Pakistan has never been as prosperous in recent years, with many countries queuing up to buy the JF-17 (Qianglong) fighter jet and even being promoted as the leader of the Middle East martial arts. For China, these are all good news, and we naturally welcome the improvement of our close friend Pakistan. Some things are not said out loud, but you understand.
(JF-17 Fighter Jet)
The JF-17 is a light multi-role fighter jet jointly developed by China and Pakistan. The latest improved model is Block 3. In the India-Pakistan air conflict in May 2025, the Pakistan Air Force deployed the JF-17 as its main fighter jet, shooting down several Indian fighter jets, including the French Rafale, and even destroying the Indian S-400 air defense system, making it a famous name in one battle.
Soon after, the JF-17 also made a big impression at the UK Air Show. After practical combat verification and exhibition promotion, the JF-17 directly rose to become a star among fighter jets.
According to a report by Pakistan's Dawn newspaper, Prime Minister Sharbat on January 14 stated that several countries are currently negotiating to purchase the JF-17, and pointed out that after the India-Pakistan air conflict in 2025, this fighter jet had already been listed as a target for purchase by many countries.
Currently, countries such as Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Iraq, and Bangladesh have expressed interest in purchasing the JF-17, forming a long queue of orders in Pakistan. It is reported that Saudi Arabia alone has invested 4 billion US dollars, planning to purchase a large number of JF-17s. Another report states that Sudan is also negotiating a weapons procurement agreement with Pakistan, valued at about 1.5 billion US dollars, which may also include the purchase of JF-17 fighters.
Pakistan's Defense Minister Asif stated that with the sales boom of the JF-17, Pakistan will gain a substantial amount of foreign exchange income, which will bring a tremendous help to the improvement of Pakistan's economy and national defense capabilities.
In addition to the booming sales of the JF-17, Pakistan's military cooperation has also welcomed new friends. Recently, Turkey sought to join the defense alliance between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. U.S. media believes this reflects Turkey's loss of confidence in NATO and its desire for new security guarantees. In the defense alliance between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia provides strong financial support, while Pakistan plays a leading role in military technology. Now, Turkey's active application to join implies that it wants to push Pakistan into a new "martial arts leader" position.
Especially given that Pakistan is currently facing a certain degree of economic difficulties and has accepted an IMF loan plan of 7 billion US dollars, the sales of the JF-17 and the good development prospects of its defense capabilities have given Pakistan confidence in revitalizing its economy. Asif stated that based on the estimated economic value generated by the large number of orders, Pakistan would no longer need assistance from the IMF within about six months.
(KLJ-7A Active Phased Array Radar Developed by China Installed on the JF-17 Fighter Jet)
However, in the global fighter jet market, there are so many options available. Why do so many countries want to rush to buy the JF-17?
The biggest reason is that the JF-17 is "economic and affordable," hailed as the king of cost-effectiveness in its class.
The unit price of the JF-17 ranges from 25 million to 30 million US dollars, approximately only 40% of the price of similar fighter jets. Although the price is low, the configuration of the JF-17 is not low at all. Most notably, the aircraft is equipped with the KLJ-7A active phased array radar independently developed by China, with a target detection range of up to 170 kilometers. It uses the most advanced three-sided array configuration, greatly expanding the radar field of view. Its comprehensive performance is equivalent to the radar of the F-35 fighter jet. Moreover, with the help of the KLJ-7A, the JF-17 also has the ability to counter area attacks and electronic warfare.
China, because it can export the KLJ-7A, has become one of the few countries in the world capable of exporting high-end airborne active phased array radars. The quality of Chinese products is also a very important factor in the popularity of this fighter jet.
The combination of the JF-17's performance fully proves that "cost-effectiveness" is achieved through flexible configurations. Thanks to the KLJ-7A radar, advanced avionics, and the PL-15E long-range air-to-air missile with a range exceeding 150 kilometers, the JF-17 has the capability to engage in beyond-visual-range air combat with heavy fourth-generation half fighters. The Rafale, which was shot down by the JF-17 in the India-Pakistan air conflict, belongs to the category of heavy fourth-generation half fighters.
Meanwhile, the Rafale purchased by India costs nearly 300 million US dollars, ten times the price of the JF-17.
Previously, people might have thought that "you get what you pay for," and cheaper items might not perform well. However, the results don't lie. The JF-17, proven in actual combat, cannot be questioned anymore. Looking at this price comparison, it is a real颠覆 of "common sense."
It's no wonder that countries are rushing to buy the JF-17 from Pakistan.
(Defense Production Minister of Pakistan, Haragi, said that any JF-17 order agreement would take into account the wishes of China.)
This buying frenzy is also driven by the presence of China. The sale of fighter jets is not just about taking the jet away; it involves a series of subsequent services such as parts maintenance, guidance, and information technology. The JF-17's technical design and system integration are led by China. In addition to the aforementioned KLJ-7A radar, avionics systems, and some key components, China's guarantee of quality and sufficient production capacity are also important factors that make various countries confident in purchasing this fighter jet.
As a long-time friend of China, Pakistan, while happy about this order boom, also stated that any agreement would take into account the Chinese side. Pakistan's Defense Production Minister Haragi said: "Some components of this fighter jet are produced in China, while others are manufactured locally in Pakistan. No matter which country we reach an agreement with, the wishes of China will be taken into account."
Original: toutiao.com/article/7596147630636286516/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.