Azerbaijan to receive first batch of JF-17 Thunder from Pakistan soon

Azerbaijan is set to receive the first batch of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets from Pakistan soon, with possibilities of joint production in the future, Information Minister Atta Tarar said, Report informs via Samaa TV.

Tarar confirmed that discussions on Azerbaijan’s investment in Pakistan are in the final stages, and the agreements are expected to be signed during President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Islamabad in April.

On February 24, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while attending the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Business Forum in Baku together with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, stressed the importance of strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries.

"This is the time Pakistan and Azerbaijan, who have wonderful strategic defense relations, they must be now enhanced to a much higher level. We must have joint defense production capacity, and this is an absolute commitment on both sides. While the Azerbaijani delegation will visit Pakistan in the month of April, this will be one of the high-priority agendas of the delegation. We will be ready to have serious and sincere discussions and negotiations on this behalf," he said.

He noted that the JF-17 fighters are another expensive product on which Pakistan and Azerbaijan are actively cooperating.

On September 25, 2024, Pakistani JF-17C (Block III) fighters were presented to the president of Azerbaijan.

The JF-17C fighters are a joint project of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China's Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group. They are included in the arsenal of the Air Force of Azerbaijan.

Earlier, it was noted that Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense signed a contract with the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex for the purchase of such fighters. According to them, the cost of the contract is $1.6 billion, and also includes the supply of ammunition and pilot training.

The JF-17C (Block III) is the latest modification of this type of fighter. The aircraft can carry eight missiles of various types, modern radars and an electronic defense system.