JF-17 Thunder

The PAC JF-17 Thunder (Urdu: جے ایف-١٧ تھنڈر), or CAC FC-1 Xiaolong[7][8] (Fierce Dragon; Chinese: 枭龙; pinyin: Xiāo Lóng; ), is a light-weight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Air Force, the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAC) of China. Its designation "JF-17 Thunder" by Pakistan is short for "Joint Fighter-17", while the designation "FC-1 Xiaolong" by China means "Fighter China-1 Fierce Dragon".

The JF-17 has a top speed of Mach 1.6. It can carry a variety of missiles and bombs, including air to air and Air-to-surface missiles, supplemented by a 23/30 mm GSh-23-2 twin-barrel autocannon. It is powered by a RD-93 or WS-13 afterburning turbofan. Its unique diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) makes it stealthy. Currently, the JF-17 is slated to become the backbone of Pakistan Air Force (PAF), complementing the F-16s as well as the J-10Bs (on order) within its aircraft ranks and is also expected to fill the duties of aerial reconnaissance, ground-attack, fighter and aerial interception.

Pakistan has already started induction, and has plans to induct around 250 units. The JF-17 will replace Pakistan's ageing fleet of A-5C, Mirage-III, Mirage-V, and F-7P/PG by 2015. The first squadron was inducted in the Pakistan Air Force in February 2010. In China it is in an evaluation phase (passed design appraisal). Many other countries have also shown an interest in purchasing the JF-17 Thunder.