1.

Asia-Pacific

PAKISTAN AGREES JET DEAL WITH CHINESE
By Farhan Bokhari (Islamabad) and Demetri Sevastopulo (Washington)

Financial Times (UK)
May 10, 2005

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/aad2c79c-c0f0-11d9-a3da-00000e2511c8.html

Pakistan and China have agreed to start joint production of a new fighter aircraft intended as a replacement for the ageing French and Chinese aircraft used by Pakistan's air force, a senior Pakistani air force officer said yesterday.

The agreement comes only two months after the U.S. offered to sell F-16 fighter aircraft to Pakistan, reversing sanctions applied almost 15 years ago over Islamabad's nuclear weapons program.

The move also comes as the U.S. voices concern about the rise of the Chinese military. China passed an anti-secession law in March that would require its military to use force to block any Taiwanese moves towards independence.

Tom Donnelly, defense analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, said the new JF-17 would enhance China's ability to intimidate Taiwan and mount an air campaign following a missile attack on the island.

"These are pieces of the puzzle that China are putting together that work together very well in a complementary fashion," said Mr. Donnelly. "Each piece per se you would be able to deal with, but it will all complicate a quick U.S. response [to any attack on Taiwan]." The first four of the JF-17 "Thunder" aircraft would be delivered to Pakistan next year for trial flights, while the supply of 150 aircraft would begin in 2007, said Air Vice Marshal Shahid Latif, project director.

China's Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute is the architect of the JF-17 while its prototypes, first flown last year by Pakistani test pilots, were made by the Chengdu Aircraft Company based in Sichuan province.

"The [JF-17] project is not only of strategic importance to the air force but it has far-reaching implications both for the national defense and economic prosperity of Pakistan," Air Vice Marshal Latif said in a rare press briefing.

Pakistan and China were planning to produce at least 400 JF-17 fighters, with the balance of 250 of them on order for China's air force. Pakistani air force officials said half would be produced on an assembly line in China while the other half would be made in Pakistan.

2.

PAK TO BUILD THUNDER JETS
By Imtiaz Gul

Telegraph (Calcutta, India)
May 10, 2005

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050510/asp/nation/story_4719069.asp

ISLAMABAD -- Marching ahead on the road to self-reliance, the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) will begin serial production of JF-17 (Thunder) aircraft from March 2007.

Pakistan and China are jointly producing the Thunder, which had its first test-flight in September 2003, almost 11 years after the two countries conceived the project to build an all-weather, lightweight, multi-role aircraft.

“The serial production will help replace ageing aircraft from the inventory of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF),” PAC chief Air Marshal Aurangzeb Khan told reporters who visited the giant aeronautical complex, located some 80 km north of the capital Islamabad.

The JF-17 was again flown for further tests in April last year, bringing hope for the PAF, which has suffered a great deal in the last 13 years as a result of U.S. economic and military sanctions.

“The first four aircraft, now being manufactured in China, will be delivered to the PAF in December next year followed by the arrival of another four jets in March 2007,” said the PAC, which is working to enhance the air force’s strike power.

Khan said after the arrival of the eight aircraft from China, the PAC would start serial production of the jets here, for which technology is being transferred to Pakistan.

The aircraft will be equipped for all-weather navigation, attack and jamming capability to track and destroy multiple targets.

“It is basically a light-weight, multi-role aircraft, which can fly at a speed of mach 1.6 with an operational ceiling of 55,000 feet,” Khan said.

Khan did not disclose the price of the plane but said it will be much cheaper compared to many jets being flown by air forces of European countries.

“Most European jets are available with a price tag of more or less $50 million,” he said. “One can buy at least three JF-17s in this price.”

Khan said several countries have shown interest in buying the jet. However, a decision to which countries the Thunder should be sold will be taken jointly by Pakistan and China.

The PAC chief said according to the production plan, Pakistan and China will manufacture 150 and 250 planes, respectively, over the next few years for their air forces.

