szbd
Junior Member
Americans
JF-17/FC-1 Fighter Aircraft thread
- Thread starter johnqh
- Start date
"When asked if the JF-17 Block III will be powered by the new and more powerful Russian RD-93MA engine (modernized version of the RD-93 that equips the current Thunder) or the Chinese Guizhou WS-13, the answer was… neither.
PAC confirmed that for now there are no plans to change the propulsion plant of the JF-17, which will use the same model as the previous Thunder blocks."
?! Well, that's disappointing.
Wasn't there talk about upgrading the Russian engine?
Is the upgrading of the russian engine delayed?
If yes, would the Chinese engine provide similar level of performance?
Might boil down the budgetary limitation. This might actually be another clue that PAF is acquiring J-10C.
Only 36 JF17 Block III's are on order and not 50.
You have to buy new engines. The old ones are still in stock (from the old contract), and money are already spent on them.
Unless mass of the new plane grew so much it directly affects how it flies - prematurely adding them is just a big financial loss (what to do with remaining stock?)
When the fleet will be up for MLUs (which isn't actually far for first batch), and the previous order will be spent - sure, may as well order newer ones.
Unless mass of the new plane grew so much it directly affects how it flies - prematurely adding them is just a big financial loss (what to do with remaining stock?)
When the fleet will be up for MLUs (which isn't actually far for first batch), and the previous order will be spent - sure, may as well order newer ones.
No, it's always been 50, unless they suddenly changed the order.
"Then, in deals that were signed in late-2017, AMF will assemble 50 Block 3 JF-17s and 26 JF-17Bs. Next year Air Engineering Depot 102 at PAF Base Faisal will start overhauling the jet's Klimov RD93 powerplant. "
Indeed, that's most likely the reason. The PAF already purchased the RD-93s and I guess they're gonna use them all up first. I hope that by the time the Block IIIs are up for overhaul the 93MA is fitted, the existing 93s can be reserved for Block I and II replacements.