China hands over 14 dual-seat JF-17 aircraft to PAF

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has been handed over 14 dual-seat JF-17 aircraft by China which would also be used for pilots’ training, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

A major development is made for increasing the potential for national defence as Pakistan Air Force begins preparations for the Block 3 of JF-17 multirole fighter aircraft.

The Chinese-designed dual-seat fighter jet produced jointly by Pakistan will be inducted into PAF’s fleet during a ceremony today. China will hand over 14 dual-seat JF-17 aircraft to Pakistan Air Force (PAF) today.

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan attended the grand ceremony as the chief guest for the induction of dual-seat JF-17 aircraft into PAF’s fleet. The event was also attended by the Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong and Nigerian officials.

Earlier, the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra had achieved a remarkable milestone by rolling out the first batch of eight dual-seat JF-17 aircraft on December 27 last year.

Read: PAF fully prepared for defence of country: Air Chief

A grand ceremony had been organised at the Aircraft Manufacturing Factory, Kamra where Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan was the chief guest while the then Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing and Executive Vice President of Aviation Indus­tries of China (AVIC) Hao Zhaoping had also attended the ceremony as the guests of honour.

The air chief had also inaugurated the JF-17 Dual-Seat Integration facility at Avionics Production Factory, Kamra.

He had said that JF-17 Thunder is the backbone of PAF which has been battle-proven during operation Swift Retort.

Chief of the Air Staff Mujahid Anwar Khan had congratulated Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation(CATIC) on successful accomplishment of 2019 production target and completing first eight dual-seat JF-17 aircraft in a record time of five months.