Jaguars and Bisons expected to be retired when they are around 40+ years old…

To put it in context, after the Mirages go in a few years, PAF’s oldest planes will be around 15-20 years old

A batch of second hand Alouette was acquired from Switzerland in 2010-11 and the type was operational in late 2013 as per Alan Warnes. All that happened two years ago was that it was pulled out of high altitude duties. If you have sources proving that every last one has been retired, post them.

Duly noted and acknowledged on the other thread.

When exactly the entirely type will be retired is a nothing but a prediction on your part.

The ageing MiG-27 is being retired. The Bisons will be retired before the F-7PG. And the MiG-29s still have plenty of airframe life remaining.

There are no longer any Alouttes in PA/PAF service. If you dont want to believe that I cannot help it.

Again, you cannot seem to understand pure facts, PAF is in the middle of retiring all Mirages and F-7s. JF-17s are being produced in China and Kamra and F-16s have already replaced several squadrons. The production line (as per AFM article last week) is churning out more at a rate of 24 per year. Thats another 120 by 2020.

Easily enough to replace the 5 remaining Mirage/F-7P squadrons. Thats not a prediction, that is a fact that is currently happening.

Several Indian ACMs have catagorically stated LCA will replace MIG-21s and MIG-27s. These MK2 planes have not even taken off in prototype form yet.

Are you living on a different planet?

Maybe you want to try arguing with Janes instead? MIGs wont even start to be replaced until at least 2022

http://www.janes.com/article/51616/indian-defence-minister-draws-line-at-36-rafales

“The LCA will replace 10 to 12 MiG-21 and MiG-27 squadrons to be retired from 2022 onwards, he said.”