Basic Information

Name

JF-17 Thunder Pakistani Multirole Combat Aircraft

Designation

JF-17

Alternate Designation

—

Equipment Type

—

Manufacturer

Pakistan Aeronautical Complex

Date of Introduction

2007

Description

The JF-17 Thunder Pakistani Multirole Combat is a lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China. It was designed to replace the A-5C, F-7P/PG, Mirage III, and Mirage V combat aircraft in the Pakistan Air Force. The JF-17 can be used for multiple roles, including interception, ground attack, anti-ship, and aerial reconnaissance. Its designation "JF-17" by Pakistan is short for "Joint Fighter-17", while the designation and name "FC-1 Xiaolong" by China means "Fighter China-1 Fierce Dragon".

Air & Air Defense Specifications

Crew 1

Engine Afterburning Turbofan (50 hp)

Max Speed 1.6 km/h

Cruise Speed 1359.0 km/h

Range 2500.0 km

Service Ceiling 16930 m

Variants

JF-17A Block 1 Single-seat variant. Production in China began in June 2006. The first three Chinese weapons to be integrated are the PL-5E II AAM, the SD-10 AAM, and the C-802A anti-shipping missile. Block 1 aircraft had performed "better than expected" according to PAF Air Commodore Junaid. Production of Block 1 was completed on 18 December when the fiftieth aircraft—58% of which was produced in Pakistan—was delivered. A Block 1 JF-17 had cost approximately US$15 million per unit.

JF-17A Block 2 Single-seat variant. Production began on 18 December 2013 and initial testing began on 9 February 2015. These aircraft have air-to-air refuelling capability, improved avionics, enhanced load carrying capacity, data link, and electronic warfare capabilities. The construction will continue until 2016, after which the manufacture of Block 3 is planned. A Block 2 JF-17 costs approximately US$25 million per unit. Chairman of PAC, Air Marshal Javaid Ahmed said: "We will hand over 16 Block-II JF-17s to the PAF every year", and that the manufacturing plant has the capacity to produce 25 units in a year. According to local media, PAC rolled out the 16th Block 2 aircraft in December 2015 enabling the JF-17's 4th squadron formation. The JF-17B is a tandem two seat version would start testing in September 2016.

JF-17A Block 3 Single-seat variant. Projected to feature further avionics advancements such as helmet-mounted display and sight (HMD/S) system, a new single panel multi-functional display (MFD), an active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar paired with an infrared search and track (IRST) system, and a cockpit with a flight-control stick on the side, an NRIET KLJ-7A AESA radar, more use of composites, a new engine, and a two-seater cockpit option, with a top speed of 2.0+ Mach. Pakistani Air Force officials have described it as a "fourth generation plus" fighter jet. According to unconfirmed media reports the induction is expected to start around 2019. As of September 2016, the design of the JF-17 Block III has been finalized. The PAF is expected to place an order for 50 JF-17 Block-III fighter jets in the first half of 2017.

JF-17B Block 2 Dual-seat variant, 8 of which were rolled out at PAC Kamra in December 2019. Its multi-roles include use as a (i) JF-17 conversion trainer; (ii) Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT); (iii) ground-attack aircraft; and (iv) reconnaissance aircraft. The production of the first JF-17B was initiated by Pakistan and China in 2016. On 28 April 2017, the JF-17B took its maiden test flight in Chengdu

System

Alternate Designation(s) JF-17 THunder

Primary Function / Type Multirole Combat Aircraft

Manufacturer Pakistan Aeronautical Complex

Crew 1 (single-seat) or 2 (dual-seat)

Number of Engines 1 ea

Number of Hard Points 7 (2 × wing-tip, 4 × under-wing, 1 × under-fuselage) with capacity for dual ejector racks on each under-wing hardpoint

Dimensions

Length 14.93 m

Width (Wing Span) 9.44 m

Height 4.77 m

Wing Area 24.43 m2

Empty Weight 6,586 kg

Max Takeoff Weight 12,700 kg

Payload 4,600 kg

Automotive

Engine Name 1 × Klimov RD-93MA afterburning turbofan with digital electronic engine control (DEEC)

Number of Engines 1 ea

Engine Type Afterburning Turbofan

Engine Power 50.4 kN (11,300 lbf) thrust [197] dry, 85.6 kN (19,200 lbf) with afterburner

Maximum Speed Mach 1.6

Cruise Speed 1,359 km/h

Stall Speed 150 km/h

Maximum Range 2,500 km

Combat Range 1,352 km

Ferry Range 3,500 km

Service Ceiling 16,930 m

G Limits +8/-3 (limited by flight control system)

