ISLAMABAD/BEIJING – A Pakistani JF-17 fighter jet which completed its firstdeep overhaul in China was returned to Islamabad in March this year, ChinaAviation News has revealed.

The overhaul was carried out by the Changsha 5712 Aircraft Industry Companywhich functions under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).The aircraft, part of the first batch of JFG-17s delivered to Pakistan wastaken apart and reassembled.

This is also the first time AVIC has overhauled a made-for-export thirdgeneration fighter, or fourth generation according to another widely usedstandard, the report said.

The first overhaul represents the trial-and-error phase of the project andprovided experience in establishing standards for other JF-17 overhauls inthe future.

Jointly developed and manufactured by China and Pakistan, the single-enginemulti-role light fighter jet JF-17 made its maiden flight in 2003. Thefirst JF-17s were delivered to Pakistani clients in 2007 and a number ofthem were later commissioned by the Pakistan Air Force. After a decade ofuse, it was time for the first JF-17s to undergo overhauls.

A contract was signed in 2016 and the first overhaul started in November2017. The overhauled aircraft made its first test flight in October 2018,reports said.

An overhaul includes major maintenance featuring repairs and replacement ofold components including the airframe and engine. While standard, regularmaintenance could be done by the military, an overhaul usually needs to beconducted by a designated and more capable supplier due to highercomplexity.

The experienced overhaul team at AVIC used a reliability-orientedmaintenance model, keeping the maintenance cycle short and costs low,according to a report by China Aviation News.

Pakistan sent dozens of trainees to China, who had close communication andbuilt deep friendships with Chinese engineers during the overhaul process,the report added.