Azerbaijan receives first Sino-Pakistani JF-17C fighters

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence has announced that the country has already received single-engine multi-role fighters of the Chinese-Pakistani production JF-17C in the Block-III version.

Here's What We Know

On Wednesday, 25 September, the first aircraft were presented to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the international airport. The purchase of these fighters was announced at the beginning of the year and the total value of the deal was estimated at USD 1.6 billion.

In addition to the purchase of the aircraft themselves, the contract is likely to include the organisation of the necessary infrastructure, training of pilots and technicians, and the purchase of weapons.

Azerbaijan is actively modernising its air force by purchasing new aircraft. For example, in June, it was announced that it had purchased its first C-27J Spartan military transport aircraft. The exact number of C-27J Spartans, as well as JF-17Cs, remains unknown.

Flashback

The JF-17 is a single-engine, multi-role fighter developed jointly by China's Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) and the Pakistan Aircraft Corporation (PAC). The goal is to create an affordable and effective fighter to meet the needs of both countries. It first flew in 2003 and became the main combat aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force. The JF-17 is capable of performing a wide range of missions, including air-to-air combat, interception, ground attack and reconnaissance. The aircraft is equipped with modern avionics, radar and is capable of carrying a variety of weapons, including air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles.

Source: Ministry of Defence