Rate of Climb 300 m/s

Main Gun System

System

Name Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23

Type Autocannon

Caliber 23 mm

Length 1,387 mm

Barrel Length 1,000 mm

Weight 49.2 kg

Barrels 2 ea

Action Gas principle

Rate of Fire 3,400–3,600 rounds/min

Muzzle Velocity 715 m/s

Ammunition

Type Rifle, Autocannon

Caliber 23 mm

Cartridge 23x115 mm

Basic Load INA

Main Missile Systems

Main Missile System #1

Name PL-5EII

Type Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile

Manufacturer Luoyang Electro-Optics Technology Development Centre (EOTDC), Hanzhong Nanfeng Machine Factor

Length 2.893 m

Diameter 0.127 m

Wingspan 0.617 m

Weight 83 kg

Warhead 6 kg blast-frag, or expanding rod (RF-fuse)

Detonation Mechanism Active infrared, laser proximity fuse

Engine Solid-fuel rocket

Operational Range 16~18 km

Maximum Speed Mach 2.5

Guidance System Infrared homing, multi-element, dual band detector

Main Missile System #2

Name PL-9C

Type Infrared-Homing Air-to-Air Missile

Length 2.9 m

Diameter 0.157 m

Wingspan 0.856 m

Weight 115 kg

Warhead 11.8 kg blast-frag, or expanding rod (RF-fuse)

Detonation Mechanism laser proximity fuse

Engine Solid-fuel rocket

Operational Range 22 km (PL-9C, air-to-air), > 8km (surface-to-air)

Flight Altitude 4.5k m (surface-to-air)

Maximum Speed Mach 2+

Guidance System multi-element infrared

Main Missile System #3

Name AIM-9L

Type Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile

Manufacturer Raytheon Company Ford Aerospace Loral Corp.

Length 3.02 m

Diameter 127.0 mm

Wingspan 279.4 mm

Weight 85.3 kg

Warhead Type WDU-17/B annular blast-frag

Warhead Weight 9.4 kg

Detonation Mechanism IR proximity fuze

Engine Hercules/Bermite Mk. 36 Solid-fuel rocket

Operational Range 1.0 to 35.4 km

Maximum Speed Mach 2.5+

Guidance System Infrared homing

Bomb Weapon Systems

Bomb #1

Name Mark 82

Type Unguided General-Purpose Bomb

Length 2.22 m

Diameter 273 mm

Weight 227 kg

Filling Tritonal, Minol (explosive) or Composition H6

Filling Weight 87 kg

Cook Off Time approximately 2 minutes 30 seconds.

Bomb #2

Name Mark 83

Type Unguided General-Purpose Bomb

Length 3000 mm

Diameter 357 mm

Weight 459 kg

Filling Tritonal, Minol or Composition H6

Filling Weight 202 kg

Note The Mk 83 is a streamlined steel casing containing 445 lb (202 kg) of tritonal high explosive. When filled with PBXN-109 thermally insensitive explosive, the bomb is designated BLU-110.

Bomb #3

Name Mark 84

Type General-Purpose Bomb

Length 3280 mm

Diameter 458 mm

Weight 925 kg

Filling Tritonal, Minol or Composition H6

Filling Weight 429 kg

Note It is a streamlined steel casing filled with 945 lb (429 kg) of Tritonal high explosive.

Fire Control / Avionics

Fire Control Radar KLJ-7 v2 Airborne Pulse Doppler Fire-Control Radar ( Range-150 km for 3m2 RCS aircraft.)

Radar Warning Receiver Northrop Grumman ALR-67 Rader Warning Recever (RWR)

Airborne Missile Approach Warning System S740 Airborne Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS)

Tactical Data Link Link-17 Tactical Data Link and the MIL-STD-1760 data-bus

Advanced Targeting Pod Electro-Optical Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Targeting System Aselsan ASELPOD Advanced Targeting Pod Electro-Optical Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Targeting System

Protection

Stealth Properties INA

Heat Signature Reduction INA

Add on Armor INA

EW Counter Measures Indra ALQ-500P Electronic Countermeasure (ECM)

Chaffs/Flares Yes

Jamming Pod KG300G Airborne Self-Protection Jamming Pod and KG600 Airborne Self-Protection Jamming Pod

Image Sources

Notes https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pakistan_Air_Force,_11-135,_Chengdu_JF-17_Thunder_(49580124432).jpg; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pakistan_Air_Force_Pakistan_JF-17_Thunder_Bidini-1.jpg; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pakistan_JF-17_(modified).jpg;