Updated on
Summary
First JF-17 Thunder aircraft has been handed over to Pakistan Air Force, reported Dunya News. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani says JF-17 Thunder is an important achievement towards self-sufficiency. Air Chief Marshal says that 40 aircrafts will be built in Pakistan Aeronautical Complex. Talking to media after a ceremony of handing over JF-17 Thunder to Pakistan Air Force, the Prime Minister said that all the governments prolonged their tenures in the name of accountability since 1988 The PM maintained that media personnel talked about 34 politician beneficiaries of the NRO and ignored others in the list. General Musharraf used these cases to prolong his tenure, the PM told. Addressing the ceremony, Gilani mentioned PAFs role in recent war against militancy. JF-17 Thunder is an important achievement towards self-sufficiency, he added. JF-17 Thunder: The JF-17 Thunder a new generation, light-weight, all weather, day/night multi-role fighter aircraft with glass cockpit, hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) controls and efficient man-machine interface will ensure a minimal pilot workload.The maximum speed of Mach 1.6 and a high thrust-to-weight ratio will enable it to perform well in an air defence role. An ability to carry short - as well as long-range air-to-air missiles, lends the aircraft a first shot capability of conventional as well as non-conventional arsenal.In the surface attack role, a variety of weapons - conventional as well as precision-guided, a sophisticated avionics suite along with accurate weapon delivery system, ensure higher mission success rate.An effective ECM suite will greatly enhance survivability of the platform. Its anticipated air-to-air refueling capability will provide the JF-17 with more loiter time to safeguard the frontiers and the ability to deliver the required punch at distance. It will replace the ageing fleets of A-5s, F-7Ps and the Mirages in the PAF inventory thus fulfilling a multi-role task.In addition to that the PAC would also be able to export its surplus production in the days to come as the aircraft has received acclaims from the user like PAF.
