ISLAMABAD – Pakistan and Malaysia are in preliminary discussions about thepotential export of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Chengdu AircraftIndustry Corporation (PAC/CAC) JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft, an officialfrom PAC has confirmed to *Jane’s* .
Speaking at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2018 exhibition in Kuala Lumpuron 16 April, the PAC official – who did not want to be identified – saidthe two governments have had “primary level talks” about a potential saleof the single-engine fighter in order to meet the air combat requirementsof the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
“We are aware of the potential requirements in Malaysia for cost-effectivefighter aircraft,” he said. “There have been no serious talks but throughgovernment-to-government channels there have been what we can describe asprimary level talks about the JF-17 programme.”
In supporting a potential deal for Malaysia, the official said that PAC iswilling to enter collaborative partnerships with local industry throughwhich technologies could be transferred to facilitate either localisedcomponent manufacturing or maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). “Ofcourse, the industrial engagement would depend on the sale of the Malaysianrequirement,” he said.
Malaysia initially expressed an interest in the JF-17 several years ago.*Jane’s* has previously reported that Malaysia’s high commissioner toPakistan said in December 2015 that Malaysia was considering purchasing theJF-17 and might make a decision “very soon”. However, Malaysia’s defenceminister denied the story the following day.
Malaysia’s requirement stems from continuing delays in the RMAF’s programmeto procure a twin-engine multirole combat aircraft. This programme, whichwas announced more than a decade ago, has been hindered largely due to alack of funds.