Malaysia is said to be considering purchasing JF-17 Thunder fighter jets from Pakistan following Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s visit to Islamabad last month, according to reports.
Mohamad was Prime Minister Imran Khan’s guest of honor while on a state visit as he watched the Pakistan Day military parades and celebrations.
He was also treated this year to an acrobatic performance by a group of JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighters, which are assembled in Pakistan and developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (PAC/CAC).
The performance is said to have been a sales pitch to Malaysian PM Mohamad as Kuala Lumpur weighs in the possible purchase.
Both Malaysia and Azerbaijan are currently said to be seriously considering the purchase of the JF-17 fighter jets, which apart from Pakistan, are only operated by Myanmar.
Strapped for cash and eager to upgrade its air force, the JF-17 jet, a strong performer with a relatively low unit price, is the perfect choice for Kuala Lumpur, which has been seriously considering the aircraft for at least one year now.
The JF-17 fighter engaged in its first dogfight last month after Pakistan’s military said that it had shot down two Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets that had entered Pakistani airspace.
The JF-17 was originally developed to replace the Pakistan Armed Forces (PAF)’s aging fleet of Dassault Mirage III/5 fighter jets by the early 2020s. The PAF is expected to induct 150 JF-17 combat aircraft over the next years, split into three productions blocks: Block I, Block II, and Block-III. PAF has so far produced 50 Block I aircraft and over 60 Block II JF-17s.
