Pakistan’s JF-17 Thunder to Receive “Operational Capability Upgrades” (PFX Alpha)

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – At the recent International Defence Exhibition and Seminar 2024 (IDEAS), Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP) announced an ambitious plan to enhance the capabilities of its JF-17 fighter jets under what is termed the “Operational Capability Upgrade” (OCU).

The upgrade initiative of the JF-17 fighter jets, the “OCU” also dubbed “PFX Alpha,” marks the first step towards the development of the PAF’s future fighter jet program, known as PFX.

The primary goal of the PFX Alpha upgrade is to modernize the radar and avionics systems of the JF-17, with potential integration of advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground weapon systems, including indigenous solutions such as the “Rasoob 250” and “AZB-81LR.”

While the OCU primarily aims to equip the JF-17 with cutting-edge subsystems, defense media outlets in Pakistan suggest a secondary objective: establishing greater independence in managing the aircraft, which was originally developed through a joint venture with China.

Since the JF-17’s induction into the PAF, there has been a noticeable gap between Pakistan’s aspirations for the platform and the actual capabilities of its domestic aerospace industry.

In theory, the JF-17 was envisioned as a platform free from external political and technical dependencies.

However, in practice, Pakistan remains reliant on China for critical areas such as subsystems and weapon system integration.

This reliance has become increasingly apparent as the PAF evaluates options for an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar for the JF-17.

Reports suggest that Pakistan’s inability to select the Leonardo Grifo-E radar stemmed from a lack of agreement between China’s Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) and Leonardo on sharing source codes.

To bridge this capability gap, the PAF initiated an integration facility in 2020 to independently manage the integration of subsystems and weapon systems for the JF-17.

Since then, Pakistan has successfully integrated several indigenous weapon systems onto the aircraft, including the Raad air-launched cruise missile (ALCM), AZB-series precision-guided bombs, and the ASELPOD targeting pod developed by Turkish defense firm ASELSAN.

With the launch of the OCU program under PFX Alpha, the PAF aims to further incorporate local technologies into the JF-17.

This includes advancements in radar, electronic warfare systems, avionics, and potentially electro-optical systems. The ultimate goal is to transform the JF-17 into a more formidable fighter jet, showcasing the growing capabilities of Pakistan’s domestic defense industry. – DSA