So how good is Pakistan’s JF-17 fighter? Analysis from RUSI think-tank’s Justin Bronk

[Hamza913]

what exactly Pakistan got to counter SU-30 MKI and Rafale ?

Asalamu Alaikum

Project Azm and the FC-31 are planned, and will be more than adequate to handle any and all planes the IAF has and will have in the nearby future. The 3rd block of the JF-17 will also be able to handle the Su-30MKI (dunno about the Rafale though).

As of now, 18 block 52 F-16's and 45 F-16's upgraded to block 50 standard are the only ones that can handle the Su-30MKI.

However, we have the advantage of being a smaller country that would be on the defensive, and we have much better pilots (this has been historically proven). So you have to take that into account.

 

[The Accountant]

Moron comparing jft with rafael, su35 etc.
Jft belongs to the light weight fighter and being compared with heavies. Lull the bashira type of comparison.

His review was like critics. He has done this to almost every fighter ... I think the article shows the areas of improvement specially in the engine

 

[CriticalThought]

This analysis on the whole is balanced and honest. Definitely they don't have all the info but we know the limits of the airframe (+8gs) and the current engine. Block-III will address a lot of deficiencies on avionics side but I'm not sure about any airframe changes. But I hope a better engine becomes available that gives it high T/W. However it highlights the need for a big brother like Su35s...there is a genuine need for that...since everything cannot be equalled just by numbers.

There was a report recently that due to the weight of AESA radar, the entire front section needed redesign.

The real thing going on in latest Su-35s is electronics along with strategic stealth in right places. Both can be dealt by using an appropriate AEWAC. The 'big brother' would be AEWAC that provides intelligence and brings in the brains and the little brother would be Thunder that brings in the brawn and the muscle. That said, yes, I would be happy for PAF to acquire 2-3 squadrons of SU-35s along with A-100, if budget allowed for that.

 

[IceCold]

Moron comparing jft with rafael, su35 etc.
Jft belongs to the light weight fighter and being compared with heavies. Lull the bashira type of comparison.

Actually when you consider the planes that JF-17 is going to take on, it only makes sense to compare with them. PAF inventory consists of JF-17 and F-16s. Rest of the planes are obsolete and being phased out by Jf-17. So Jf-17 is the workhorse of PAF and since we dont have any other plane it is going to be JF-17 and the F-16s taking on SU-30 and Rafale even if we dont consider SU-35 and Typhoon.

PS the rafael you mentioned is not jet but an Israeli company.

 

[war&peace]

There was a report recently that due to the weight of AESA radar, the entire front section needed redesign.

The real thing going on in latest Su-35s is electronics along with strategic stealth in right places. Both can be dealt by using an appropriate AEWAC. The 'big brother' would be AEWAC that provides intelligence and brings in the brains and the little brother would be Thunder that brings in the brawn and the muscle. That said, yes, I would be happy for PAF to acquire 2-3 squadrons of SU-35s along with A-100, if budget allowed for that.

Me and @MastanKhan have discussed it multiples times and we conclude that we need to combine JF17 with something like EFT or Su35 with the big brother leading the formations of JF17s connected through interlinks and our existing AE&WCs also guiding them and yeah I would like to see 2-3 A-100s.
For budget, you need to bring back the robbed money hidden overseas in assets and bank accounts.

 

[CriticalThought]

Me and @MastanKhan have discussed it multiples times in the best that we need to combine JF17 with some like EFT or Su35 with the big brother leading the formations of JF17s connected to interlinking and our existing AE&WCs and yeah I would like to see 2-3 A-100s.
For budget, you need to bring back the robbed money hidden overseas assets and bank accounts.

Can you point me to that discussion? Because I can show you that current SU-30 MKIs can be very easily managed by Thunder + AEWACs.

 

[313ghazi]

The article is pretty close. JF-17 was meant to be a 4th generation fighter and was meant to replace our F-7, Mirages etc. Our option to take on the 4+ gen fighters was meant to be the J-10 but the last decade of democracy/corruption swiftly put and end to that. We just did not have the financial means to aquire it.

 

[My-Analogous]

Asalamu Alaikum

Project Azm and the FC-31 are planned, and will be more than adequate to handle any and all planes the IAF has and will have in the nearby future. The 3rd block of the JF-17 will also be able to handle the Su-30MKI (dunno about the Rafale though).

As of now, 18 block 52 F-16's and 45 F-16's upgraded to block 50 standard are the only ones that can handle the Su-30MKI.

However, we have the advantage of being a smaller country that would be on the defensive, and we have much better pilots (this has been historically proven). So you have to take that into account.

Project Azm is to field against 5th Gen

 

[Telescopic Sight]

Can you point me to that discussion? Because I can show you that current SU-30 MKIs can be very easily managed by Thunder + AEWACs.

Please show

 

[!eon]

Block 3 will cover that perfectly and after reading this report i am sure that JFB3 will be nightmare to any one of those

Good Old Atom Bamb!!! Har Marz ki aik Dawa
Uske ilawa wesey bhi kuch nai kharidna ya banana ham ne. Pese nai hain.

Asalamu Alaikum

Project Azm and the FC-31 are planned, and will be more than adequate to handle any and all planes the IAF has and will have in the nearby future. The 3rd block of the JF-17 will also be able to handle the Su-30MKI (dunno about the Rafale though).

As of now, 18 block 52 F-16's and 45 F-16's upgraded to block 50 standard are the only ones that can handle the Su-30MKI.

However, we have the advantage of being a smaller country that would be on the defensive, and we have much better pilots (this has been historically proven). So you have to take that into account.

Waalikumusslaam

If war starts today evening, what PAF got against IAF ?

 

[Hamza913]

Waalikumusslaam

If war starts today evening, what PAF got against IAF ?

A war won't start. A war with Pakistan would simply be too costly for Hindustan, even if we take nukes out of the equation and assume they magically win.

The PAF would be on the defensive, has to control a much smaller area of land, and has better pilots. These help significantly, allowing the PAF to defend Pakistan relatively well.

The problems only come in if the war drags on too long (but that's unlikely), and the fact that the PAF can't launch offensive raids into Hindustan as successfully as it was able to in the past.

 

[Hassan Guy]

He is right on point as of now JF-17 is better than BLOCK 40 but is behind BLOCK 52. But if we manage to bring AESA upgraded along with JHMCS and more hard points in BLOCK 3 than it would be at par with even BLOCK 60 if not better.

The engine is whats holding the JF-17 back

 

[Metanoia]

than it would be at par with even BLOCK 60 if not better.

I highly doubt JFT Block 3 can be considered equal or better than the Block 60. It will be on par with Block 50/52+ at best.

 

[Trango Towers]

This analysis on the whole is balanced and honest and I take it positively. Definitely they don't have all the info but we know the limits of the airframe (+8gs) and the current engine. Block-III will address a lot of deficiencies on avionics side but I'm not sure about any airframe changes. But I hope a better engine becomes available that gives it higher T/W than previous blks. However it highlights the need for a big brother like Su35s...there is a genuine need for that...since everything cannot be equalled just by numbers.

I think he has analysed jf17 early models and pitched them against the latest western fighters. I think we know that this machine is capable else the Americans wouldn't have tried to get it scrapped via Zardari.

 

[Zarvan]

I highly doubt JFT Block 3 can be considered equal or better than the Block 60. It will be on par with Block 50/52+ at best.

It will be specially as it will have AESA which BLOCK 60 doesn't have and also engine will be improved version of the current one. And also more hard points and JHMCS