'Friendly country' signed MoU to buy Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet: Army

ISTANBUL

The Pakistan Army on Thursday announced a pact with a "friendly country" for the procurement of its JF-17 fighter jet.

Without revealing the name of the country, the Pakistan Army's media wing said in a statement that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was "signed with a friendly country for the procurement of the JF-17 Thunder, marking another significant milestone in Pakistan’s expanding defense and industrial partnerships."

The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow 2025 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where the Pakistan Air Force contingent is a participant, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said.

Calling the MoU a "noteworthy development," the ISPR said the Pakistani contingent features the advanced JF-17 Thunder Block-III, a 4.5-generation multi-role fighter jet, as well as Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, reflecting Pakistan’s "growing expertise in indigenous military aviation."

The JF-17 Thunder Block-III is capable of undertaking a wide array of combat missions, providing contemporary air power employment options.

The Pakistan Air Force formally inducted the JF-17 Thunder Block-II dual-seater fighter aircraft into its fleet in 2020 and began production of the aircraft, which was developed jointly by Islamabad and Beijing.

"During the event, the JF-17 Thunder Block-III emerged as a major focal point, drawing significant attention from defence analysts, aviation specialists and visitors. Its cutting-edge technology, strong combat capabilities and proven operational performance in Marka-e-Haq reinforced its reputation as a highly capable and cost-effective multirole fighter," said the statement, referring to the May conflict with India.

"Demonstrating increasing international confidence in Pakistan’s aviation industry, several countries expressed interest in acquiring the JF-17 Thunder," it added.

Notably, Azerbaijan last year signed a contract to buy JF-17 Block-III fighter jets from Pakistan.

Attending the event, Pakistani Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu held a series of high-level engagements with air chiefs from "friendly countries" on the sidelines of the show, including Defense Undersecretary of the United Arab Emirates Lt. Gen. Pilot Ibrahim Nasser Al-Alawi and Maj. Gen. Rashid Mohammed Al-Shamsi, commander of the UAE Air Force and Air Defense, the statement said.