JF-17 Thunder may be offered to Saudi Arabia, report says

Reuters reports talks between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan about a possible transfer of JF-17 fighters, with financing said to involve converting Saudi loans to Pakistan and about $2 billion in additional Saudi spending.

Reuters reports that Pakistan has offered the JF-17 Thunder to Saudi Arabia as a candidate for the kingdom's next fighter. Talks are reportedly under way about an undisclosed number of jets. The report says the arrangement would offset about $4 billion in Saudi loans to Pakistan and include about $2 billion in additional Saudi spending. This follows a mutual defense pact signed last September and recent high-level meetings between Pakistani and Saudi military officials. Reported details: - One Pakistani source said the talks are limited to the JF-17, while another described the jets as the primary option and said other military equipment could also be offered. - The reported financing would convert some Saudi loans to Pakistan, with a $4 billion offset and roughly $2 billion more in Saudi payments. - Pakistan's air chief, Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, visited Saudi Arabia this week to discuss bilateral defense cooperation, according to Pakistani military statements. - The JF-17 was developed jointly by China's Chengdu and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex; the Block 3 version includes an AESA radar and other modern systems. - A U.S. Pentagon report noted JF-17 exports to Azerbaijan, Myanmar, Nigeria, and Pakistan, and said negotiations had been reported with other countries as of 2024. Summary: A transfer of JF-17s would deepen Saudi–Pakistani defense ties and influence how Riyadh funds and equips parts of its air force. Undetermined at this time.