FC1/JF17 – designed by the Chengdu Aircraft factory in collaboration with Pakistan Aeronautical Complex is truly the 4th generation successor to the legendary Mig21 Fishbed. It's most potent weapon is not it's payload which is no less lethal but it's simplicity, same as the original Mig21. Although PAC Kamra has not been yet able to mass produce the aircraft, due to it's teething technological challenges, nevertheless the aircraft is essentially a top notch performer.
It costs one third of any 4.5th generation aircraft, has a BVR capability, along with a semi Fly by wire system. It comes with a decent payload and ferry range. The only drawback in the system is the RD93 engine which is procured from a third party agency of Russia, a traditional ally of India, which incidentally is Pakistan’s main threat.
The JF17 blk 2 will also feature air to air refueling, and added munition systems like the PL12 AAM (derived AAM version from the Aspide) and the CM400AKG anti shipping munition. By the rate of production, it seems like PAC still doesn't have complete capability to manufacture the air-frame, radar, mission computer and is currently assembling the CKD kit from china. Soon PAC kamra will acquire the capability to manufacture the fuselage, wing spars and wing skins, build it's own air frame and avionics with transfer of technology from Chengdu Aircraft Company.
The Pakistani approach towards a low cost replacement for it's obsolete fleet of F7 (Mig21 clones), mirage 3/5, and A5 Fantan's was to get it's hand on the best possible solution and then develop it through field testing instead of getting into red tape of operational clearances. PAC is treated as a part of PAF, and thus JF17 projects success was directly an outcome of PAF's engagement. JF17 remains as a case study of what aircraft project can achieve when being overseen directly by the end users.
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