Pakistan-Nigeria JF-17 Fighter Jet Contract Likely During November IDEAS Show In Karachi

Pakistan will possibly announce the JF-17 fighter contract with Nigeria during the IDEAS Show, scheduled to held in Karachi from 22 to 25 November 2016.

Nigeria has signed a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan to purchase the Pakistani-Chinese PAC/CAC JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter, IHS Janes reported Friday.

This contract is expected to be finalized by November, a senior official from the Pakistan’s Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO) told IHS Jane’s during the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) show currently being held in South Africa.

Nigeria had set aside funds in the federal budget this year worth NGN5 billion (USD25 million) for three JF-17s as well NGN2.06 billion for 10 PAC Super Mushshak basic trainers.

The talks are still going on between the Nigerian Air Force and the Pakistan army’s new aviation wing on acquisition of the Super Mushshak trainers, the DEPO official added.

The Joint Fighter-17 (JF-17) Thunder multi-role fighter was jointly developed by China and Pakistan and is fitted with Russian Klimov RD-93 turbofan engine with afterburner.

The fighter’s primary weapons are Chinese PL-12/SD-10 medium-range air-to-air missiles with active radar-homing. The aircraft also carries short-range Chinese PL-7, PL-8, PL-9 or US AIM-9P, mounted on wingtip rails.

The JF-17 multi-role fighter can also carry general purpose of laser-guided bombs. Aircraft has no in-flight refueling capability.