
Technical issues have grounded most of the JF-17 fighter jets that the Myanmar regime had purchased from a China-Pakistan joint venture, according to people in the know, creating a potential hurdle for the military axis between the three nations.
The lightweight, multi-role combat aircraft inducted by the Myanmar Air Force have structural cracks and other technical issues and are unfit for service, the people cited earlier said.
The aircraft, which are supposed to be capable of interception, ground attack and bombing missions, have turned out to be unfit for service, and the Myanmar military lacks the technical expertise to address the challenges.
"Jointly manufactured by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Chengdu Aerospace Corporation of China, the JF-17 was initially designed to balance India's air force.
The critical part of the JF-17 avionics is the China-made KLJ-7 Al radar, which has poor accuracy and maintenance problems, analysts say. "The aircraft does not even have an effective beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile or airborne interception radar," according to a report published in The Irrawaddy, Myanmar's leading media outlet.
ET had reported recently that the Pakistan-Myanmar military industrial link received a major boost following reciprocal visits by delegation of both the countries.
Last month, a senior-level Pakistani military delegation visited Myanmar to inspect a defence industry complex near Yangon and participate in a workshop on JF-17 block II aircraft that Myanmar had purchased from Islamabad, ET had reported.
The lightweight, multi-role combat aircraft inducted by the Myanmar Air Force have structural cracks and other technical issues and are unfit for service, the people cited earlier said.
The aircraft, which are supposed to be capable of interception, ground attack and bombing missions, have turned out to be unfit for service, and the Myanmar military lacks the technical expertise to address the challenges.
"Jointly manufactured by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Chengdu Aerospace Corporation of China, the JF-17 was initially designed to balance India's air force.
The critical part of the JF-17 avionics is the China-made KLJ-7 Al radar, which has poor accuracy and maintenance problems, analysts say. "The aircraft does not even have an effective beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile or airborne interception radar," according to a report published in The Irrawaddy, Myanmar's leading media outlet.
ET had reported recently that the Pakistan-Myanmar military industrial link received a major boost following reciprocal visits by delegation of both the countries.
Last month, a senior-level Pakistani military delegation visited Myanmar to inspect a defence industry complex near Yangon and participate in a workshop on JF-17 block II aircraft that Myanmar had purchased from Islamabad, ET had reported.
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