This story is getting very widespread play. Carried by lots of papers.

According to PAC chief, Air Marshal Aurangzeb Khan, the FC-1 will have better BVR capability than its rival, the prototypes performances exceeded expectations, and there are already interested countries.

http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/may/10pak.htm

Pak, China to make fighter planes

May 10, 2005 11:28 IST

Pakistan hopes to start the joint production of multi-role fighter jets with China from March 2007.

The first batch of JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft were expected to be introduced into the Pakistan air force in 2006, and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) will begin serial production of the aircraft from March 2007, reports said.

The Thunder, which was first test-flown in September 2003, is a medium-technology aircraft which matches the Mirage in performance but has better avionics and weapons, and it would replace the aging fleet of Mirage 3 and 5, A-5 and F-7 aircraft, Air Vice Marshal Shahid Latif, the project director for JF-17 planes, was quoted as saying.

The JF-17 could achieve a speed of 1.6 Mach, altitude of 55,000 feet (16,760 metres) and carry a weapons payload of 3600 kg, he said.

“The project is not only of strategic importance to the air force but it has far-reaching implications both for the national defence and economic prosperity of Pakistan,” he said.

According to the PAC chief, Air Marshal Aurangzeb Khan the aircraft will will be far cheaper than the jets being flown by air forces of European countries.

“Most European jets are available with a price tag of more or less $50 million,” he said. “One can buy at least three JF-17s in this price.”

The plane’s Beyond Visual Range (BVR) capability would be superior to that of Indian Air Force jets, he added

The performance of JF-17 prototypes had exceeded expectations, and China wanted 250 aircraft to be added to its fleet while Pakistan was looking to acquire 150, said Latif.

Khan said several countries have shown interest in buying the jet, and Pakistan and China would jointly decide on who the aircraft would be sold to.

An analysis article on the JF-17 announcement from the Washington Times. A rather long one.

Some interesting excerpts:

http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20050510-071006-6404r.htm

Analysis: Pakistan, China work on fighters

By Anwar Iqbal
UPI South Asian Affairs Analyst

Washington, DC, May. 10 (UPI) — The multirole JF-17 aircraft Pakistan is building jointly with China is a mid-tech plane that fills in the gap between lower and upper technology, Brig. Shafqaat Ahmad, Pakistan’s defense attaché in Washington, said.

Pakistan also is buying 24 F-16 jet fighters from the United States for its air force, leading to traditional rival India saying Islamabad has started an arms race in the region. Pakistan denies the charge.

“While we are acquiring the F-16s to meet our immediate defense requirements, the JF-17 Thunder aircraft that Pakistan is producing jointly with China has nothing to do with any arms race,” Ahmad said.

. . .

Reports in the Indian media, quoting defense experts, say the JF-17s can be used to deliver nuclear weapons.

. . .

Traditionally, Pakistan had depended on the United States for its weapon requirements, but when in 1990 the United States stopped all arms sales to Pakistan following a dispute over its nuclear program, Islamabad began to look at other options.

The sanctions grounded the F-16 aircraft Pakistan had purchased from Washington in the 1980s. Other mid-tech aircraft, such as F-6s, F-7s, A-5s and Mirages that Pakistan bought from other sources were aging and needed to be replaced. So in February 1992, Pakistan negotiated a deal with the China Aero-Technology Import and Export Corp., which had invited the Pakistan Air Force to invest in the Super-7 program in return for full participation in design and development, with exclusive co-production rights of up to 59 percent of the Super-7 airframe. The air force received Islamabad’s approval in October 1994.

. . .

The JF-17 is designed to be fitted with a vast array of weaponry. Weapon load includes short- and medium-range anti-air missiles like AIM-9P/PL-9/Magic 2 and PL-11/Aspide/AIM-7E. In addition it includes new fly-by-wire flight control system and a true beyond visual range attack capability.

More important for Pakistan is that it will train the nation’s engineers and mechanics in the art of aircraft making.

