JF-17 Thunder

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Description
Role	Multi-role fighter
Crew	1
First Flight	September 3, 2003
Expected to enter Service	2007-2008
Manufacturer	Pakistan Aeronautical Complex & (CAC) China
Dimensions
Length	14.97 m
Wingspan	9.46 m
Height	4.77 m
Weights
Empty	6,411 kg
Loaded weight	10,072 kg
Maximum takeoff weight	15,474 kg
Maximum landing weight	7,802 kg
Maximum internal fuel weight	2,268 kg
Maximum external payload weight	4,629 kg
Max payload (fuel and weapons)	7,063 kg
Powerplant
Engine	One Russian-made RD-93 turbofan, rated 89.4kN dry or 121.4kN with afterburning. The RD-93 is modified RD-33 for Chinese & Pakistani Airforce.
Avionics
Fire-control radar	Italian FIAR Grifo S-7 on Pakistani built export versions. The Radar for Pakistan Airforce's JF-17 is not yet decided. However, early PAF JF-17s will most probably be equipped with Chinese radar which PLAAF will also be using.
Navigation system	Global Positioning System
Other	Head up display (HUD), infra-red search-and-track system, night-vision goggle capability and Fly by wire (FBW).
Performance
Maximum Speed	Mach 2.2 (PT-1,2 and 3 are Mach 2.0)
Range on internal fuel	Ferry range 2,537 km; Combat Radius ~900-1200 km
Service Ceiling	20,500 m
Rate of Climb	N/A
Armament
Missiles	SD-10 long-range air-to-air missile
Other	two short-range AAMs

The Joint Fighter-17 (JF-17) Thunder, also known as the Fighter China-1 (FC-1) Fierce Dragon in China, is a single-seat multirole fighter aircraft co-developed by Pakistan and China. It is expected to be introduced into the Pakistan Air Force in 2006.

1 Overview
2 Project
3 History
4 Present status
5 Prototypes and their roles
6 External links
7 See also

[edit] Overview

The JF-17 is designed to further meet the tactical and strategic needs of the Pakistani Air Force with a minimal reliance on imports from other countries. In addition, the requirement was for the aircraft to have sufficient space for future upgrades and/or equipment specified by export buyers. The JF-17 is considered to be in the "high-tech class" of fighter aircraft.

[edit] Project

The JF-17 is being built by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAC)and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). Initial reports claimed that the aircraft was based on the design of the MiG-33, a proposed single-engined version of the MiG-29, which was rejected by the Soviet Air Force. However, the FC-1/JF-17 is instead derived from the "Super Seven" project, not the Project 33 (not to be confused with the MiG-33) or the failed Chengdu J-9. Indications are that MiG assisted the program by contributing their light fighter design as well as providing additional design & development assistance.

The project is expected to cost about $500 million (USD), divided equally between China and Pakistan, while each individual aircraft is expected to have a fly-away cost of $15-20 million. Pakistan has announced that it will procure 150 but, numbers can easily go up to 200. The JF-17 will replace the MiG-21-derived Chengdu F-7. Other countries which have expressed interest in purchasing the JF-17 are Egypt, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Burma, Zimbabwe, Morocco and Algeria.

[edit] History

Artist's concept of the JF-17 Thunder in PAF colors and markings

In 1986, China signed an agreement with Grumman to develop an upgrade for the J-7 known as the "Saber II", the replacement of the abandoned "Super 7" upgrade of J-7. The program was cancelled in 1990, primarily due to worsening relations with the US following the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. However, CAC kept the program alive by providing low-level funding from its own resources.

After US sanctions were imposed on Pakistan in 1990, Pakistan also became interested in the project. In June 1999, Pakistan and China made an agreement to restart the program with Pakistan paying about 50% of the development costs. The project became known as JF-17 in Pakistan and FC-1 in China.

The first prototype was rolled out on 31 May 2003, conducted its first taxi trials on 1 July, and made its first flight on 24 August of the same year. The prototype 03 made its first flight in April 2004. On April 28 2006, the prototype 04 made its first flight with fully operational avionics.

