5 nations interested in Pakistan’s JF-17 fighter: Report

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - Five countries are reportedly considering the purchase of JF-17 fighter jets from Pakistan, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.

Last month, Iraq, Bangladesh, and Indonesia expressed interest in acquiring the aircraft, according to Pakistan’s Armed Forces.

Saudi Arabia and Libya are also weighing potential procurements, the report said.

So far, the JF-17 has only been sold to Azerbaijan, Nigeria, and Myanmar, the latter being the first buyer.

Pakistan manufactures approximately 58% of the aircraft, including the airframe, while China supplies the avionics, accounting for the remaining 42% of production. The engines are produced by the Russian company Klimov.

The recent international interest in the Pakistan-China joint fighter comes after the conflict last May, during which Islamabad said that it shot down several Indian jets over four days. India has acknowledged losing aircraft in the fighting, but did not specify a number.

New Delhi also claimed to have destroyed several Pakistani jets, a claim Pakistan denies.

The JF-17 Thunder is a lightweight, all-weather fighter jet jointly produced by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex near Islamabad and China’s AVIC Chengdu facility in the country’s southwest. The program was launched under a 1999 agreement.

Pakistan currently manufactures about 16–18 JF-17s annually, with each aircraft priced between $40 million and $50 million.