thunder thunder fierce dragon chinese pinyin lightweight single engine multi role combat aircraft developed jointly china aerial reconnaissance ground attack aircraft interception designation pakistan short joint designation china means fighter fierce dragon deploy diverse ordnance including air air air surface missiles twin barrel powered speed backbone performance roughly matches half cost inducted squadron february december service additional ordered delivered plans twin version training enhanced operational capability known development background primarily developed meet requirement affordable modern multi role combat aircraft replacement large fleet fighters bombers cost million divided equally china pakistan aircraft intended export potential cost effective competitive alternative expensive western fighters development aircraft headed aircraft designer considered china ace designer designed economic sanctions pakistan abandoned design study involving aircraft manufacturer china decided redesign upgrade year china started new design study develop super redesigned left project sanctions placed china following political fallout square protests left super project project launched pakistan china signed memorandum understanding joint design development new fighter years worked project details june joined project provide design support involved engineers launch project october pakistan reportedly select western company end year provide integrate expected production said include radar navigation system head display multi function displays competing bids came variant similar package rose upgrade project radar radar expected selected company ties february pakistan china signed letter intent covering airframe development russia offered variant engine power fighter april south_africa offered arm super visual range air air missile previously reported previously offered project engine options local manufacturing china pakistan rolls offered engine plan scrapped june contract jointly develop produce super signed project partnership air forces countries committed ordering fighter abandoned bidding supply integrated suite proposed number based radars respectively despite previously hoping use super launch new radar sanctions placed pakistan country nuclear weapons tests design work progressed slowly months preventing delivery western early decided airframe enabling design work aircraft continue airframe developed new requirements easily integrated airframe prototype production began september size mock super displayed china november batch engines power prototypes delivered according china national technology import export corporation official low cost board systems having adapted official said transfer technology aircraft systems makes cost effective use computer aided design software shortened design phase flight testing prototype rolled transferred prepared maiden flight initially planned place june delayed concerns outbreak designation replaced joint point low speed trials began airport june maiden flight late august official maiden flight prototype took place early september prototype marked new designation march test flights prototype april test pilots flew time maiden flight prototype took place april march pakistan planning aircraft following prototype design improvements developed incorporated aircraft excessive smoke emissions engine air widened reported control problems found testing resulted alterations wing leading edge root extensions vertical tail fin enlarged house expanded electronic warfare equipment bay tip redesigned aircraft slightly increased maximum weight incorporated increased quantity chinese sourced selected western aircraft deliveries late pakistan evaluated british french italian winner expected finalised fourth prototype incorporate design changes rolled april flight april modified air replaced conventional intake ramps function divert turbulent boundary layer away inlet prevent entering engine inlet design uses combination forward swept inlet dimensional compression surface divert boundary layer high sub sonic speeds according design prevents boundary layer air entering engine speeds times speed sound reduces weight removing need complex mechanical intake mechanisms conventional intake developmental work aim improving aircraft performance commenced design finalised multiple models underwent wind tunnel tests found reduced weight cost complexity improving performance weapons qualification phase flight testing fitted fourth generation suite incorporates fusion electronic warfare suite enhanced man machine interface engine flight controls day night precision surface attack capability multi mode pulse radar air air attack capability sixth prototype maiden flight september following competition selected chinese firm supply seats production march small batch production aircraft arrived dismantled state pakistan flew time march took public aerial demonstration pakistan day parade march intended replace aircraft preparation flight upgraded training purposes dual seat combat capable trainer originally scheduled begin flight testing pakistan reportedly decided develop training model specialised attack variant november conducted flight aircraft fitted variant radar developed china active radar began manufacturing components production sub assemblies commenced january receive pre production aircraft total initial production run aircraft initial operating capability achieved end final assembly pakistan began june expected complete production aircraft year planned produce aircraft sixteen aircraft year increase aircraft year december announced 16th fighter manufactured calendar year taking total number manufactured aircraft later spokesperson said light interest shown countries decided production capacity expanded russia signed agreement august export engines china pakistan reportedly fully satisfied engine power aircraft alleged arrangements new engine reportedly head design recommended russian defence export agency block engine sales china prevent export competition displayed internationally time aerial displays intended cancelled late attendance decision license insurance costs according official held november china russia china signed contract worth million engines options engines developed according media reports pakistan plans increase production development pakistan negotiated british italian defence firms radars development radar options include italian french variant british company active array radar reportedly selected integrate french built weapons systems rival bids joint venture upgraded optional onwards cost billion radar air surface weapons believed contract held talks south_africa supply april eighteen months negotiations