BEIJING: Argentina is mulling over procuring the JF-17 aircraft, with Chinese analysts saying that the fighter jet jointly developed by Pakistan and China is the best option for the South American country in terms of availability and performance.
The argentine embassy in China said that Sabino Vaca Narvaja, Argentine Ambassador to China, recently discussed the matter with Defense Minister Jorge Taiana and his team in Buenos Aires. They agreed to promote cooperation with China in the field of defense.
The embassy said that during the Airshow China 2022 held in the city of Zhuhai, South China’s Guangdong Province, Narvaja had talked with China National Aero-Technology International Engineering Corp‘s representatives about the possibility of Argentina procuring the 3rd-generation JF-17 aircraft jointly developed by China and the Pakistan Air Force.
Fu Qianshao, a Chinese defence aviation expert, told the Global Times that Argentina has long been trying to procure new fighter jets to replace its shrinking and aging warplane fleet, however, due the issue of the Malvinas Islands, the United Kingdom has blocked its aircraft procurement attempts in the international market.
Best option for Argentina
He said that is why the JF-17 jet is Argentina’s best option.
The JF-17 has developed into 3 generations, often called Block One, Block Two, and Block Three.
Block Three is equipped with very advanced systems, including an active electronically scanned array radar, a combination of China’s short-range and beyond-visual-range missiles, and avionics and flight control systems. The previous two blocks are less costly but still perform well.
