>> JF-17 Thunder Multirole Combat Aircraft to get a new customer.
Reported by Chinese Media, Egypt is interested in procuring JF-17 Thunder 'Block-3' which would be making its debut flight in late 2019.
The discussions are on since JF-17 Thunder was invited in Paris Airshow 2019 in which the performance of the aircraft attracted many customers who were planning to buy this Aircraft.
Many costumers have approached team from Pakistan that displayed JF-17 Thunder in front of crowed. As the marketing of JF-17 Thunder is internationally being done by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex which is Joint Partner in the program along with Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), China.
As per initial insight, Egypt is planning to buy 3 Squadrons of JF-17 Thunder Block 3. And that order might be placed under Transfer of Technology (Tot). Egypt would establish manufacturing and assembly line.
As per initial details, same production line which Egypt uses to manufacture its k-8E would be upgraded and the production line of JF-17 would be established in the same setup.
> JF-17 Thunder Block 3 Specifications:
JF-17 Block III fighters will apparently receive a new electronic warfare system, upgraded avionics including a three-axis fly-by-wire digital flight control system, a helmet-mounted display and sight system, and Pakistan’s first Chinese-made active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system. Two such radar systems are currently under evaluation, according to the PAF Air Chief: the Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology’s KLJ-7A radar and the Leihua Electronic Technology Research Institute’s (LETRI) LKF601E.
According to reporting by Alan Warnes, Leonardo’s Grifo-E AESA radar system is also“still on the table.”
It uses SD-10A BVR along with that PL-15 VLRAAM would also be integrated onto JF-17 Thunder for Block 3. JF-17 Thunder Block 3 would be mounting A-Darter which is a 5th Generation Short range air to air missile.
By Strategic Journal