A number of media shops have reported that talks are presently underway for a $6 billion procurement of Chinese language JF-17 fighter plane to equip the Royal Saudi Air Drive. A portion of JF-17s are presently assembled beneath license and partly produced in Pakistan, with the supply of the plane reportedly being thought-about to assist Islamabad pay again a part of its loans to Saudi Arabia. A report by Reuters cites two totally different Pakistani sources, certainly one of whom mentioned the JF-17 is the “major possibility” being thought-about for procurement. The deal into account would see $4 billion allotted to offsetting the mortgage, whereas the Saudi Defence Ministry spends an extra $2 billion to totally cowl procurement prices. The reported deal follows the signing of a strategic defence pact between Riyadh and Islamabad in September 2025, and comes shortly after affirmation that the Saudi Defence Ministry was additionally holding talks to obtain F-35A fifth era fighter plane from the USA.
Analysts have broadly questioned what function the JF-17 may play within the Royal Saudi Air Drive, with the service fielding no single engine fighters and no fighters from a comparable very mild weight vary which the Chinese language plane may immediately exchange. One chance could be that the plane are used to kind new air defence regiments. The JF-17 Block 3 is significantly extra superior than the Air Drive’s present Twister and Eurofighter fight jets which might be presently in service, each of which Saudi sources have reported had been procured primarily for political causes moderately than resulting from their aggressive performances. The F-15SA heavyweight fighter kinds the spine of the Saudi fleet, and whereas extremely succesful and sure far exceeding the fight potential of the JF-17 Block 3, the plane have significantly excessive upkeep wants and operational prices, in distinction to the light-weight Chinese language plane which is among the many most upkeep pleasant on the planet.
One chance is that the JF-17 Block 3 might be procured to serve in a part of a high-low mixture with the F-15SA, with the 2 probably being extremely complementary of their capabilities. A big benefit of the JF-17 is that it will present a larger diploma of reliability for the Saudi fleet, since whereas Western management over supply codes and components provides for its U.S. and British origin fighters might be used to cripple its defences ought to this fall consistent with Western Bloc pursuits, the JF-17 Block 3 would supply a secondary air defence functionality to fall again on. The JF-17 Block 3 is taken into account to have comparably superior ‘4+ era’ avionics to the F-15SA, though its radar design is considerably newer. A specific benefit is its use of PL-15 and PL-10 air-to-air missiles, which comfortably outperform the AIM-120C and AIM-9X that Saudi F-15s presently use.
A big chance stays that the Saudi authorities will for political causes chorus from counting on the JF-17 for frontline roles, because the nation has constantly come beneath sturdy political stress from throughout the Western world to nearly solely procure Western Bloc navy gear. Because the world’s largest defence importer, continued management over its markets are strategically important to finance Western defence sectors. The Saudi Defence Ministry might thus favour procuring the JF-17B, a twin seat variant, to function a coach for its wider fleet. This might assist acquaint pilots with fifth era degree avionics, like these of the F-15SA and F-35A, with the JF-17’s personal avionics being intently primarily based on these of the Chinese language J-20 fifth era fighter. The JF-17B may additionally function a formidable air defence interceptor outfitted with PL-15 missiles and a contemporary AESA radar, by which case the second seat for the trainer may function a navigator or weapons programs officer.