Serial production has begun in June 2006 and the first 16 aircraft would be rolled out in early 2007.Serial production from 2007-2008 will be at an annual 10-15 planes per year while in 2008+ it will be at 25-30 planes per year.

President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf declared in his Independence day speech on 14 August 2006 that the JF-17 will be flying in Pakistani skies by 23 March 2007.

[edit] Present status

Looking at the status of the development's work, the 4^th prototype version of the JF-17 Thunder combat jet has successfully completed first operational flight in Chengdu, China, on Wednesday, March 10, 2006. The 4^th prototype of the JF-17 Thunder combat jet is a multi-role fighter-bomber and is capable of carrying multiple air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. The fighter jet is equipped with advanced electronics and weapons systems. Pakistan will receive the first consignment of the aircraft in 2007, while the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra will start manufacturing the JF-17 in March 2007. China will start official production in June 2007.

The 4^th prototype includes advanced features such as:

Advanced 4.5th generation cockpit

Control panel consisting of 3 color screens (20.3 cm×20.3 cm) only
- All information is processed and displayed on them
- The functions of each screen are exchangeable
- Brightness & contrast can be adjusted either automatically or manually
- Each screen can be re-defined
HUD is a state-of-the-art system developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC)
- Many images/information can be displayed at the same time
HUD is better than that of the latest Su-30 for the reason that JF-17/FC-1 can display both raw signal as well as processed information (ie. more meaningful information), whereas Su-30 displays, by large, raw signals directly (Reference Needed)

HOTAS control

Intelligent avionics
- Avionics system is all-digital and fully integrated
- Distributed structure
  - Two independent but exchangeable (can backup each other) STD-MTL-1553B data buses connect all equipment, plus two powerful control computers (that can also backup each other)
  - Each computer controls one data bus
The ability to undertake short take-offs and landings is also incorporated in the aircraft

Not to mention the most visible change, the DSI (divergent supersonic intake).

The SD-10 is the primary Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air-to-Air Missile for the JF-17

Initially, Pakistan wanted to use the Italian Grifo-S7 radar. However, the Chinese offer had some key advantages over the Italian one, such as compatibility with Chinese weapon systems.

Radar has multiple modes, such as A2A (both BVR & close), air-to-ground, air-to-sea, etc., with strong anti-interference capacity
It can handle 40⁺ targets, tracking 10 of them and guiding 2 BVR missiles to attack 2 of them at the same time
The detection range for a typical air target of RC 3 m² is 125⁺ km; looking downrange is 45⁺ km; range for sea target is 250⁺ km.

It has all the standard electronic warfare systems, such as radar warning, missile approach warning, etc.

The computer can store more than 500 existing radar signals for identification, and actually already stores more than 250 known radar signal patterns
360-degree field of view for the missile approach warning system with both infrared & ultraviolet spectrum detection
- Very sensitive to the "afterburn" of missiles
- The detection range is 60⁺ km
- One detection sensor is in the tail and two at the front
- Moreover, it can provide a certain capacity of tracking and positioning approaching missiles

The JF-17 has two communication radios; one of them has the capacity for data link, receiving data from either a ground control center or an AWACS.

During maintenance time, when a notebook computer is plugged into the aircraft's avionics, all working parameters of the aircraft can be displayed on the notebook.

All weapon systems are designed to be compatible with both Western systems (ie. supporting MIL-STD-1760 data bus) and Russian systems (and Chinese systems also). At present, its standard missiles are the PL-9C for WVR combat and SD-10 BVRAAM for BVR combat. However, it also supports the AIM-9L/M Sidewinder, AIM-7F Sparrow. It is reported that Pakistan Air Force JF-17s will also be able to use South African air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions such as T-Darter (BVRAAM), A-Darter (WVRAAM), DPGM (Precision Guided Bomb), as well as Raptor-I and Raptor II long-range glide bombs.

[edit] Prototypes and their roles

3-view of the JF-17 Thunder from a magazine scan

Designation	Role
Prototype-01	For Flight Performance Verification
Prototype-02	Ground and Load Testing (Static Ground Testing)
Prototype-03	For Flight Performance Verification
Prototype-04	Weapons Integration And Avionics Testing
Prototype-05	Fatigue Testing (Static Ground Testing)