Pakistan Air Force JF-17C Thunders Honored in the UK for Their Outstanding Participation in RIAT 2025

Defence affairs - zona militar

The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2025 is one of the most important and traditional air shows in Europe and globally, where air forces and defense companies come together to showcase and demonstrate the capabilities of their military aircraft. The event is no minor occasion, attracting 150,000 spectators annually from around the world.

The most recent edition, which concluded a few days ago, featured a standout performance by a detachment from the Pakistan Air Force, led by a pair of its modern JF-17C Thunder Block III fighter jets.

Although the JF-17 had been previously showcased in the UK—most notably at the Farnborough International Airshow in 2010—its participation in RIAT 2025 marked the first time the JF-17C Block III variant flew in British skies.

The Block III is the latest and most advanced version of the multirole fighter developed through a joint venture between Pakistan and China. This variant, which first flew in January 2020 and entered service with the Pakistan Air Force in 2023, incorporates new systems and technologies that represent a significant leap in capability over previous versions.

As has been highlighted on several occasions, the JF-17C Block III is reportedly equipped with an AESA radar—presumably the KLJ-7A—new electronic warfare systems, and pilot-centric enhancements such as wide-angle holographic sights, a helmet-mounted display and targeting system, and a fully digital cockpit.