Sorry joey, I’m too mature for your taunts. Back to topic.
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JANE’S DEFENCE WEEKLY – APRIL 04, 2007
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Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed: Pakistan’s Chief of Air Staff
Farhan Bokhari JDW Correspondent
Islamabad

‘We want an avionics package of our own choice on the J-10’
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is undergoing a transition, positioning itself to acquire some of the latest versions of the US-built F-16 multirole fighter aircraft while increasing its reliance on China as a key supplier of hardware through the induction of the JF-17 ‘Thunder’ fighter and future plans to acquire the J-10 fighter aircraft. Pakistan’s reliance on China reflects something of a fail-safe philosophy following Islamabad’s experience of sanctions imposed on the country in the 1990s.

Against this background, PAF Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed aims to maintain his fighter fleet at a strength of 400 aircraft, including the induction of new aircraft from China and the US.
“We might end up buying another high-tech aircraft from the Chinese; the J-10 is something we’re looking at along with the JF-17, which will in fact form the backbone of the Pakistan Air Force in the future,” said ACM Ahmed. The PAF has received its first two JF-17s and these flew at the country’s Resolution Day ceremony on 23 March in Islamabad. The service expects to receive a total of eight or nine JF-17s by the end of this year, although formal induction into the PAF will begin in just under two years. ACM Ahmed said the PAF had increased its initial target of buying 150 JF-17s to acquiring up to 250 aircraft. The future development of the JF-17 will allow Pakistan to induct its own choice of avionics and weapons already in stock.

“The shape of the JF-17 you see today is slightly different from the first prototype. We have added aerodynamic variations to make it more versatile and more manoeuvrable. We now hope that this particular shape will reflect the final configuration and we’ll add the other capabilities of the aircraft,” said ACM Ahmed. The JF-17 programme has not been without controversy, mainly surrounding the status of the aircraft’s Russian-built RD-93 engine. A number of reports during the past three years claimed that Russia had not approved the re-export of the RD-93 engines from China to a third country – in this case Pakistan. The arrival of the two JF-17s equipped with the RD-93 engines has, however, confirmed what Western analysts are beginning to understand: that the Russians may have given verbal agreement to the re-export without issuing formal licences. According to Western defence analysts, the transaction may have been conducted in this manner as Russia is reluctant to annoy India, with which it has had a long-term partnership in defence sales. India, the analysts argue, has quietly lobbied to block the engine sale as a way of disrupting supplies to Pakistan.

“Frankly, the engine issue is between the Russians and the Chinese. We haven’t contracted with the Russians on this so the deal is between Russia and China and we have no issues related to this,” said ACM Ahmed, adding that “there have been efforts to impede progress by creating some road blocks in this particular path, but I don’t think they will work”. For the moment, the ACM is content with plans to buy a mix of new F-16 Block 50/52 C/Ds (an initial 18 and an option for an additional 18) and some 26 older F-16A/B models, under an agreement with Washington that gives Pakistan the status of a non-NATO US ally. This effectively means that Pakistan can be supplied with excess defence equipment where there is no cost involved for the platform but Islamabad is required to pay for upgrades.

The acquisition of the F-16A/B models has recently been the subject of some controversy. While the US Air Force is willing to release 12 of its older F-16s, the US Navy has refused to release up to 14 aircraft designated for Pakistan. ACM Ahmed said this could change the number of used F-16s that Pakistan plans to purchase, but the plan to buy a mix of new and used F-16s remained on track. “I am quite hopeful that the US Air Force will be able to release the 12 aircraft but we are not sure of the US Navy – we are working with them but we are not sure if they will release those aircraft for us,” he said. “If they don’t, the US Air Force will probably look at other aircraft in their inventory. They have a large number of A/Bs which could be made available.”

For the future, the PAF is positioning itself to buy up to two squadrons of Chinese J-10 fighters as it seeks to diversify its inventory of top-of-the-range aircraft. ACM Ahmed said negotiations for the purchase have begun, with the PAF outlining its preference for avionics and weapon systems. “We want an avionics package of our own choice on the J-10. The kind of weaponry and various other pods and electronic warfare suites [the aircraft will carry] is another area [under discussion],” he said.

Additionally, the PAF has been in negotiations with Beijing for the future purchase of Chinese-built airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. While declining to specify which specific Chinese AEW is under consideration, ACM Ahmed noted: “We have tested and evaluated [the AEW aircraft] and [found it to be] fairly good, but there are areas where we definitely want improvement, both in the platform and radar.”