deal reportedly suspended reports cited french concerns pakistan financial situation protection sensitive french technology lobbying indian government operates french built aircraft france wanted purchase fighters overlap upgraded july chief air chief marshal said reports false said discussions officials assured position government speculated trying cause pressure france supply want december production began facility aircraft air air capability improved enhanced load carrying capacity data link electronic warfare capabilities block construction activity planned run manufacturing developed block aircraft planned december announced 16th block aircraft handed resulting standing 4th squadron said block aircraft include radar improvements reworking airframe local media indicated seat version package unconfirmed reports says better flight management system software june jane confirmed radar include helmet mounted display possibly internal infrared search tracking system generation cockpit includes new mission computer enhanced head display contemporary multi function displays plus capability pilot instead use single large area display positioning cockpit possible upgrade block iii design airframe cockpit airframe semi structure constructed primarily aluminium high strength steel partially adopted critical areas airframe designed service life flight hours years overhaul flight hours block incorporate greater use composite materials airframe reduce weight retractable arrangement single nose wheel main hydraulic brakes automatic anti system position shape designed required jet engine manoeuvres involving high angles attack mid mounted wings delta configuration near wing root generate vortex provides extra lift wing high angles attack encountered combat manoeuvres conventional tri plane arrangement incorporated moving single vertical rudder twin ventral fins flight control surfaces operated flight control system flaps improved ordnance equipment fuel mounted wing tips wings fuselage glass cockpit covered transparent canopy provides pilot good round field view centre stick pitch roll control rudder control throttle located left pilot cockpit incorporates hands throttle stick controls pilot sits zero zero seat cockpit incorporates electronic flight instrument system wide angle head display minimum total field view degrees comprises colour multi function displays providing basic flight information tactical information information engine fuel electrical flight control environment control systems available information tall arranged portrait orientation central placed lowest accommodate control panel software incorporates concept open architecture instead military programming language software written popular programming language enabling use numerous civilian programmers available aircraft includes health usage monitoring system automatic test equipment flight control system comprises conventional controls stability roll axis digital fly wire system pitch axis leading edge flaps trailing edge flaps automatically adjusted increase turning performance serial production aircraft reportedly digital redundant system pitch axis dual redundant system roll axis defensive aids system das composed integrated sub systems radar warning receiver provides data direction proximity enemy radars electronic warfare suite housed tip tail fin enemy radars suite linked missile approach warning system defend radar guided missiles system uses optical sensors airframe detect rocket motors missiles degree coverage data system direction missiles time impact shown cockpit displays system releases help evade hostile radar missiles das systems enhanced integration self protection radar pod carried externally production aircraft equipped radar variant radar developed china multiple modes manage surveillance engagement air ground sea targets track scan mode track targets engage simultaneously radar operation range targets radar cross section stated look mode look mode forward looking infrared pod low level navigation red search track system passive targeting integrated block believed incorporate helmet mounted sight hms developed developed parallel tested prototype dubbed revealed public 7th partial mock display hms tracks pilot head eye movements guide missiles pilot visual target externally carried day night laser targeting pod integrated guide laser guided bombs extra added starboard air intake opposite cannon pods reduce numbers targeting pods required aircraft tactical data link transmit target data aircraft equipped targeting pods communication systems comprise radios radio capacity data linking communication ground control centres airborne early warning control aircraft combat aircraft compatible data links network centric warfare improved situation awareness april said needs targeting pod jets current operations limited lack precision targeting fulfill gap air_force interested buying generation targeting pod priority propulsion fuel system blocks powered single engine variant engine fighter engine gives thrust significantly lower specific fuel consumption engines fitted older combat aircraft replaced advantages single engine reduction maintenance time cost compared twin engined fighters thrust weight ratio achieved internal fuel tanks external engine air supply provided air airframe section known produce smoke trails developing new engine replace based incorporates new technologies boost performance reliability thrust output lbf lifespan hours thrust weight ratio expected improved version developing thrust lbf reportedly development paris air announced flight testing equipped engine begun representative said pakistan continue use engine fighters local media reports jan russia planning sell engines directly pakistan according representative pakistan looking collaborate russia developing repairing engines fuel system comprises internal fuel tanks located wings fuselage capacity single point pressure system turbine fuel systems internal fuel storage supplemented external fuel tanks imp gal drop tank mounted aircraft centerline fuselage imp gal drop tanks mounted wing fuel system compatible flight allowing tanker aircraft refuel increasing range time significantly production aircraft fitted june air chief marshal butt said ground tests successfully completed mid air operations commence summer weaponry armed air air air ground weaponry equipment mounted externally aircraft seven located fuselage main landing gear underneath wing wing tip seven communicate data bus architecture stated capable integration weaponry origin internal armament comprises twin barrel cannon mounted port air intake replaced twin barrel cannon wing tip typically occupied short range red combinations