Pakistan Air Force says JF-17 jets set to participate in UK military airshow

Islamabad: Pakistan's advanced JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighter jets are set to participate in a UK military airshow, the Air Force announced in a statement here on Thursday.

“PAF’s participation in RIAT (Royal International Air Tattoo), one of the world’s largest military airshows, underscores Pakistan Air Force’s commitment to showcasing its professional excellence,” the statement said, adding that the aircraft have already landed at the Royal Air Force Base Fairford.

"JF-17 Block-III is an EASA Radar and Long Range BVR equipped 4.5 generation multi-role fighter aircraft which is capable of undertaking a wide variety of combat missions, bolstering airpower application in the face of contemporary challenges, thereby strengthening national security,” the statement added.

Pakistan claims to have used JF-17 in the recent conflict with India. “The aircraft’s combat-proven capabilities and operational excellence have garnered significant global attention, making its appearance at RIAT a highly anticipated highlight in the aerospace and defence community,” it said.

RIAT 2025, scheduled to take place from July 18 to 20, has been running for over 50 years and powers the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, the statement said.

Jointly developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), the JF-17 is a single-engine multi-role combat aircraft which first flew in 2003, said the official website of the event.