JF-17 gains traction as Iraq explores fighter jet purchase

Air chief Sidhu meets Iraqi counterpart in Baghdad

RAWALPINDI:

Iraq has expressed a keen interest in acquiring Pakistan's JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft as senior air force commanders from both countries held talks in Baghdad, underscoring growing defence cooperation and Islamabad's expanding profile as a supplier of combat aviation platforms.

The interest was conveyed during a meeting between Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu and Iraqi Air Force Commander Lt Gen Staff Pilot Mohanad Ghalib Mohammed Radi Al-Asadi, according to an official statement issued on Saturday.

The Iraqi air chief praised the Pakistan Air Force's (PAF) professionalism, technological advancement and operational standards, while signaling a desire to benefit from the PAF's combat aircraft experience, training systems and capacity-building support, with particular focus on the JF-17 Thunder programme and Super Mushshak trainer aircraft.

Upon arrival at Iraq Air Force Headquarters, Air Chief Marshal Sidhu was presented with a guard of honour, a gesture described as symbolising mutual respect and the strengthening of institutional ties between the two air forces.

Discussions centred on enhancing bilateral military cooperation, including joint training, operational collaboration and interoperability, with the air chief highlighting deep-rooted religious, cultural and historical ties between Pakistan and Iraq.

He reaffirmed the PAF's commitment to support the Iraqi Air Force through training initiatives and professional exchanges, while both commanders agreed to pursue structured joint exercises aimed at improving operational readiness and coordination.

The engagement comes amid wider regional interest in Pakistan's aviation platforms, particularly the JF-17, which has been positioned as a cost-effective multirole fighter supported by indigenous training and maintenance frameworks.

Earlier this week, the ISPR said that the Bangladesh Air Force chief called on Air Chief Sidhu at Air Headquarters for discussions on defence cooperation, including the potential procurement of JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft.

A few days later, Reuters news agency, citing three sources familiar with the matter who requested anonymity, reported that Pakistan was in the final stages of a $1.5 billion arms deal with Sudan, including Super Mushshak training aircraft and possibly JF-17 fighter jets.

The report followed another Reuters story about a possible JF-17 fighter jet deal with Saudi Arabia, with who Pakistan had already signed a Mutual Strategic Defence Agreement in September last year.

A report on PTV Digital website on Saturday said that Turkiye is seeking to join the agreement, a move that could lead to a new trilateral security alignment. It cited a US-based Bloomberg report that Ankara sees joining the pact as a way to bolster security and deterrence.

Citing its sources, Bloomberg reported that talks were at an advanced stage and that "a deal is very likely". It noted that Turkiye's strategic interests increasingly overlap with those of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia across South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

According to the PTV, the Bloomberg story also cited comments by Nihat Ali Ozcan, a strategist at the Ankara-based think tank TEPAV, who highlighted the complementary strengths of the three countries.

The report added that an expanded alliance could alter regional and global security calculations, particularly as countries reassess alliances and seek clearer distinctions between friends and rivals in a changing geopolitical environment.

Bloomberg noted that Turkiye has already deepened defence ties with both countries, including building corvette warships, sharing drone technology and upgrading F-16s for Pakistan, adding that Ankara now aims to involve Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in its Kaan fifth-generation fighter jet programme.

Meanwhile, security sources in Islamabad have warned that any military-to-military engagement with friendly countries was a routine matter; therefore, such matters should not be subject to any speculation.

They stressed that such engagements are generally disclosed through minimal public statements. "Details of such engagement are shared sparingly and should not be matters of conjecture," a source told The Express Tribune.

In Islamabad on Thursday, the Foreign Office also downplayed media speculation linking JF-17 sales to broader financial or security arrangements, reiterating that any confirmed defence agreement would be announced once it formally materialised.

(WITH INPUTS FROM NEWS DESK)