The JF-17’s Beyond Visual Range (BVR) capability, he added, would be superior to that of Indian Air Force jets.

Pakistan, which has suffered because of the sanctions for pursuing its nuclear program, has developed the capability to manufacture tanks, small submarines, and lightweight aircraft and rebuild the whole range of combat aircraft to offset the impact.

Now that the sanctions have been lifted, in recognition of Pakistan’s “role as the frontline state in the war against terror”, it has been pledged a $3-billion economic and military aid package by the U.S.

The package includes F-16 fighter planes, latest guns and missile systems and eight P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft.

3.

PAKISTAN PINS HIGH HOPES ON NEW CHINESE FIGHTER JET
By Tahir Ikram

Reuters
May 10, 2005

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=837551&C=airwar

KAMRA, Pakistan -- Pakistan, which has been seeking high technology aircraft for the last two decades, said May 9 it hoped to start joint production with China from 2007 of multi-role fighter jets.

The first four JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft are expected to be introduced into the air force some time in 2006, said Air Vice Marshal Shahid Latif, project director for JF-17 planes.

The medium-technology aircraft matches the Mirage in performance but has better avionics and weapons, Latif told a news conference at the Kamra Aeronautical complex, 80 km (50 miles) west of Islamabad.

It would replace the aging fleet of Mirage 3 and 5, A-5 and F-7 aircraft, he said.

Latif said the JF-17 could achieve a speed of 1.6 Mach, altitude of 55,000 feet (16,760 meters) and carry weapons of modern warfare.

“The project is not only of strategic importance to the air force but it has far-reaching implications both for the national defense and economic prosperity of Pakistan,” he said.

Latif said the performance of prototypes of the JF-17 had far exceeded expectations and China wanted 250 aircraft to be added to its fleet while Pakistan was looking to acquire 150.

According to the agreement between China and Pakistan, once full production starts, half the plane would be produced in China and half in Pakistan, the officials added.

Chengu Aircraft Design Institute designed the aircraft, and the prototypes were manufactured by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Company -- both based in China’s Sichuan province, officials said.

Pakistan was also equipping the manufacturing facility to cater for exports. “We already have some export orders,” Latif said, but did not give details.

Pakistan is also planning to introduce more state-of-the art F-16 fighter jets after the United States agreed to sell them to Islamabad in March after two decades of refusal.

Pakistan bought 40 F-16s in the early 1980s when the country was serving as a base for the U.S.-backed resistance against the former Soviet Union’s occupation of Afghanistan.

But another order for the purchase of 70 F-16s in the late 1980s failed to materialize because the United States imposed sanctions on the country for its clandestine nuclear program.

After almost a decade, Pakistan got its money back, having paid for the planes in advance.

4.

PAKISTAN, CHINA TO CO-PRODUCE FIGHTER JETS

United Press International
May 10, 2005

http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20050510-094634-2795r

WASHINGTON -- To the dismay of the U.S. Bush administration, Pakistan and China have agreed to co-produce a new JF-17 fighter aircraft.

China's Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute is the architect of the JF-17 while its prototypes, first flown last year by Pakistani test pilots, were made by the Chengdu Aircraft Company based in Sichuan province, the Financial Times said Tuesday.

The two countries are planning to produce at least 400 of the fighters, with half made on assembly lines in each country.

At least one U.S. defense analyst said the Bush administration had little to worry about from a defense standpoint.

"If you put it (JF-17) head to head against an F-16, it would probably last about five seconds," said Richard Aboulafia, aviation analyst at the Teal Group.

However, the decision comes only two months after the United States offered to sell F-16 fighter aircraft to Pakistan, reversing sanctions applied almost 15 years ago over Islamabad's nuclear weapons program.

There is also concern in Washington the aircraft could enhance China's ability to intimidate Taiwan, home to a strong and stubborn independence movement.