By Jennifer Yusuf
Pakistan has concluded plans to deliver batches of JF-17 Thunder fighters that it has built with Chinese assistance to Nigeria.
This is coming amids the recent visit of the Pakistani Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, to headquarters of the NAF in Abuja.
This is seen as a major breakthrough by the Sino-Pak military cooperation which is now eyeing the export markets in third countries in Africa.
The subject of Chinese fighter aircraft and other military hardware supplied to Pakistan for exports to third countries figured high on the agenda of Pakistan Army chief’s visit to Beijing earlier.
Pakistan plans to sell batches of JF-17 Thunder fighters that it has built with Chinese assistance to Nigeria. Nigeria already, has three JF-17s.
Pakistan has relied on Chinese military hardware for more than five decades, though Islamabad has US weaponry.
Nigeria’s continuous shift to the East for military hardware according to security analysts is not unconnected with the fact that the US and other Western nations, in recent times is no longer a predictable defence equipment supplier, especially as the country battles insurgency and banditry.
But Pakistan and China have remained dependable suppliers of military hardwares to Nigeria.
Technology transfers from China have allowed Pakistan to begin producing military hardware on its own. Pakistan is also increasingly foraying into the production of tanks and other equipment for land forces.
Thanks to technology transfers from China Pakistan is becoming a major supplier of military hardware. The equipment is now being exported to third countries as China is helping Pakistan create a more commercially-run defence industry, according to reports.
“Pakistan’s reliance on Chinese military hardware will grow. As a sign of depeening military cooperation between China and Pakistan, China has signed a contract to supply eight new submarines to Pakistan’s navy. Although neither party has revealed the value of the contract, Western defence analysts say it could be worth from $4 billion to $5 billion depending on weapon systems and other add-ons,” according to a report In the Economic Times.
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