Pakistan’s first indigenous JF-17 Thunder production started: SanaNews

KAMARA (SANA): Pakistan has begun serial production of JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft at Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Kamara and first indigenously produced plane will fly at the end of this year.

Air Chief Martial Rao Qamar Suleman launched assembly production plant of the aircraft on Tuesday here.

Speaking on the occasion, the Air Chief said the indigenous production of JF-17 Thunder is a major step towards the long term goal of self reliance.

This is an historic event for Pakistan that it has joined the elite nations having the capability of indigenously manufacturing the modern fighter aircraft.

The Air Chief said Pakistan Air Force is the only Air Force in the world of having the capability of developing and producing fighter aircraft which is a milestone in the advancement of modern technology despite financial constraints.

He said the production of JF-17 is a symbol of long lasting friendship between Pakistan and China. He said it was the result of friendship with China that enabled us to develop and manufacture such a modern aircraft which will replace the absolute fleet of PAF.

He said we are heading significantly towards the goal of self reliance which was not an easy task that demands high devotion, finances and expertise. He said the JF-17 Thunder is an advanced multirole combat aircraft strategically designed through joint Pak-China efforts to address the specific needs of Pakistan Air Force.

Rao Qamar Suleman said the government of Pakistan made a heavy investment in this programme and provided every financial assistance and training facility of modern equipment to the technicians and engineers of PAF.

While describing the significance of Air power, he said that JF-17 aircraft will be the mainstay of PAF’s operational capability enabling PAF to conduct day and night multi-role operations. He said this capability has become imperative to be achieved especially in the prevailing global and regional situation.

The Air Chief Martial said PAF will roll out four to six JF-17 Thunder aircrafts at the end of this year and twenty-five every year.

He lauded the efforts of engineers and technicians of Aircraft Manufacturing Factory and Kamra Avonics and Radar Factory who had worked relentlessly for the last several years to bring this dream to reality.

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Pakistan to begin serial production of JF-17 combat jet: Thaindian

Islamabad, Jan 2 (IANS) The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) is to soon begin serial production of the JF-17 Thunder multi-role combat jet that has been developed in collaboration with China, a parliamentary panel has been informed.PAC chairperson Air Marshal Khalid Chaudhry told the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence Production during its visit to the complex Thursday that a factory for serial production of the JF-17 had already been established.

The factory can produce 50 aircraft annually, Chaudhry added.

The committee, headed by Sheikh Aftab Ahmad, was also informed that the PAC has the capability to manufacture 75 percent of the avionics and 58 percent of the airframe of modern fighter aircraft, The News reported Friday.

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Il-78 Tankers Arrive in Pakistan: Defense News

ISLAMABAD - Two Il-78MP Midas tanker aircraft have arrived in Pakistan, apparently the first of four purchased from the Ukraine.
Though the Pakistan Air Force declined to comment, the two aircraft landed at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on Dec. 2, and were clearly visible from the observation lounge in their low-observation-gray PAF livery.

Though it was unusual that the two military aircraft did not land at the nearby Masroor or Faisal air bases, their presence validates November reports in local media about their impending arrival.
But reports that Cobham was to equip Pakistan's Il-78s with refueling pods were incorrect. A Cobham official said at last week's biannual Pakistani defense exhibition, IDEAS2008, that the pods were still the Soviet-designed UPAZs, and that the refueling kits on receiving aircraft, such as the newly upgraded Mirage-IIIs, were likely to be South African in origin.

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Official claims big rise in arms exports: Dawn

By Ihtasham ul Haque


ISLAMABAD, July 17: Pakistan's defence exports have tripled to around $300 million because of the quality of its ammunition, anti-tank guided missiles, rocket launchers and shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles.

"Our defence exports have been rising substantially because the arms and ammunition we manufacture meet international standards," Maj-Gen Mohammad Farooq, Director General of the Defence Export Promotion Organisation (Depo), told Dawn.

"We even won a contract in the face of tough competition from developed countries to manufacture parts of Boeing aircraft," he said.

Although he wasn't precise about earnings from arms exports, he said: "It has tripled and it is very good for Pakistan."

He said arms trade was a complex business and it had to be on a government-to-government basis. Pakistan was answerable to the international community in terms of ensuring that the arms did not fall into wrong hands.

He said exports to South Asian, Middle Eastern and African countries had increased significantly.

He said there was a time when the country's defence industry exported only small arms and ammunition, but now their range had diversified and developed countries were also purchasing Pakistan's military hardware.

He said optical instruments like night vision devices, laser range-finders and designators, laser threat censors, artillery armour mortars and ammunition, mine detectors, anti-tank rifles, missile boats, different types of tear gases, fuses of unarmed vehicles, security equipment and sporting and hunting guns were also being manufactured in Pakistan.

"The fuses are being purchased by countries like Italy, France and Spain," he said.

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