Pak Sells JF-17 Thunder Fighter To Asian Country

Pakistan has sold its JF-17 Thunder fighter to an Asian country on Monday at the  Paris Air Show 2015, marking the first international sale of the Pak-China Jointly developed aircraft.

Air Commodore Syed Muhammad Ali, spokesperson for the manufacturers told the media from the Paris Air Show that an order for the plane had been finalized with an Asian customers, the details of which he was not allowed to divulge.

Previously, Pakistani officials have said that they were talking to 11 potential customers for the JF-17. Malaysia and Indonesia were stated by Pakistani media as probable customers for the fighters.

The jets, which are locally produced in cooperation with its ally China, are lightweight multi-role aircraft. The aircraft are capable of Mach 2.0, which is twice the speed of sound, with an operational ceiling of 55,000 feet.

About 80 people were promoting the JF-17 in Paris this year which has become a star attraction in the absence of many of the world's prominent fighter aircraft giving Paris a miss this year.  Khalid Mahmood said that  deliveries to the Asian customer are likely to begin in 2017.

The sales for the JF-17 had been delayed due to the political turmoil in various Middle East Countries, Mahmood added.

The unnamed Asian nation has brought three aircraft to the show this year and one of them will make its flying debut.