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Will China allow integration of Western Avionics on J-10? or what is being suggsted is that Chinese Avionics tailored for PAF requirements?

Another point I can think of is, what many have already suggested, PAF more and more geared towards J-10. They are also increasing numbers of JF-17s..seems like PAF wants the design to be locked and go on with the mass production and start the replacements asap.

F-16s and J-10s will add up on the quality and if China has really allowed J-10s to be equipped with Western avionics, someone give me a better package and I will shoot myself :D…I think this would be be most productive way of dealing with IAF.

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Mushy at JF-17 ceremony…didnt knew he was there too until I saw the pics.

Courtesy: http://www.pakdef.info

It amazes me that Star has not been banned, he manages to trash every thread he enters and frankly talks nothing but rubbish.:mad:

I’m just posting to add my vote to ban Star!

Been a while.

So what if America supplied arms to Afghans, it means nothing in the context of 9/11.

Your comments make Gates look stupid.

“After the Soviets left, the United States made a mistake. We neglected Afghanistan and extremism took control of that country,” Gates told a news conference.

“The United States paid a price for that on Sept 11, 2001,” Gates said, referring to attacks on the United States by al-Qaida, whose leader was harbored by the Taliban. “We won’t make that mistake again.”

Well you see terrorism isnt confined just to ‘America’ and ‘Europe’ and there is no clear definition of terrorism, I simply define it anything that destroys human way of life and/or human life.

America wouldnt be in such a mess right now? its simple as that. Nothing to argue.

I’m actually quite content with life here in the States, and I’d say most Americans are seeing as there have been no terrorist attacks on American soil since 9/11

9/11 was certainly a v. tragic terrorist act, there is no argument on that. But many people consider American invasion on Iraq [Which had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11) as a terrorist act. ~3000 Americans, and people of various nationalities died on sept 11. How many people have died in Iraq since American invasion? Ever thought of that? I had hoped world would unite after Sept 11, I think opposite has happened.

You know, Human life is equal, wether American or Iraqi. Thats for the simple mindedness of yours. Iraqis werent involved in it. But obviously Bush admin did try to make a case for war on Iraq even on the tragic accident of sept 11….and you raise points based on morality? Anything for war eh?

nothing you can do to stop us for fighting back at people who want to end our very existence.

Its the other side fighting for the existence when you count the death tolls and the weaponry.

You talk about few extremists only destroying your way of life? Well, let me tell you, they are destroying our way of life too….stupid extremists are brainwashing young people, taking them away from education, blowing themselves up (was in Chaklala base when Islamabad Airport was recently attacked…) you see its not just America’s fight…but I hope they realise that current course of action is has no long term solution.

[B].

Terrorism will always exist, that’s a cold, hard fact. The more we actually fight back, the harder it will be for these groups to kill innocents. We will never be able to save everyone, and to think so is very naive. We must fight back and do what we can to secure and save as many lives as possible.

Yea right LOL. Look whose talking 😮

Lets look at the source of the problem now shall we?

Let me quote your boss Phantom,

“After the Soviets left, the United States made a mistake. We neglected Afghanistan and extremism took control of that country,” Gates told a news conference.

“The United States paid a price for that on Sept 11, 2001,” Gates said, referring to attacks on the United States by al-Qaida, whose leader was harbored by the Taliban. “We won’t make that mistake again.”

Atleast they admit it now.

oh, can anyone tell me how much $profits$ US oil/construction giants made this year? the ones participating heavily in Iraq 😉

So at the end of the day, the purchase is not going to affect any planned agression against Iran even one bit?

Meaning, in millitary terms, does this news hold any significance at all for American/Israeli war planners?

a Pakistani friend of mine claimed that the JF-17 has been “tested” with a Western engine already..no proof of it of course, just that the M-88 may be that engine.

Wow cheers, thanks for the great piece of information, btw an Indian friend of mine told me that Kaveri is good-to-go?

Regarding lease, is it possible, that a whole fleet could be leased? There are always loopholes in ‘legal’ stuff….sooner or later, Pakistan needs to get rid of RD-93. Earlier, the better. There is no looming threat of war, IAF’s major purchases will take alot of time to materialise and with the peace process going on smoothly I dont think anything is going to happen that will lead to war. So the only pressure is from the mirages that are getting older and colder.