Argentina: High-level decisions on purchase of JF-17 fighter expected soon

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In light of recent developments surrounding the JF-17, it is appropriate to clarify some aspects of the possible procurement of the fighter aircraft for the Argentine Air Force.

Recently, Argentine Ambassador Sabino Narvaja met with the vice president of China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation to discuss the integral defense strategy between the Argentine government and China.

During the meeting, details of the possible acquisition of the JF-17 for Argentina were discussed. A technical visit to China by the Argentine Armed Forces representatives was announced for March.

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Military zone sources assure that the aircraft has been approved by the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defense, as the offer offers advantages in terms of compensation and financing.

They also point out that “to move forward, significant support is required given the internal and external constraints” and the complicated geopolitical context that poses difficulties.

As for the technical aspects, it remains to be seen what type of engine the proposal will have, given recent speculation about the possible limitations of the JF-17 Block III, which is still in the production phase.

It is expected that the new version will be a significant change from the previous series, mainly due to the difficulties encountered with the Pakistani Air Force.

JF-17 FIGHTER JET

The PAC JF-17 Thunder is a lightweight, single-engine, fourth-generation multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC).

It was designed to replace the A-5C, F-7P/PG, Mirage III, and Mirage V combat aircraft in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The JF-17 can be used for multiple roles, including interception, ground attack, anti-ship, and aerial surveillance.

The Pakistani designation “JF-17” stands for “Joint Fighter-17”, with the “-17” denoting that, in the PAF’s vision, it is the successor to the F-16. The Chinese designation “FC-1 Xiaolong” stands for “Fighter China-1 Fierce Dragon”.

The JF-17 can deploy diverse ordnance, including air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, including anti-ship missiles, and a 23 mm GSh-23-2 twin-barrel autocannon. Powered by a Guizhou WS-13 or Klimov RD-93 after burning turbofan, it has a top speed of Mach 1.6.

The JF-17 is the backbone and workhorse of the PAF, complementing the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon at approximately half the cost.

The JF-17 was inducted into the PAF in February 2010.

With information from Zona Militar

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