Pakistan Seals Largest-Ever Arms Deal As Azerbaijan Buys JF-17 Thunder Block III Jets Worth $1.6Bn

Azerbaijan has signed a contract to buy Pak-Chinese fighter jets, JF-17 Thunder Block III also called FC-1 Xiaolong.”Azerbaijan’s offensive functionality augmentation comes as Armenia is bulwarking its defences by way of Indian and French gear like Akash surface-to-air missiles.Azerbaijan will buy the fighter jets for US $1.6 billion. The deal encompasses pilots’ coaching and acquisition of armament. The rumours have been occurring for a while, the export of JF-17 to Baku will happen after the completion of 62 fighter jets to the Pakistan Air Force by 2024.Pakistani professional Dr Mehmood ul Hassan Khan mentioned that the deal is confirmed by Pakistani sources. The sale of JF-17 ‘Thunder’ to Azerbaijan is the most important defence export deal in Pakistan’s historical past. The deal will provide eight fighter jets within the first tranche with a clause for a follow-on order of one other eight JF-17s. Azerbaijan has turn into the third nation after Myanmar and Nigeria to go for the fighter jet.The JF-17 Thunder fight plane is collectively developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corp. It has a Chinese airframe and Western avionics, and a Russian engine powers it.