ordnance equipment targeting pods carried wing fuselage fitted multiple racks allowing carry bombs unknown multiple racks ordnance visual range active radar integrated radar data link mid course updates chinese expected aircraft primary air air weapon change radars origin fitted short range red missiles include chinese seeking arm fifth generation close combat missile iris integrated hms radar targeting air ground weaponry includes rocket pods gravity bombs anti runway munitions precision guided munitions satellite guided bombs compatible guided weapons anti ship missiles anti radiation missiles pakistan planned bring brazilian anti radiation missile service fleet operational history initial delivery evaluation induction small batch production single seat single engine began china june small batch produced aircraft delivered march flew pakistan march took aerial display march pakistan day joint services parade small batch produced aircraft delivered march extensively flight tested evaluated serial production aircraft delivered china pakistani manufactured aircraft delivered ceremony november february squadron officially inducted initial strength fighter planes aircraft saw service anti terrorist operation types weapons evaluated took high mark exercise april attack surface targets precision air surface weapons equipment ceremony black spiders squadron took place april stated operational concepts chief air staff air chief marshal said today equip squadron raised squadron thunder aircraft like mention appreciate contribution support chinese helping acquire technological breakthrough shape aircraft according pakistani forums squadron replaced squadron currently tasked sea strikes replacing squadron black stood squadron supposed squadron potential operators countries including algeria argentina bangladesh egypt iran lebanon malaysia morocco nigeria sri_lanka shown interest negotiated china dozen worth approximately million reportedly negotiating buy aircraft reportedly plans purchase million deal china aircraft sales china reportedly talks countries sent pilots china undergo test flights argentine officials paris air said discussed production chinese officials calling formal effort potentially leading production modern chinese fighter latin_america officials said produced called iii recalling latin_america swept wing jet fighter february day visit beijing argentine president argentina completed negotiations purchase january reportedly examining potential technology transfer production opportunities defence minister toured project visit pakistan reported june considering local production china pakistan assistance december international defence exhibition nigeria reportedly buying pakistan chief air marshal visited pakistan earlier october nigeria second customer placing order planes news reports value deal million clear item june article jane affirmed budget super aircraft june pakistani media reports suggested export orders confirmed signed according pakistan based news sources claim buyer pakistani jets article goes deliveries likely begin according report order aircraft potentially confirming claims 51st paris air contract sale signed reports sri_lanka signed agreement buy pakistan state visit january government denies deal happened deal cancelled indian pressure deal planes plane million total million media revealed country interested buying invited sales team showcase aircraft air according local analyst deal difficult come fruition match board electronics air air air surface munitions morocco current western equipped tiger reportedly expressed interest despite buying french russian planes earlier year come surprise analysts considered possibility egypt acquiring lost notable accidents incidents thunder crashed pakistan november killing pilot variants prototypes airframe configurations tested prototype stage configuration tested prototype aircraft prototypes second configuration incorporating modifications wider extended ventral fins taller swept vertical rectangular tip containing electronic warfare equipment small base containing sensors prototype primarily weapon qualification tests flew august followed april prototype maiden flight dual seat version training strike roles proposed customer interests development started according local media newly launched dual seat fighter jet inducted air_force april maiden flight end year production versions block production china began june chinese weapons integrated anti shipping missile block aircraft performed better expected according production block completed december aircraft produced pakistan delivered block cost approximately million unit block production began december initial testing began february aircraft air air capability improved enhanced load carrying capacity data link electronic warfare capabilities construction continue manufacture planned block costs approximately million unit chairman said hand year manufacturing plant capacity produce units year according local media rolled 16th block aircraft december enabling 4th squadron stood seat version start testing september block projected feature radar use new engine helmet mounted display cockpit option speed officials described fourth generation plus fighter jet according unconfirmed media reports induction expected start january design block iii finalized twin variant inducted multi roles include use training enhanced surveillance support capability operators pakistan pakistan air force units base test evaluation flight squadron black base squadron base combat commanders school data complex general characteristics crew length wingspan including missiles height wing area weight loaded weight useful load block max takeoff weight powerplant thrust lbf lbf thrust lbf limit performance maximum speed mph combat radius ferry range service ceiling thrust weight armament guns twin barrel cannon total wing wing tip fuselage stations number wet capable capacity external fuel ordnance missiles air air missiles short range short range short range short range visual range air surface missiles anti radiation missile cruise missile anti shipping missile export version anti ship missile anti radiation missile precision guided weapon bombs bombs general purpose bomb general purpose bomb anti runway bomb anti armour cluster bomb precision guided munitions electro guided electro guided satellite guided bombs satellite guided bombs rocket pods external drop tanks wing litres imp gal gal fuselage litres imp gal gal extended range time electronic warfare suite multi mode fire control radar night vision compatible glass cockpit externally mounted pods self protection radar pod day night targeting pod
CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder