Defencetalk.com / Amjad Afaf,
Part 3
Electronic systems
As with every modern fighter aircraft, electronics and weapons systems have a direct bearing on mission effectiveness as field performance. The JF-17 is no exception to this rule. For the PAF, the most important specifications were a BVR-combat capability and a FBW system. However, both would require an advanced radar and avionics. The radar specification has been most notably important but less has been said of the avionics, particularly the nav-attack system. Even now, most systems have not been finalised and even the PAF's examples are likely to differ considerably from PLAAF models.
Although several candidates were in the initial running (including GEC-Marconi's AN/APG-66H 'Blue Hawk' and the company's AN/APG-67, Thales TC-400, Elta EM/EL-2023, Phazron Kopyo F (Super Komar), and FIAR Grifo S7). The initial bids by GEC-Marconi appear to be out of the running even though they were favoured for export clients by China owing to their familiarity with GEC-Marconi products. The F-7M 'Airguard' was sold with the company's Skyranger radar while the F-7MG is marketed with the improved Super Skyranger.
The 01 prototype was reportedly test-flown with the Israeli Elta EM/EL-2023, however, it has emerged that is untrue and 01 was did not house a radar at all. It is probable that the radar will be test-flown at a later stage but it is not likely to be a candidate for the PAF or PLAAF it would seem unusual. The utilisation of the Israeli radar (the same type which equips Israel's and Turkey's upgraded F-4E 'Phantom II') is likely to be a technical requirement owing to its availability and continued development of other options. Neither the Thales TC-400 nor Grifo S7 is readily available, while China's own JL-7 is still not ready. It could be that the Israeli radar is an option for export clients who request it. Recent Israeli upgrades of MiG-21s with a similar derivative and sales of the Python III missile to Zambia and Uganda may compel them to opt for these Israeli components.
The PAF has not finalised its selection and the PLAAF seems further away from choosing a package of weapons systems for the JF-17. Significantly enough the JF-17 was the first aircraft to have been displayed with the active homing SD-10/PL-12 in its mock-up form, which would seem to suggest that integration of this weapon is a top priority of CAC in order to market it to the PLAAF. The fact that an active radar homing missile was displayed confirms that such a capability was a primary consideration in the JF-17's development.
Whether the PAF will integrate the SD-10/PL-12 into its ranks remains questionable. Since the PAF is primarily interested in the Western source weapons systems the difficulty in integrating a system that is heavily Russian based (as the technology of the SD-10 is largely derived from the R-77) thus merging it to the likes of the Thales TC-400 or Grifo S7 radar would prove a challenge. For the PLAAF this is not likely to be an issue as the technology is Russian based and probably would require minimum tailoring to make them compatible.
Although rumours have persisted that the PAF is interested in acquiring the Thales TC-400, these cannot be verified. This would seem unusual as the Grifo S7 favourite owing to its commonality with the Grifo M3 (the centrepiece of the ROSE 1 programme) and the fact that Italy would be less reluctant in allowing Pakistan the facilities to license build the type. However, the TC-400 would make sense too, as it's a downscaled derivative of the RDY of the Mirage 2000-5. One of the major benefits would have been its commonality would enable both the JF-17 and Mirage 2000-5 to utilise the same weapons systems, namely the MICA in all its guises, and air to surface weapons. However, the TC-400 would depend largely on whether the PAF would acquire the Mirage 2000-5 in the first place.
The PLAAF is an even bigger mystery but the cost of developing a new system for an aircraft that the PLAAF is not keen on acquiring wouldn
