ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jet JF-17 Thunder took to the skies for practice drills ahead of the week long 53rd Paris Air Show which begins on 17 June at the Le Bourget Airport, Paris, the PAF said in a statement.
The JF-17 Thunder is a joint project of Pakistan and China and began over a decade ago. The final assembly of the $40 million aircraft takes place at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in the country’s north-east with the engine, radar and some critical sub systems supplied by China.
On Friday, the Pakistan contingent comprising three JF-17 jets along with air and ground crew touched down in Paris, and the demo team began practice sessions for a series of aerobatic drills for their aerial display show which is considered one of the fair’s most anticipated attractions.
According to the PAF statement, one jet will be performing a flying display on all show days, while the other will be on static display showcasing its weaponry.
The first four days of the show are reserved for trade visitors, with the following three days open to the general public. After international sales success in Myanmar and Nigeria recently, the Pakistani-Chinese JF-17 fighter jet is now seeking new markets.
In February this year, the JF-17 Thunder received international attention after it shot down an Indian Air Force IAF MiG-21 during a military engagement.
Pakistani Fighter Jet JF-17 takes to Parisian skies seeking new markets
Pakistani Fighter Jet JF-17 takes to Parisian skies seeking new markets
- Three $40 million Pakistan-Chinese JF-17 thunder aircrafts are participating in the show
- The Paris air show is the largest air show for the aerospace and defense industry
Islamabad says surge in aircraft orders after India standoff could end IMF reliance
- Pakistani jets came into the limelight after Islamabad claimed to have shot down six Indian aircraft during a standoff in May last year
- Many countries have since stepped up engagement with Pakistan, while others have proposed learning from PAF’s multi-domain capabilities
ISLAMABAD: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said Pakistan has witnessed a surge in aircraft orders after a four-day military standoff with India last year and, if materialized, they could end the country’s reliance on the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The statement came hours after a high-level Bangladeshi defense delegation met Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu to discuss a potential sale of JF-17 Thunder aircraft, a multi-role fighter jointly developed by China and Pakistan that has become the backbone of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) over the past decade.
Fighter jets used by Pakistan came into the limelight after Islamabad claimed to have shot down six Indian aircraft, including French-made Rafale jets, during the military conflict with India in May last year. India acknowledged losses in the aerial combat but did not specify a number.
Many countries have since stepped up defense engagement with Pakistan, while delegations from multiple other nations have proposed learning from Pakistan Air Force’s multi-domain air warfare capabilities that successfully advanced Chinese military technology performs against Western hardware.
“Right now, the number of orders we are receiving after reaching this point is significant because our aircraft have been tested,” Defense Minister Asif told a Pakistan’s Geo News channel.
“We are receiving those orders, and it is possible that after six months we may not even need the IMF.”
Pakistan markets the Chinese co-developed JF-17 as a lower-cost multi-role fighter and has positioned itself as a supplier able to offer aircraft, training and maintenance outside Western supply chains.
“I am saying this to you with full confidence,” Asif continued. “If, after six months, all these orders materialize, we will not need the IMF.”
Pakistan has repeatedly turned to the IMF for financial assistance to stabilize its economy. These loans come with strict conditions including fiscal reforms, subsidy cuts and measures to increase revenue that Pakistan must implement to secure disbursements.
In Sept. 2024, the IMF approved a $7 billion bailout for Pakistan under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program and a separate $1.4 billion loan under its climate resilience fund in May 2025, aimed at strengthening the country’s economic and climate resilience.
Pakistan has long been striving to expand defense exports by leveraging its decades of counter-insurgency experience and a domestic industry that produces aircraft, armored vehicles, munitions and other equipment.
The South Asian country reached a deal worth over $4 billion to sell military equipment to the Libyan National Army, Reuters report last month, citing Pakistani officials. The deal, one of Pakistan’s largest-ever weapons sales, included the sale of 16 JF-17 fighter jets and 12 Super Mushak trainer aircraft for basic pilot training.
