Islamabad: Pakistan, burdened by debt, is now going to sell fighter jets. According to media reports, Argentina is planning to buy 12 JF-17A Block-III fighter jets from Pakistan. A report by Pakistan’s Geo TV said that Argentina has officially included $664 million in the draft budget for 2022 for the purchase of 12 PAC JF-17A Block 3 fighter jets from Pakistan.
It has been said in the news report that the budget has been presented in the Parliament of the country. However, this does not mean that the deal has been finalized, as Argentina has not yet signed the sale agreement, but it reflects the country’s intention to buy fighter jets from Pakistan. Argentina had tried to buy jets from some other countries in the world over the years, but it was not always possible due to lack of funds or British objections.
Recently last year Britain banned the sale of South Korean fighter jets to Argentina. Argentina’s defense minister described the move as British Imperial Pride, before posting ‘Malvinas Argentinas’ on Twitter. According to the UK Defense Journal, the JF-17 Thunder is a single-engine multi-role combat aircraft jointly developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Chengdu Aircraft Corporation of China.
The builders say the JF-17 can be used for multiple roles including interception, ground attack, anti-ship, and aerial reconnaissance. The report said that more than half of the JF-17 airframe, including its front fuselage, wings, and vertical stabilizer, is produced in Pakistan, while China produces 42 percent. The last assembly of fighter aircraft takes place in Pakistan.
