The move to buy the aircraft jointly built by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation came after South Korea refused to sell the jets to Buenos Aires last year owing to British pressure, the report said. It may be noted here that Britain had imposed an embargo on Argentina after the Falkland War in 1982, hampering the sale of military equipment to Argentina. The JF-17 Thunder is a single-engine multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation of China. The builders say that the JF-17 can be used for multiple roles, including interception, ground attack, anti-ship, and aerial reconnaissance. Fifty-eight per cent of the JF-17 airframe, including its front fuselage, wings and vertical stabiliser is produced in Pakistan, whereas 42% is produced in China, with the final assembly taking place in Pakistan.

Source: The Express Tribune September 19, 2021 10:34 UTC