Neo

The FC-1 Xiaolong combat jet, also known as the JF-17.
by Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) Apr 09, 2006
China is close to testing a new prototype of the FC-1 Xiaolong combat jet jointly developed with Pakistan, about a year behind the initial schedule, state media said Sunday. The fourth prototype of the Xiaolong aircraft, a multi-role fighter-bomber with a range of 1,200 kilometers (750 miles), will take to the air "in the near future," the Beijing News reported.
The aircraft, also known as the JF-17, is a cooperative project between the Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group in the southwest province of Sichuan and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.

While earlier prototypes have focused on operational flight capabilities, the fourth prototype is expected especially to test the weapons fit.

The plane is capable of carrying multiple air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, according to the paper.

Earlier reports had said the fourth prototype would have its maiden flight in April 2005. No explanation was provided in Sunday's report for the apparent delay.


Source: Agence France-Presse

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ajaybhutani

isnt this new prototype the one with major modifications in airframe.. then how can they start up weapons testing without testing the airframe again.

Neo

Saturday, April 08, 2006

ISLAMABAD: The French naval forces will hold joint drills with Pakistani armed forces in the Arabian Sea to further reinforce cooperation between the two countries in the areas of military tactics and counter-terrorism, a French embassy statement said on Saturday.

"The French carrier group with the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle will first carry out drills with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) from April 11 followed by exercises with Pakistan Navy next month," said the statement.

French Rafale and Super Etendard aircraft and French-origin Mirage aircraft of the PAF will take part in the drills beginning April 11.

"The jets of the two forces will carry out attack and defence missions on sea and over land in the vicinity of Karachi," said the statement.

"The French carrier group is present in the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf to perform a mission in support of the operation Enduring Freedom."

It added the drills would provide an "excellent" opportunity with armed forces of Pakistan, which is a "frontline" state in the war against terrorism.

Pakistan and France are members of the Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan (CMCP) - a maritime component of Operation Enduring Freedom, the US-led international anti-terror coalition launched in Afghanistan in 2001 against the Al Qaeda terrorist network.

Pakistan, the US, France, Britain, Australia, Italy, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain are members of the CMCP, which operates in the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea and waters off the Horn of Africa to deter terrorists, and arms and human smuggling.

tphuang

they've been doing testing on it for a while now. Just trying to make it all perfect before flying it off again.

Neo

Pakistani Cabinet approves plan to purchase F-16 fighter jets from Washington

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
April 12, 2006

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistan's Cabinet on Wednesday approved a plan to purchase 77 F-16 fighter jets from Washington, a senior minister said.

The decision was taken on the recommendation of the Pakistan Air Force at a meeting in the capital, Islamabad, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told at a news conference.

http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/42174.html

Neo

ISLAMABAD, April 12 : Pakistan and France began joint air exercises yesterday, the first of a series that will enable French and Pakistani forces to train together.

According to a French embassy statement the French Carrier Group with the nuclear- powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle are holding a series of exercises centered on air defence with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), the statement said.

The exercises will oppose the PAF aircraft to the Rafale and Super Etendard embarked on the carrier, it said. They will carry out attack and defence missions on sea and over land in the vicinity of Karachi.

A VIP trip will also enable Pakistani Service officials to discover the Charles de Gaulle in action and provide the setting for various last minute briefings. After the dedicated exercise with the PAF, the French Carrier Group will carry out exercises with the Pakistan Navy involving submarines and surface vessels next May.

The presence of the Carrier Group gives a rare opportunity to train with the neighboring states of the area. It has thus conducted an exercise with Saudi Arabia and India and will do so with Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates in addition to undertaking various interactions with Qatar and Yemen. The Carrier Group is present in the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf on a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the statement said.

With Pakistan being a frontline state in the struggle against terrorism, the Group sees an excellent opportunity to carry out exercises with the Pakistani services, a big first with the PAF, which is the air force other than France that flies the largest number of French aircraft in the world, and with the Pakistan Navy building on 40 years of cooperation.

It is worth mentioning that in May and June 2005 a task group from the Pakistan Navy held various exercises with the French Navy in the Red Sea, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean.

Neo

Pakistan set to buy F-16s from US

By Farhan Bokhari in Islamabad, Pakistan

Published: April 12 2006 20:11

Pakistan’s cabinet on Wednesday gave clearance to the purchase of up to 77 F-16 fighter planes from the US, marking a significant expansion for the country’s air force.

The Pakistani government did not reveal the price it would pay for the deal, nor did it say when the aircraft would be delivered. But according to western diplomats in Islamabad, the F-16s could cost Pakistan U$3-3.5bn.

While announcing the cabinet’s agreement to the F-16 purchase, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Pakistan’s information minister, revealed that the cabinet had also given approval for the purchase of an unspecified number of Chinese fighter aircraft known as FC-10s.

Last November, General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s military ruler, suspended plans for the purchase of new fighter aircraft. Pakistan was then concerned that donors eager to help deal with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake would pull out if the country planned to spend money on planes. Pakistan was seeking more than U$6bn in international aid for relief and reconstruction work. Foreign donors have now offered about $6.2bn.

“Obviously, General Musharraf is confident that the worst following the earthquake is now comfortably behind Pakistan,” said a senior western diplomat in Islamabad.

Buying the aircraft could help General Musharraf politically. Pakistani nationalists have questioned his support for the US-led war on terror, saying the US often benefits more from the relationship than Pakistan.

“The failure to secure new F-16s was often cited as evidence of a policy failure in relations with the US,” said a senior Pakistani official, after Wednesday’s cabinet meeting. “Now, a new agreement for F-16s could help to address that failure”.

