Like many countries around the world with strong military capabilities, Pakistan has developed its own fighter jets. One of the most famous is the JF-17 Thunderbolt, which was jointly developed with China, which developed its own version called the FC-1 Xiaolong. The fourth-generation fighter is a multi-role single-engine aircraft with a wide range of capabilities and is the Pakistani-made successor to the US-made F-16 fighter jet. Pakistan began operations in 2007 and produces about 20 JF-17s per year.
Pakistan produces the aircraft (the “JF” stands for “Joint Fighter”) and has sold many aircraft around the world since its introduction. In early 2026, several arms sales pushed the JF-17 to more customers, making it one of the hottest commodities in the world arms market. This is partly due to the way it was developed, as it was done entirely without Western aid. The JF-17 launches Pakistani missiles, drops Pakistani bombs, and does not rely on the United States. This makes the JF-17 a particularly desirable aircraft for several militaries.
These include countries belonging to Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iraq, Libya and Saudi Arabia. These and other countries have expressed interest in the JF-17, and the aircraft has been flown to Azerbaijan, Myanmar and Nigeria, albeit in small numbers. As the JF-17 is quickly becoming the joint fighter of choice for the aforementioned countries, increased interest in Pakistan’s joint fighter may push the country to increase its manufacturing and supply chain to support potential sales. Pakistan confirmed that negotiations were ongoing and made it clear that China was an agreed partner.
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JF-17 becomes the new favorite in the international arms market
A JF-17C on the tarmac shows its missile loading status. – Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan/Wikimedia Commons
Multi-role joint fighter aircraft are favored by militaries around the world because they can complete a large number of missions in various combat environments, and the JF-17 “Thunder” is no exception. The aircraft is somewhat similar to the Chinese J-10, although it has some differences that make the JF-17 more popular. Each Thunderbolt costs between $25 and $30 million, and they are equipped with a GSh-23 twin 23mm cannon and seven hardpoints (four under each wing and one under the fuselage).
Their payload capacity exceeds 8,150 pounds, allowing the JF-17 to carry PL-12 radar-homing medium-range air-to-air missiles (AAMs), various types of bombs, anti-radiation missiles, anti-ship missiles and/or rocket launchers with laser designator pods. In addition, they can carry various types of short-range air-to-air missiles. They also possess a variety of countermeasures, sensors and other equipment.
One of the reasons the JF-17 is attracting attention from many countries is its relatively low cost. It is very cheap compared to the US-made F-16, the most comparable fighter in terms of performance. The latest model of the F-16 is considered a 4.5th generation aircraft and may be much more capable, but costs as much as $63 million each. For the amount of money spent, buying a JF-17 has a 2 to 1 advantage over the aircraft; it also does not rely on the United States for maintenance, upgrades, or weapons, making it a good fit for many countries around the world.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.