Argentina plans to buy JF-17 thunder jets from Pakistan: Report

Argentina is planning to buy 12 JF-17A Block-III fighter thunder jets from Pakistan, according to an international media report.

According to UK Defence Journal, a website focused on defence matters, the Government of Argentina is planning to acquire 12 JF-17 thunder jets from Pakistan and has reportedly set aside $664 million in budget.

The move to buy the aircraft came after South Korea refused to sell the jets to Buenos Aires last year owing to British pressure, the report said.

The United Kingdom (UK) has been maintaining the embargo on Argen­tina since the Falklands War in 1982. Argentina in 2015 tried to acquire Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets. Later, it remained interested in the South Korean FA-50 Fighting Eagle.

Recently in May, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra had handed over three JF-17 Thunder jets to Nigeria.

What is the JF-17 Thunder Jets?

The JF-17 Thunder is a single-engine multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation of China.

The JF-17 aircraft can be used for multiple roles, including interception, ground attack, anti-ship, and aerial reconnaissance. 58% of the JF-17 airframe, including its front fuselage, wings, and vertical stabilizer, is produced in Pakistan, whereas 42% is produced in China, with the final assembly taking place in Pakistan.

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