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Pakistan Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC)
JF-17 Thunder Block 3
The most advanced version of the jointly developed Pakistan-China JF-17 Thunder, adding an AESA radar, helmet-mounted display, wide-angle holographic HUD and a modernized cockpit with a large touchscreen display, giving the Pakistan Air Force a beyond-visual-range missile capability comparable to newer fourth-generation-plus fighters.
In service since 2020 · 2 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1,980
km/h
2,000
km range
16,920
m ceiling
3,629
kg payload
0.95
T/W
💲 ≈ $32,000,000, Approximate quoted export unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to Pakistan export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Limited · 2 operators
In service since 2020. Status: active · ~60 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$80M – $112M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the JF-17 Thunder Block 3 can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 1,980 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 1.6 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 2,000 km |
| Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range. | 750 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 16,920 m |
| Thrust-to-weight Engine thrust divided by loaded weight. Above 1.0 the aircraft can accelerate going straight up. On a standalone engine record, this is the engine's own thrust divided by its dry weight, the standard figure of merit for jet engines. | 0.95 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 23 mm GSh-23-2 twin-barrel cannon |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 7 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 3,629 kg |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 14.93 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 9.45 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 6,586 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 12,474 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 1 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | Guizhou WS-13E afterburning turbofan |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 1 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 86 kN |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | KLJ-7A AESA |
|---|---|
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | helmet-mounted display, wide-angle holographic HUD |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $32,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 60 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 2 |
Specifications compiled from public Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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What is the top speed of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3? +
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 has a maximum speed of 1,980 km/h.
What is the range of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3? +
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 has a maximum range of 2,000 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3? +
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 can carry up to 3,629 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 weigh? +
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 has a combat weight of 12,474 kg.
How many crew does the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 require? +
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3? +
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3's primary weapon is the 23 mm GSh-23-2 twin-barrel cannon.
What engine does the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 use? +
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 is powered by the Guizhou WS-13E afterburning turbofan.
What is the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 used for? +
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 is a fighter aircraft typically used for air superiority, multirole combat.
How many countries operate the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3? +
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 is operated by 2 countries.
How much does the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 cost? +
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 has an approximate unit cost of 32,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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