Forbes Magazine, USA: Saudi Arabia is building the world's most eclectic fleet of aircraft, with the FC-1 Xiaolong (JF-17) joining the F-35 in combat!
Reuters has disclosed that Saudi Arabia is negotiating with Pakistan on a deal involving the use of fighter jets to offset debt—using a batch of JF-17s to repay a $2 billion loan owed by Pakistan, and an additional $2 billion to purchase supporting systems, with the total potentially reaching up to $4 billion. If realized, this will be the third time the JF-17 has been exported, following Libya and Azerbaijan, and also marks its first entry into a core Gulf country.
More importantly, these aircraft are likely to be the JF-17C Block III version. This model is equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar (AESA), capable of firing the PL-15 air-to-air missile with a range exceeding 150 kilometers—this is one of the few long-range weapons globally that can rival the US-made AIM-120D beyond visual range. For Saudi Arabia, this means that even without the F-35, it can significantly enhance its long-range air combat capabilities.
After Israel launched a surprise attack on Doha in 2025, the security anxiety of Gulf countries surged dramatically. On one hand, Saudi Arabia accelerated its F-35 procurement plan—the Trump administration has expressed support for selling up to 48 F-35s; on the other hand, it has quietly been developing "non-US options." The reason is simple: the delivery of the F-35 is still far off, and it is subject to constraints from the US Congress and Israeli lobbying groups. Meanwhile, the JF-17 not only delivers quickly and is low-cost, but it also allows bypassing the political risks of directly purchasing Chinese equipment—by using Pakistan as an intermediary, it can obtain advanced missiles without angering Washington.
This strategy of using both East and West has already been laid the groundwork. Currently, the mainstay of the Saudi Air Force includes more than 80 F-15SA (the strongest variant of the F-15 globally), over 70 Eurofighter Typhoons, and had previously ordered 48 Rafale aircraft—although this was hindered by Germany's opposition to the export of certain engine components, but negotiations were restarted with France in 2023, with plans to introduce 54 Rafales. In other words, even without the JF-17 and future F-35s, Saudi Arabia is already operating three fourth-generation semi-modern fighter aircraft.
In the coming years, if everything proceeds as planned, the Royal Saudi Air Force will become the only air force in the world equipped with five advanced fighter aircraft: the F-35, F-15SA, Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale, and JF-17. This is not about showing off wealth, but a highly rational risk hedging strategy—amid uncertainty, mixing and matching has become the most secure configuration.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855363933697036/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.