ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is ready to welcome a new member into its jet fighter family named JF-17B, a twin-seat variant of the famous JF-17 Thunder jet. The new fighter jet was previously seen undergoing tests in China.
The first prototype of JF-17B’s production began last year in April with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan at Chengdu Aerospace Corporation, which underwent a test flight after a year in Chengdu, China. Currently, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) is working on three prototypes of the fighter jet, two of which will be handed over to PAF.
The twin-seat variant also comes with multiple design changes, which are as follows:
– Modified Flight Control System – three-axel fly-by-wire (FBW)
– An extended nose
– Dorsal spine
– A changed vertical stabilizer
– Altered materials proportion
– Enhanced wingspan
The dorsal spine accounts for lost space due to an additional seat to compensate for the fuel, while the FBW will replace the hybrid flight control system in the previous versions of the aircraft. An enlarged wingspan of 0.5 meters will help with efficient manoeuvring in addition to offering a reduced take-off distance.
The JF-17B fighter jets have the ability to boost the defence potential of PAF and can go on to become the backbone of the PAF. PAF had earlier spoken about the latest induction of the jet in its squad, saying: It will further enhance the advanced combat training of PAF fighter pilots on this indigenous war-fighting machine.