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/77f14c88-ca...0779e2340.html

highsea

You're right Ajay, if the pictures posted here are at all accurate. This 4th prototype supposedly has the new inlets, lerx's, and vert stab. IOW, it has to go through the entire regime of static and flight tests before any weapons integration can begin.

They will start out with runups and taxi tests, then low speed, gear-down runs, gradually ramping up to longer flights and more serious testing. They will have to do high altitude restarts on the engine, and high alpha and side slip testing to be sure the engine gets the right amount of air under conditions other than straight and level. AFAIK, the PRC doesn't have a FADEC, so engine data is likely to be somewhat primitive. I can easily imagine a "run it till it breaks, then back off 10%" mentality.

Once you know it really flies, and the engine doesn't take a crap when you light the burner, you can start to do high speed testing and slowly work up to higher-G maneuvers, formation flying, etc. There's always things that go wrong, and it's a time consuming process that is suicidal to rush. And with only one airframe to work with, it will take some time.

Only when you have a solid foundation established, can you think about hanging pylons on the wings and carrying some extra weight. First you have to know how the AC will handle in a clean configuration, sort out the software bugs, etc...Then you can begin additional testing, drop tanks, avionics integration, weapons release, and so on. At this stage, you really don't want anything on the AC that isn't required to make it fly or land.

Like the LCA, the JF-17 is quite a long way from being operational.

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Officer of Engineers

And the PLAAF is doing everything trying to kill the FC-1/JF-17. They hate this bird with a passion.

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Jay

I'm still plenty surprised as I havent heard about the confirmation on the engine itself.

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highsea

I really don't think the engine is that much of an issue, the PRC supposedly bought 100 copies- if that's true, everyone concerned obviously believes that the Pak version will have RD-93's, public statements from Russia notwithstanding.

I've always felt that Russia was just holding back to put pressure on India wrt the MRCA deal.

tphuang

more like they are trying everything to advertise it, so they don't have to put in an order.

The Russians claim that AL-31FN has FADEC, not sure about RD-93 though.

As for the static testing, it's are doing that on prototype 02 rather than 04.

Officer of Engineers

Doesn't work that way. No country is going to buy a bird that your own birdbrains won't fly. The CCP is ramming this bird down the PLAAF's throat. The PLAAF is pushing the J10 on the Paks as much as possible so that they don't have to take this bird at all.

Neo

Pakistan to buy 98 hi-tech aircraft from US and China

MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN
ISLAMABAD (April 13 2006): Pakistan will purchase 98 hi-tech aircraft from the United States and China besides missiles and other equipment to improve the capabilities of Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

According to an official document, exclusively obtained by Business Recorder, mixed package of hi-tech aircraft and equipment is being purchased from USA and China are as under:

FC-20 aircraft (36), SD-10 BVR missiles (300), F-16 A/B, ex-Pakistan (26), F-16 C/D (18 with an option for 18 more), BVR, 500(American), targeting pods 18 and joint direct attack munitions (500).

The expenditure on the entire package would be met from PAF share in Armed Forces Development Programme (AFFDP-2019), the document says. The Cabinet, according to the document, has allowed PAF to set up Joint Working Group (JWG) with CATIC for procurement of 36 FC-20 aircraft.

The government would also help PAF in securing long-term credit financing for the FC-20 aircraft from Chinese government, besides allowing PAF to initiate a Letter of Request (LoR) for the F-16 package and equipment through the Defence Ministry.

While elaborating the background, Defence Ministry said that PAF gave a presentation to the President and Prime Minister on the state of present fighter fleet and its various hi-tech aircraft options on March 31, 2006.

At present, PAF's combat fleet consists of around 350 aircraft. The bulk of its inventory comprises old Mirages and Chinese-origin A-5, FT-6 and F-7 aircraft. With the exception of F-7 PGs, most of these aircraft are more than 20 years old and are scheduled to retire between 2008 and 2015.

Foreseeing this retirement schedule and the known difficulties associated with replacing all old aircraft with western equipment, PAF embarked upon the co-development of JF-17 aircraft. The induction of JF-17 has been planned so as to have a systematic replacement of the retired fleet.

Regarding hi-tech capability, PAF has seriously lagged over the years, mainly due to various geo-political and economic constraints. In order to redress this capability deficit, PAF has very carefully evaluated the hi-tech options against well-defined air staff requirements.

The requirement of multi-role aircraft with effective and modern operational capabilities, supportability, maintainability and other factors were thoroughly evaluated during the trials of available hi-tech options. In this regard, three aircraft namely, Chinese FC-20, USF-16 C/D and Swedish Grippen were evaluated.

While the US F-16 C/D and Swedish Grippen qualified against the PAF requirements, the Chinese FC-20, in its present state, lagged behind due to the lack of advanced avionics systems and weapons. For the future, however, PAF termed it as a good option with very promising growth potential to become one of the leading frontline fighters to face the challenges of the 21st century.

Further, due to the high cost of Grippen, the F-16 weapon system, along with air-to-air BVR missiles was considered to be the most suitable option to immediately address the critical capability deficit that PAF has accumulated vis-à-vis IAF.

The document suggests that the President had directed the Defence Ministry to move a summary for the Cabinet directing the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs to adopt proactive approach to influence the United States and Chinese Governments for the release of the requisite package.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?i...term=&supDate=

Blademaster

I thought you meant th FC-1, not the J-10.

if not, then why do PLAAF hate the J-10? I mean it is a 4th generation plane they could have for cheap price.