By Franz-Stefan Gady
Pakistan as well as Malaysia are purportedly engaged inwards preliminary talks over the possible procurement of an unknown break of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (PAC/CAC) JF-17 “Thunder” multirole fighter jets, a PAC official told IHS Jane’s at the Defense Services Asia (DSA) 2018 exhibition inwards Kuala Lumpur on Apr 16. “We are aware of the potential requirements inwards Malaysia for cost-effective fighter aircraft,” the PAC official said. “There accept been no serious talks but through government-to-government channels in that location accept been what nosotros tin depict every bit primary flat talks virtually the JF-17 program.” Malaysia purportedly expressed interested inwards the JF-17 inwards 2015. However, reports that the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) was considering purchasing the aircraft were speedily publicly denied yesteryear the Malaysian defence forcefulness ministry building at the time.
The RMAF initially intended to procure xviii novel fighter jets to supervene upon aging Mig-29 combat aircraft as well as supplement its fleet of twin-engine F/A-18D as well as Su-30MKM fighter jets. However, the acquisition programme was shelved due to budgetary constraints inwards 2017.
Instead, the RMAF has reportedly been considering cheaper lightweight multirole fighters amongst a break of countries already positioning themselves for a futurity competitive bidding process. Next to Sweden’s JAS-39C/D Gripen, China’s J-10, as well as Russia’s Mig-35, the JF-17 would probable endure the cheapest alternative for the RMAF.
The production of the JF-17 has been split upwards up into 3 blocks: Block I, Block II, as well as Block III. Malaysia would have the Block III variant of the aircraft amongst production slated to boot off inwards 2019. (50 Block I as well as l Block II aircraft accept been produced as well as then far amongst 12 to a greater extent than of the latter to endure rolled out inwards 2018.)
The JF-17’s most advanced variant volition characteristic diverse upgrades inwards comparing to the before versions “including Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which volition supervene upon the older Nanjing Research Institute of Electronic Technologies’ (NRIET) KLJ-7 X-band burn command radar, as well as a novel electronic warfare system, amidst other things,” I summarized inwards 2017.
“Powered yesteryear a Russian designed but Chinese license-built Klimov RD-93 (a RD-33 derivative) turbofan engine, [the JF-17] tin reportedly attain a overstep speed of upwards to Mach 1.6 as well as has an operational attain of upwards to 1,200 kilometers without refueling,” I explained inwards previously. The fighter jet, featuring vii hardpoints, tin endure armed amongst a diversity of weapons including air-to-air, air-to-surface, as well as anti-ship missiles.
What mayhap could brand the JF-17 specially attractive to the RMAF is that its engine is too inwards utilization inwards the Mig-29 as well as for which the service already has repair as well as maintenance facilities inwards place. This would farther trim overall operational toll of the novel aircraft for the cash-strapped Malaysian military.
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