HOME | STORE | WEAPONS | ENGINES | AVIONICS | HISTORY | FUTURE | LATEST NEWS | FORUM | CONTACTPAC JF-17 Thunder (Urdu: جے ایف-١٧ تھنڈر‎), or CAC FC-1 Xiaolong (Fierce Dragon; Chinese: 枭龙; pinyin: Xiāo Lóng)PAC JF-17 Thunder (Urdu: جے ایف-١٧ تھنڈر‎), or CAC FC-1 Xiaolong (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 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, and has a top speed of Mach 1.8. 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 and 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 countries like Azerbaijan, Iran, Egypt, Turkey and Venezuela have expressed interest in purchasing the JF-17 Thunder.General characteristicsCrew: 1Length: 14.93 m (49 ft)
Wingspan: 9.45 m (31 ft, including 2 wingtip missiles.)
Height: 4.72 m (15 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 24.4 m² (263 ft²)
Empty weight: 6,586 kg (14,520 lb)
Loaded weight: 9,100 kg (20,062 lb)
Useful load: 3000 kg (6600 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 12,383 kg (27,300 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Klimov RD-93 or WS-13 turbofan (testing phase)
Dry thrust: 49.4 kN / 51.2 kN (11,106 lbf / 11,510 lbf)
Thrust with afterburner: 84.5 kN (19,000 lbf)
G-limit: +8 g / -3 g[142]
Internal Fuel Capacity: 2,300 kg (5,130 lb)
Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 1.8
Combat radius: 1,352 km[19] (840 mi)
Ferry range: 3,482 km (1,880 NM)
Service ceiling: 16,920 m (55,500 ft)
Thrust/weight: 0.95
Armament

Guns: 1× 23 mm GSh-23-2 twin-barrel cannon (can be replaced with 30 mm GSh-30-2)
Hardpoints: 7 in total (4× under-wing, 2× wing-tip, 1× under-fuselage; pylon stations number 3, 4 and 5 are wet-plumb capable) with a capacity of 3,629 kg (8,000 lb) for external fuel and ordnance
Missiles: ** Air-to-air missiles:
MAA-1 Piranha (Short-range)
AIM-9L/M (Short-range)
PL-5E (Short-range)
PL-9C (Short-range)
PL-12 / SD-10 (Beyond visual range)
Air-to-surface missiles:
MAR-1 (Anti-radiation missile)
C-802A (Anti-ship missiles)
C-803 (Anti-ship missiles)
Ra'ad ALCM (Nuclear capable Stealth Cruise missile)
Bombs: ** Unguided bombs:
Mk-82 (g