What is JF-17, the Pakistani-Chinese fighter jet used by Islamabad to attack India?

Two Pakistani-Chinese JF-17 fighter jets, an important asset of the Pakistani Air Force, were shot down on Thursday by an Indian surface-to-air missile defence system, apart from an F-16 fighter jet, according to various news outlets. This comes amid Pakistan's foiled attempt to target Jammu and Poonch with drones and missiles.

But here's what is important to know about the two-seater multirole jet, with inputs from various news reports:

  1. 1) The JF-17 is a fourth-generation multi-role aircraft, developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) from China—with the latter listing it on their website as the Xiaolong JF-17.
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  3. 2) Measuring a slightly smaller (as compared to the formidable F-16) 31 feet by 47 feet, the single-seater (JF-17A)/two-seater (JF-17B) multi-role fighter jet has a thrust of almost 19,000 pounds, with afterburner(s).
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  2. 3) Capable of gaining speeds of around 1,909km/h, this versatile combat jet can typically carry a total payload of 3,400kg.
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  4. 4) Per unit, these jets cost between $15 million to $25 million, according to various news reports.
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  6. 5) Originally intended to be a low-cost rival to the reputed Russian Su-30MKI and Mig-29, as well as the French Mirage-2000, its substandard avionics caused it to perform poorly when faced by the Indian Air Force's Mirage 2000s and Su-30s in a dogfight.

Defence