Pakistan Secures Largest Ever Defense Export Deal to Deliver 40 JF-17 Fighter Jets to Azerbaijan

Defence affairs - defense news aerospace

The Pakistani Government announced on June 6, 2025, through its official X account, the signing of a $4.6 billion defense agreement with Azerbaijan for the sale of 40 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, accompanied by a $2 billion investment package.

This record-breaking deal not only marks Pakistan’s largest defense export in its history but also signals a major strategic alignment between two nations that have steadily cultivated deeper ties over the past decade.

A Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder fighter jet in flight showcasing the multirole combat aircraft to be delivered to Azerbaijan under a record-breaking $4.6 billion defense export deal signed in June 2025.

Azerbaijan’s decision to procure the JF-17 Thunder comes as part of a comprehensive effort to modernize its air force following its operational lessons from the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. By acquiring the advanced Block III variant of the JF-17, Azerbaijan positions itself at the forefront of fourth-generation multirole air combat capability, while also signaling a deliberate shift away from its traditional reliance on Russian-made aircraft. The purchase reflects Baku’s long-term ambition to diversify its defense partnerships, enhance deterrence capabilities, and reinforce its role as a dominant power in the South Caucasus.

The JF-17 Thunder project, a joint venture between Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), was conceived in the late 1990s as Pakistan sought to replace its aging inventory of French and Chinese legacy fighters. The first successful flight of the prototype took place in 2003, and the aircraft was officially inducted into the Pakistan Air Force in 2007. Since then, over 150 units have entered service in Pakistan, and the platform has been continuously upgraded through successive blocks to meet evolving battlefield requirements.

The JF-17 Block III variant represents a leap in technological sophistication. It features a cutting-edge Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, advanced electronic warfare (EW) systems, a fully digitized glass cockpit with three large multifunction displays, and a wide-angle holographic Head-Up Display (HUD). The aircraft is also equipped with a helmet-mounted display and targeting system (HMDTS), significantly enhancing pilot situational awareness and combat efficiency. In terms of armament, the JF-17 can carry a diverse suite of munitions including PL-15 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles (BVR AAMs), laser-guided bombs, anti-radiation missiles, and standoff range precision weapons. It is also capable of integrating anti-ship missiles and strategic cruise missiles, making it a true multirole platform suitable for modern network-centric warfare.