JF-17 Thunder
Multirole combat aircraftFielded 2007Pending verification
Air ForcesPAK
Fact cardConfidence · Source
System
TypeMultirole combat aircraft
Date of introduction2007
ProliferationAt least 3 countries
Dimensions and weight
Flight performance
Protection
Armament and payload
Hardpoints7 (2 × wing-tip, 4 × under-wing, 1 × under-fuselage) with capacity for dual ejector racks on each under-wing hardpointMed[1]
Fire control
Fire Control RadarKLJ-7 v2 Airborne Pulse Doppler Fire-Control Radar ( Range-150 km for 3m2 RCS aircraft.)Med[1]
Advanced Targeting Pod Electro-Optical Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Targeting SystemAselsan ASELPOD Advanced Targeting Pod Electro-Optical Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Targeting SystemMed[1]
Variants
JF-17A Block 1Single-seat variant. Production in China began in June 2006. The first three Chinese weapons to be integrated are the PL-5E II AAM, the SD-10 AAM, and the C-802A anti-shipping missile.[1]
JF-17A Block 2Single-seat variant. Production began on 18 December 2013 and initial testing began on 9 February 2015. These aircraft have air-to-air refuelling capability, improved avionics, enhanced load carrying capacity, data link, and electronic warfare capabilities.[1]
JF-17A Block 3Single-seat variant. Projected to feature further avionics advancements such as helmet-mounted display and sight (HMD/S) system, a new single panel multi-functional display (MFD), an active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar paired with an infrared…[1]
JF-17B Block 2Dual-seat variant, 8 of which were rolled out at PAC Kamra in December 2019. Its multi-roles include use as a (i) JF-17 conversion trainer; (ii) Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT); (iii) ground-attack aircraft; and (iv) reconnaissance aircraft.[1]
Weapons and payload options · 7Confidence · Source
Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23Autocannon
Med[1]- Type
- Autocannon
- Caliber
- 23 mm
- Rate of fire
- 3,400–3,600 rounds/min
PL-5EIIShort-Range Air-to-Air Missile
Med[1]- Range
- 16 km10 mi · 9 nmi
- Type
- Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile
- Guidance
- Infrared homing, multi-element, dual band detector
- Warhead
- 6 kg blast-frag, or expanding rod (RF-fuse)
- Speed
- Mach 2.5
- Length
- 2.893 m
PL-9CInfrared-Homing Air-to-Air Missile
Med[1]- Range
- 22 km14 mi · 12 nmi
- Type
- Infrared-Homing Air-to-Air Missile
- Guidance
- multi-element infrared
- Warhead
- 11.8 kg blast-frag, or expanding rod (RF-fuse)
- Speed
- Mach 2+
- Length
- 2.9 m
AIM-9LShort-Range Air-to-Air Missile
Med[1]- Range
- 1–35 km1–22 mi · 1–19 nmi
- Type
- Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile
- Guidance
- Infrared homing
- Warhead
- WDU-17/B annular blast-frag
- Warhead weight
- 9.4 kg
- Speed
- Mach 2.5+
- Length
- 3.02 m
Mark 82Unguided General-Purpose Bomb
Med[1]- Type
- Unguided General-Purpose Bomb
- Length
- 2.22 m
Mark 83Unguided General-Purpose Bomb
Med[1]- Type
- Unguided General-Purpose Bomb
- Length
- 3000 mm
Mark 84General-Purpose Bomb
Med[1]- Type
- General-Purpose Bomb
- Length
- 3280 mm
The JF-17 Thunder Pakistani Multirole Combat is a lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China. It was designed to replace the A-5C, F-7P/PG, Mirage III, and Mirage V combat aircraft in the Pakistan Air Force.
Draft entry. Values come from the cited public sources and are awaiting editor verification.
- JF-17 Thunder Pakistani Multirole Combat Aircraft, U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)
Published/updated 2026-03-20 · Tier 1 · checked 2026-10-10
- 2026-10-10 Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import
- 2026-10-10 Added photo (CC BY-SA 2.0)