The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has successfully completed ground tests on mid-air refuelling probes fitted to its Chengdu Aerospace Corporation/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft and expects to carry out the first mid-air refuelling by the end of the summer, the service's chief has told IHS Jane's. Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt said in a 6 June interview at the PAF's headquarters in Islamabad that the addition of the refuelling capability to the JF-17 will improve prospects for international sales of the aircraft, which is jointly produced by China and Pakistan. "The ground tests have been very successful. I am very satisfied. This will be done successfully by end of summer [2013]," he said.
展开▼
