India Concerned After Pakistan's JF-17 Export Order

Pakistan’s first export order of the JF-17 ‘Thunder’ fighter aircraft at the first day of the International Paris Air Show has left India concerned.

Pakistan was successful in securing its first ever export order for its JF-17 Thunder fighter at the first day of the International Paris Air Show where a contract was confirmed to have been signed with an Asian country.

PAF Air Commodore dealing in sales and marketing, Khalid Mahmood said “A contract has been signed with an Asian country.” However the name of the country was not disclosed and deliveries are likely to begin in 2017.

The latest models of the jets, which are locally produced in cooperation with China, are lightweight multi-role aircraft capable of Mach 2.0 (twice the speed of sound) with an operational ceiling of 55,000 feet.

Eighty people were promoting the JF-17 in Paris this year, reflecting a significant marketing push.

In comparison Indian Air Force (IAF) is struggling with its light combat aircraft ‘Tejas’, which will take another year to become ready for combat.

JF-17 in Turkey

The IAF is greatly concerned as it is down to just 35 fighter squadrons while at least 44 are needed to tackle a threat from Pakistan or China.

Moreover the much needed Tejas Mark-II which has a more powerful engine likely needs foreign collaboration if the premier prototype is to take to the skies by 2018-2019 as per expected deadlines.

“Tejas Mark-II is still on the drawing board, with only the preliminary design review being completed till now. The critical design review is far off,” a source claimed.

Aselsan To Provide CIWS for Pakistani Fleet

Aselsan has announced a EUR4.68 million (USD5.09 million) contract with fellow Turkish technology and systems manufacturer Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret (STM) to supply close-in weapon systems and communications equipment for the Pakistan Navy's under-construction fleet tanker.

Aselsan said in a 20 July statement that it would supply its STOP stabilised gun system and Communication Switch System (MAS) to be installed on the tanker in 2016.

STOP mounts a 25 mm gun on a two-axis stabilised turret that also features an electro-optical (EO) sensor suite and fire-control software. Aselsan said the EO sensors included a thermal camera, TV camera and laser rangefinder.

Pakistani Fleet Tanker

STM signed a contract in January 2013 with Pakistan's Ministry of Defence Production to provide technical and material support for the construction of the double-hull fleet tanker, which is being built in-country by Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW). STM is supplying materiel, integrated logistic support, training tests, and trials, along with consultancy and management support for the four-year programme.

T--84 M the new war horse of Pakistan

The oplot M has been considerd over the MBT 3000. It is official that Pakistan will not pursue the MB-3000

Certain change will be made.Allow me to further explain. The Ukrainians have offered the tank a standard version.

T-84 oplot M

US Goverment Preparing for Economic Collapse

Beijing Technology Show Highlights Advances in Chinese Fighter Sensors

Star's EOTS-86 appears to be similar to the Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) that equips the Lockheed Martin F-35.

China's Jiangsu A-Star Aviation Industries Company (A-Star) used the first Beijing exhibition promoting "civil-military integration" to reveal new combat aircraft electro-optical systems, some of which may be slated for the country's fifth-generation fighters.

J-31 Stealth Fighter with new sensors

A-Star's booth featured images of a Shenyang Aircraft Corporation J-31 fifth-generation export fighter to highlight two electro-optical systems, although it is not clear that A-Star's systems will equip future developments of this fighter, revealed as the FC-31 at the November 2014 Zhuhai Air Show.

Star's EORD-31 appears to be a conventional infrared search and tracking (IRST) system but with a faceted sensor dome; and the claimed ability to detect a F-22.

China May Export J-10B Fighters With Russian AL31FN-S3 Engines To Pakistan

J-10B  with Russian AL31FN-S3 Engines

China may export its J-10B fighter equipped with the Russian-built AL31FN-S3 engine to Pakistan and other potential buyers from Asia, Latin America and Africa in the near future, writes the Kanwa Defense Review, a Chinese-language military magazine based in Canada.

Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group last year began the mass production of the J-10B fighters. A total of 14 of the jets have already been painted with PLA Air Force markings and turned over to the military while at least 10 aircraft are undergoing test flights. Kanwa said the PLA Air Force will eventually commission 24 J-10Bs to form a fighter regiment before the end of the year.

JF-17 Fighter Flying With Indigenous Chinese Turbofan Engine

Chinese aviation official has revealed that the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation FC-1/JF-17 fighter co-developed with Pakistan has been test-flown with a new Chinese medium-thrust turbofan engine.

Li Yuhai, an executive vice president with the Aviation Industries Corporation of China (AVIC), told IHS Jane's at the Paris Airshow that a new Chinese turbofan for the J-17 has been "under testing," has completed "lab tests", and that "flight testing is in progress". He also said that the new engine would have a thrust slightly greater than the 8.7-ton thrust of the JF-17's current Klimov RD-93 turbofan.

At a joint Sino-Pakistani press conference on 15 June, Li also said progress was being made on the twin-seat version of the JF 17.

Pakistani sources at Paris confirmed that a JF-17 has been flying with the new Chinese turbofan, which could be revealed publicly "very soon". There is a suggestion the engine could be named 'WS-17' to complement the JF-17b, but officials did not provide any further performance indicators.

JF-17 At Paris Air Show

One Chinese medium-thrust turbofan programme long reported as slated for the FC-1/JF-17 has been called the WS-13 and reportedly flew in 2010. It has been developed with help from Russia's Klimov and is reportedly based on its RD-33 turbofan.

While previous reports mentioned development difficulties with the WS-13, the willingness of Chinese officials to talk publicly about this engine suggests a higher level of confidence in its prospects.

At the 2008 Airshow China in Zhuhai the Chengdu Gas Turbine Research Institute revealed it was developing a 9.5 ton-thrust turbofan and showed a possible model at the same show. It is not known if this is the engine that is now being test flown on a JF-17.

Despite the news of the new engine testing, Pakistani officials at Paris said they remain satisfied with the Klimov RD-93. In 2010 China obtained a Russian commitment to meet a potential requirement of up to 500 RD-93 engines to support the JF-17 programme. This figure would support Pakistan's requirements for up to 275 JF-17s plus international exports.

IS China's Caihong-4 (CH-4) Drone Among World Best UCAV

Shi Wen, chief engineer of the Caihong series of drone. In the interview Shi said, “Caihong-4 drone is a new unmanned aerial vehicle that has been developed on the basis of Caihong-3.

It has a maximum speed of 230 km/hour, cruise duration of 40 hours, and range of 5,000 km.

Caihong-4 or CH-4

“In addition to conventional reconnaissance, Caihong-4 can carry precision-guided weapon to conduct accurate attack at fixed and low-speed target. It can fly at the altitude between 7,000 and 8,000 meters and has functions better than US Predator-A.”