JF-17 Thunder Block III aircraft's production likely to begin in current year: Air Chief
The remaining three JF-17 Block II aircraft will be received at the end of June, Mujahid Khan said.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan on Thursday has said that production of the JF-17 Thunder Block III aircraft’s first batch is expected to begin later in 2019.
According to Jane’s Defense Weekly reports, Air Chief said, “The new Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system is expected to be installed on JF-17 Block III aircraft by March 3, 2020.
The remaining three JF-17 Block II aircraft will be received at the end of June, Mujahid Khan said.
Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) has produced 50 Block I aircraft and 62 Block II JF-17s to date including the 12 Block II jets ordered in 2017. The PAF has currently 85 JF-17 Block I and II operationally deployed.
F-17 Block III aircraft will reportedly be fitted with a new electronic warfare system, upgraded avionics including a three-axis fly-by-wire digital flight control system, a helmet-mounted display and sight system, and Pakistan’s first Chinese-made AESA.
