China ramps up production of JF-17

Report says production period of an aircraft has been shortened by 15 days

BEIJING:

China has ramped up production of JF-17 fighter jet, which was jointly developed with Pakistan.

In the first half of 2020, the number of aircraft delivered was the most in the past five years, according to industry reports. As of June 30, the production line of the JF-17 has on average shortened the production period of a single aircraft by 15 days compared to last year, Global Times reported.

Quoting the China Aviation News, a newspaper affiliated with the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the report said on Wednesday, the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) was the main operator of JF-17 fighter jets. Myanmar also flies the Chinese-Pakistani made fighter jets, it added.

The latest, powered-up version of the JF-17, known as the JF-17 Block 3, made its maiden flight in December 2019, the Aerospace Knowledge magazine had reported at that time. In March 2019, Yang Wei, chief designer of the China-Pakistan co-developed fighter jet, said development and production of the JF-17 Block 3 was under way, and the third block would see the JF-17's information-based warfare capability and weapons upgraded.

Some other countries have also approached AVIC about purchasing the JF-17 Block 3, Yang said last year.