Pakistan Air Force to fly JF-17s on March 22

Islamabad, Mar 22: Pakistan Air Force will, for the first time, fly JF-17 (Thunder) aircraft tomorrow during the joint services Pakistan Day Parade.

China had delivered two JF-17s to the PAF early this month.

''The armed forces are being equipped with advanced aircraft and equipment to defend the motherland and induction of the JF-17s is part of this policy,'' Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said at a ceremony held at Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) yesterday.

The JF-17 project would lead the country towards increased technological self-reliance and indegenisation, which were key to an assured defence capability, he said.

Conceived in 1992, the JF-17 project was jointly undertaken and pursued by Pakistan and China until the first prototype carried out its maiden flight in August 2003.

The JF-17 Prototype 04 aircraft with fully integrated configuration made its successful maiden flight in Chengdu, China on May 10 last year taking the programme to a new height of success.

The aircraft is an advanced multi-role Light Combat Aircraft jointly invested and developed by China and Pakistan.

The flight tests of prototype aircraft in China are moving forward smoothly.

UNI