Defense Update

The Pakistani Air Force (PAF) is expected to receive the last remaining three JF-17 Block II fighter jets at the end of June, according to reports.

The JF-17 “Thunder” Block II multirole fighter jet is manufactured by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (PAC/CAC).

“The aircraft are part of an order placed by the PAF in late 2017 for an additional 12 platforms that are currently on the Aircraft Manufacturing Factory (AMF) final assembly line at PAC Kamra,” a military report reads.

“AMF has built more than 100 JF-17s since the first JF-17 (serialed 09-111) was rolled out in November 2009.”

To date, PAC has produced 50 Block I aircraft and 62 Block II JF-17s, including the 12 Block II jets ordered in 2017. The PAF currently has 85 JF-17 Block I and II operationally deployed.

The JF-17 fighter engaged in its first dogfight earlier this year after Pakistan’s military said that it had shot down two Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets that had entered Pakistani airspace.

The JF-17 was originally developed to replace the PAF’s aging fleet of Dassault Mirage III/5 fighter jets by the early 2020s. The PAF is expected to induct 150 JF-17 combat aircraft over the next years, split into three productions blocks: Block I, Block II, and Block-III. PAC has so far produced 50 Block I aircraft and over 60 Block II JF-17s.