The first flight of the aircraft took place Sept. 04, 2003, and after flight testing, the Pakistan Air Force decided to start serial production. PAF plans to buy about 150 aircraft. China plans to acquire 250 aircraft.

Pakistani officials said they also intend to sell the JF-17 to other countries interested in mid-tech aircraft.

While briefing journalists at Kamra Monday, Air Vice Marshal Shahid Latif, the chief project director for the JF-17, denied media reports Russia had cancelled an agreement with China to provide engines for the aircraft. He said China continued to receive the engines and the supply will continue in the near future.
. . .

Official denial? what about David Lari? prove that interview never happened or he has been misquoted the only denial i see is Golden Drangon`s official denial to make his J-10 indigenous theory valid.

I already quoted YOUR article where Lari NEVER explicitly said “J-10” and “Lavi.”

Lari could not have contradicted the Israeli government or else the Israelis would be groveling in front of the US and the US would be force feeding Israel its lies. And we would not even be having this discussion.

The IAI Lavi a failure?

The Lavi was most certainly a failure. Otherwise we would see it in the Israeli Air Force today. The IAF, incidently. doesn’t have a single homegrown jet designed from the ground up at all.

Flogger, you offer nothing but a conspiracy theory. A conspiracy of suicidal stupidity where the Israelis lie to and betray the US which is the guarantor of Israel’s survival.

Now, I will list out all the reasons again why your silly conspiracy doesn’t add up:

1. Israel denies it. You need proof of conspiracy to prove that country had lied to its protector,

2. Israel can’t gain anything from a Lavi deal with China except some minor monetary benefits. This is obvious unless you can convince me China can replace the billions in aid that the US gives Israel and China can provide a guarantee of Israel continued existence in the Mideast,

3. The Lavi is a failed project. We know this because we don’t see the production units of this thing flying,

4. Even if the Lavi was successful, it was dependent on American technology and funded by US money that can’t be sold to a third party or it would be a crime and betrayal.

Every one of the above are not opinions but facts we could see and hear. Israel said outright the Lavi was not transferred to China. Israel is still protected by the US, not China. We can’t see the failed Lavi flying in any air force. And lastly, the Lavi was dependent, “utterly” dependent, on American technology so it could not be sold without committing the crime of theft and treacherous betrayal.

All I get from you is some mumble-jumble conspiracy theory on how the Israelis lied to and backstab their own benefactors and how the Lavi “looks” like the J-10.

Lari says some technolgy sold to China perhaps it was technolgy related how to make hummus or Falafels hehehehehehe.
Or how to cook shish kebaps hehehehehehehehe.

😀 They might as well be. Unlike the Lavi, humus and falafel are not failures and are actually usable (edible.)

politics are politics the US still is a Israeli ally but of course has disagreements and allies always have disagreements and even US companies have violated restrctions to export certain technologies to US rivals

So even betrayal is just politics? I don’t think a lot of Americans appreciate that. Maybe if the US switches its alliance from Israel to Palestine . . .

Hey, it’s just politics :rolleyes:

Actually, that would be good for the US because a lot of Americans can’t figure out what Israel actually gains for the US. If the United States backs the Palestinians, the US would have more friends in the critical Middle East. Yes, more friends for the US and the complete annihilation of an old “friend” who was, according to you, backstabbing it.

Now why would Israel risk hurting this friend and, more importantly, protector? Are Israelis greedy to the point of being stupid and suicidal?

Israel has already denied selling the Lavi to China and unless you can prove an Israeli conspiracy of extreme stupidity and suicidal treachery, that official denial is real.

😀 That article is suggesting that Australia buy the $100m raptor to deal with the Chinese “threat.”

I would rate Australia somewhere behind Kuwait (more oil) as country China would invade. Be serious.

BTW, Kuwait has a good military relationship with China (the first buyer of the PLZ-45) and Australia runs a huge trade surplus with China.

Already widely posted in the PAF threads but it is still important to this one. We’ll look at things from the Chinese angle.

