Pakistan to get eight Chinese JF-17 jets next year

Published: Nov 23, 2006
Source: www.gulfnews.com



Karachi: Pakistan is set to get the first batch of eight medium-technology fighter jets from China next year and the country would start manufacturing them locally from January 2008, a senior military official said yesterday.

"We shall...have the first two [JF-17 Thunder fighter] aircraft on March 23, while the remaining of the first batch of eight aircraft will also arrive next year," Air Marshal Khalid Choudhry, Chairman of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, said.

"The hardcore production of JF-17 in Pakistan will start in January 2008."

According to the agreement between China and Pakistan, once full production starts, half the planes would be produced in China and half in Pakistan.continue..