China To Have 1,500 Fourth Generational Fighter Jets by 2020

China To Have 1,500 Fourth Generational Fighter Jets by 2020 estimates of China's future combat aircraft fleet size and composition that are larger - and more specific - than those offered in the annual China Military Power reports published by the US Department of Defense.

The latest Pentagon report issued on 5 June 2014 sounded an alarm about China air combat forces, saying the People's Liberation Army Air Force "is pursuing modernization on a scale unprecedented in its history and is rapidly closing the gap with Western air forces across a broad spectrum of capabilities including aircraft, command and control, jammers, electronic warfare, and data-links".

JF-17s Block 2 Under Construction In Pakistan

Production of the first two of 50 JF-17's Block 2  on order by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is now well under way at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, with the first expected to fly by the end of the year.

The Block 2 JF-17 has several capability increases over the Block 1s, but the main boost to the PAF as well as to export potential is the installation of an air-to-air refuelling system. One aircraft has been fitted with a refuelling probe, which protrudes from the right side of the fuselage just behind the cockpit, sitting forward of the pilot's position. It is being used for flight trials.

JF-17 Block 2

However, this modification will not appear in Block 2 aircraft until midway through the production at the Aircraft Manufacturing Factory (AMF), probably in early 2016, PAF officials said. Coupled with software enhancements, other new features include an upgrade to the avionics system that works around China's Nanjing KLJ-7 radar.

As a result, the Block 2s can add the Chinese-designed C-802 anti-ship missile and SD-10A beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile to the Block 1s' existing armoury, which includes Mk 82/84 dumb bombs and the PL-5-EII short-range air-to-air missile. All the Block 1s will eventually be upgraded with the Block 2 improvements.

Russia, China To Combine Efforts In Satellite Battle With US

Russia and China are likely to sign a cooperation pact regarding ground operation stations for Russia's GLONASS satellite and China's Beidou satellite, citing Sergei Savelyev, deputy head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos.

Savelyev said that Russia expects an agreement with China, which will allow the countries to build three ground operational stations in each other's territory, with the number potentially increasing in the future.

At the St Petersburg International Economic Forum 2014 held in late May, Savelyev also said that Russia is preparing to discuss construction of GLONASS ground operation stations with both China and India and expects to reach an agreement of equal number construction by the end of the year.

The Moscow-based Voice of Russia reported that the number may be more than three, as China initially proposed setting up about a dozen Beidou stations in Russia from the Urals to the Far East, and to host a similar number of GLONASS stations.

A Russian researcher told Huanqui that China and Russia are highly likely to cooperate in a joint satellite navigation system, given that they share a common competitor — the US Global Positioning System (GPS). The wise choice would be for Beijing and Moscow to install each other's devices on the counterparts satellites, the researcher said.

During the 2nd Technoprom International Forum held in Novosibirsk in Russia on June 5-6, Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin said that cooperation between Russia and China in the field will not be limited to ground operational stations, but will also include reception devices and related infrastructure. "Our system is more suitable for northern, polar latitudes. The Chinese system is more southern. Their complementary natures would result in a biggest and most powerful competitor to any navigation system," he said.

Meanwhile, Sergei Ivanov, chief of staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia, said that in addition to ground operational stations in China, Russia plans to construct 50 GLONASS ground operation stations with 36 countries. He said that negotiations with Nicaragua, Vietnam, Iran and Indonesia are underway, while agreements with Cuba and Spain have already been reached.

Sukhoi Says Sixth Generation Russian Aircraft May Be Unmanned

The sixth-generation Russian aircraft will likely be unmanned, with reference to CEO of UAC-Integration Center, Deputy CEO of  Sukhoi on avionics, Viktor Polyakov.

"Today the sixth-generation aircraft’s final terms and performance have not been defined. Presumably, it will be an unmanned aircraft", - Polyakov said.

According to him, USA focused on development of unmanned vehicles upon completion of the projects for development of fifth-generation fighters (F-22, F-35). However, some sources report that the next-generation manned aircraft is also being developed.

"It will be a sixth or seventh generation. I cannot tell you now, because it depends on the aircraft’s mission. It depends on the purpose of the project", - he added.

We remind you that the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian air forces, Lieutenant General Viktor Bondarev, said earlier that in future UAVs will be used not only for reconnaissance missions, but also for attacking the enemy. That is why the air forces must be able to make the best use of the UAVs.

An Advanced Missile For PAK FA To Be Developed By 2016

The latest version of a missile for Russian fifth-generation fighter PAK FA will be developed by 2016, CEO of Tactical Missiles Corporation, Boris Obnosov, said at KADEX 2014, press-service of Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade reports.

We are working closely with Sukhoi design bureau and we have created a joint working group. All the records of proceedings and other documents have been approved by both parties, the mock-ups will be manufactured on time, the program is on schedule – the development will be completed by 2016», - Boris Obnosov said, adding that this refers to the latest version of Kh-74M2 cruise missile.

Pakistan Air Force To Skip J-10B and Go For Chinese Stealth Fighter J-31?

According to reports Pakistan Air force will skip J-10 and wait for the 5th generation Chinese stealth Fighter the Shenyang J-31.

Not much is known about the capabilities of the plane.The plane can carry weapons in internal bays like F-35,and will be ready in the next 2-3 years.
Pakistan Air Force plans to keep manufacturing and improving their 4th generation Fighter jet JF-17 Thunder till the induction of Chinese stealth fighter.

Russia Lifts Arms Embargo From Pakistan

Russia has lifted an embargo from supplies of weapons and military hardware to Pakistan and is negotiating the delivery of several gunship helicopters Mil Mi-35 to the country, head of Russian state-run technologies corporation Rostec Sergey Chemezov said.

                                              Mi-35

"The decision was taken and we are negotiating the delivery of helicopters," he said.

The Rostec head noted that choppers Mi-35 were on agenda of talks.