03 Feb 2026 - 09:39
The Kabul Tribune (KT) - Pakistan has received requests from five countries in recent months for its JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, a surge in interest that could exceed the country’s production capacity, Bloomberg reported.
According to Pakistan’s armed forces, Iraq, Bangladesh, and Indonesia have recently expressed interest in acquiring the JF-17, a fighter jet jointly produced by Pakistan and China. Saudi Arabia and Libya are also exploring the aircraft, Bloomberg reported separately, following Pakistan’s claims about the strong performance of its Chinese-made jets during its conflict with India in May 2025.
Pakistan currently produces fewer than 20 JF-17 jets per year, with most of them allocated to its own air force. It remains unclear whether the country can expand production quickly enough to meet the growing foreign demand. Increasing output would be crucial for Pakistan’s ambition to become a major arms supplier to developing countries and to help expand China’s influence in the global weapons market.
Defense analysts say the JF-17 is gaining attention because of its relatively low cost and its combat experience. Manoj Harjani, a research fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, told Bloomberg that the aircraft is viewed as a “market disruptor,” particularly for countries that cannot afford fighter jets produced by Western manufacturers.
A potential purchase by Indonesia or Saudi Arabia would mark a significant shift, as both countries have traditionally relied on US and European-made aircraft. Indonesia has recently received French Rafale jets and agreed to buy F-15s from Boeing, while Saudi Arabia continues to depend largely on Western platforms and has sought to acquire F-35s, Bloomberg reported.
