Pakistan and Azerbaijan have inked contract for the sale of JF-17C Block-III fighter multi role aircraft that are said to be the best choice for Baku in this budget.
A report shared by Azer News reported Pakistan’s biggest-ever sale, as Islamabad seeks to boost its military equipment. It said Pakistan Aeronautical Complex signed largest export deal in the country’s history with Azerbaijan Air Force, Pakistan OBSERVER reported
The historic deal for JF-17C Block-III fighter jets was signed for $ 1.6 billion, including aircraft, training and ammunition.
Pakistan is currently working with companies from Ankara and Beijing to bolster its defense capabilities.
For the jets deal, Pakistan Air Force and the government of Pakistan have not shared any details for the public and much of the details remain under wraps.
In 2023, Pakistani JF-17 Block III made its international debut in Dubai Air Show as they epitomises the pinnacle of modern aerial warfare technology.
Baku was in talks with Pakistan Air Force for quite some time to purchase Block III PAC JF-17 Thunder multirole combat aircraft to strengthen its defence system. The talks between the two nations countries started two years back.
A high-level delegation headed by Mr. Khalid Ahadov, Advisor to the President of Azerbaijan visited PAC Kamra on 06 July, 2023, the company reported then.
Nigeria and Myanmar have already inducted these jets in their fleet.
For the unversed, Pakistan and Azerbaijan historically enjoyed friendly relations, and their defense ties have strengthened in recent times. Both sides engaged in military cooperation, including exchange of military delegations, joint military exercises, and defense technology transfers.
A significant aspect of their defense cooperation is in field of military training. Islamabad trained Azerbaijani military personnel, and both sides participated in joint military exercises. The two countries also conducted joint military drills focusing on counterterrorism operations.
JF-17 Thunder is an advanced, light-weight, all weather, day / night multi-role fighter aircraft; developed as a joint venture between Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), Kamra and Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAC) of China. It possesses excellent air-to-air and air-to-surface combat capabilities.
The state-of-the art avionics, optimally integrated sub-systems, computerized flight controls and capability to employ latest weapons provides decisive advantage to JF-17 over adversaries of same class. This, all weather, multi-role light combat fighter has remarkable high combat maneuverability at medium and low altitudes. With effective firepower, agility and combat survivability, the aircraft is likely to emerge as a potent platform for any air force.
