By India’s Tejas fighter jet has apparently rattled the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), who are now reportedly building a new warplane, which Islamabad claims will be more powerful that its JF-17 fighter aircraft. According to reports, PAF’s new fighter plane is codenamed PFX, and it will be a generation newer than the JF-17, which Pakistan build jointly with China.
PFX fighter jet capabilities, features
According to the Pakistan Air Force, the PFX will be 4.5 generation fighter aircraft boasting advanced stealth features, which will make it difficult for radars to detect. The PFX jet will also be equipped with a passive radar, enabling it to detect enemy aircraft without transmitting anything or revealing its own location.
Talking to Geo News, a PAF spokesperson said the PFX fighter jet will be able to compete with the Indian Tejas fighter jet, and will be ready for operational use in the next 4-5 years.
Despite Islamabad’s tall claims, many experts claim that the JF-17 was a “failure”, and the new JF-17 PFX is an attempt to build a better, more advanced version of its predecessor.
As per experts, the JF-17 PFX, which is being jointly developed by Pakistan and China, will be an upgraded version of the JF-17 fighter jet, and fall in the same category as India’s Tejas Mk2 fighter. The JF-17 PFX will be bigger, heavier, and integrated with the latest technology, they said.
The PFX fighter will also feature improved avionics, a more powerful radar, and have greater payload capacity, they added.
Pakistan showcases ‘Haider’ tank at Karachi defense expo
Pakistan announced its new fighter jet program at an ongoing multi-nation defense expo being held in Karachi in which countries like Turkey, Iran, and Italy are also participating. Pakistan, who aims to build the JF-17 PFX indigenously, is hoping to export the new fighter jet to other countries, akin to the JF-17.
Meanwhile, apart from announcing its new fighter jet, Pakistan also showcased its much-touted battle tank ‘Haider’, as well as its medium-altitude drone Shahpar 3, at the Karachi expo. Islamabad also displayed the models of its Al Khalid and Al Zarrar tanks.