According to this Asia Tribune article:
1) China will be getting 250 FC-1s,
2) Kamra (Pakistan) will be making 20 a year, perhaps two more lines at Chengdu?
3) heavy interest from third party nations already.

http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=14389

To begin production of light jet fighters from 2007
By Iqbal Hussain Khan Yousafzai – Reporting from Islamabad

Islamabad, 10 May (Asiantribune.com): Chairman Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Air Marshal Aurangzeb and Chief Project Director of JF-17 Air Vice Marshal Shahid Latif have said that Pakistan will begin serial production of JF-17 fighter aircraft from 2007.

Briefing newsmen about the fighter jet at Kamra on Monday, they said the light weight, all weather and multi-role aircraft was jointly being developed by Pakistan and China.

The small batch production of JF-17 would begin in the second half of this year and first four aircraft would be delivered to PAC Kamra in December next year. Another batch of four aircraft would be ready by March 2007, they added.

Initially, they said, Pakistan has committed 150 and China 250 aircraft and production capacity of PAC Kamra would be over 20 aircraft per annum.
. . .
The Chairman PAC said the JF-17 project would ensure availability of a contemporary, affordable and sustainable weapon system for the PAF capable of meeting its operation requirements. There is also possibility of payback of the financial investment and profitability through aircraft sales to foreign countries as already a number of countries are showing keen interest in the aircraft.

The fairly large number for the PLAAF as well as the PAF means that this aircraft will go through a guaranteed production run from the very start. Twenty at Kamra and maybe two other lines at Chengdu (which had reportedly moved J-7 lines to Guizhou) to put output at peak to over 60 a year.

Even if Chengdu has only one line (if assemby space is taken up by the J-10) there would be 40 a year with the bulk probably going to Pakistan and fulfulling the PAF’s need in about 5 years before long term production and evolution as the PLAAF’s next workhorse replacing the J-7.

The foreign interest is very intriguing. Malaysia was mentioned over the last few weeks. Egypt, Bangladesh, Iran and Zimbabwe were mentioned before. The previous joint China/Pakistan venture, the K-8, resulted in a production line in Egypt too. This could happen for FC-1 too as countries like Egypt and Iran would almost certainly go for puduction than just straight buts.

That 1000 FC-1s number predicted by a Chengdu official in a Chinese article posted very early in this here thread could well come true with multiple lines spread over 3 or 4 countries.

Golden Dragon Just prove the Interview to David Lari never happened or he has been misquoted from Associated Press press realeses or articles, does not matter if you have a problem or not, a Historical Interview with an Israeli Director of the Israeli Defence Ministry says more than what i do think or what you think

This is what I wrote:

Lari did not mention the J-10 at all in the AP article. The original article said:

Quote:
“David Lari, director general of Israel’s Ministry of Defense, acknowledged in an Associated Press interview that “some technology on aircraft” had been sold to China and that some Israeli companies may not have “clean hands.”

He made no statement saying “J-10.”

if he said that IAI transfered Lavi Technology to China, that already is a proof of Israeli involvement you can not deny.

He made no statement mentioning the Lavi either. Pull me quotes where Lari said “J-10” and “Lavi.”

Everything is “inferred” but not explicitly stated except for the official Israeli denial that the Lavi was ever involved in the J-10.

An we have more proof of that by the fact of the recent US limitations imposed to Israel in the F-35 program and the Fact Israel offerd the EL/M-2035 and Python technology for the J-10 program

The Python went to the J-8II and the J-7 and Israel never denied it. The recent limitations made no official mention of the J-10. It actually came after the Harpy situation.

The Lavi as your article say is American technology and to sell it would be betrayal. Now why would the Israelis risk their survival with this act of treachery? They didn’t which is why they are able to deny the Lavi and the J-10 but did not deny the Harpy and Python.

Flogger, why are you so insistent that the Israelis are liars and backstabbers? Why are you so insistent that the J-10 was created because Israelis have stole American technology and sold it to America’s foes?