BEIJING: It was a unique and impressive show for the common Chinese people when they enthralled to see, a formation of six Jf-17 Thunder aircraft escorting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Jumbo plane as it entered into Pakistan’s airspace on May 22 to start his official visit.
After China Central Television broadcast footage of the JF-17s escorting Li’s plane and of the premier waving to Pakistani pilots, many Chinese citizens said in online comments that the selection of the JF-17 Thunder symbolizes the two nations’ close relationship in the defence sector.
“It’s a great honor for us that our JF-17s were selected to welcome Chinese Premier Li Keqiang,” Wing Commander Ronald Afzal, who leads the Pakistan Air Force’s 16th Squadron, which is equipped with JF-17s, told China Daily in a phone interview.
He led and took part in the escort operation, which lasted 17 minutes.
“We handpicked the best pilots in my squadron and started intensive training on escort formation at high altitudes and fly-past operations at high speeds as well as at very low altitudes – about 500 feet (152 meters) – one week ago when we were informed that the squadron would escort Li’s aircraft,” Afzal said.
“My fellow pilots were very proud and excited that we were given this opportunity to escort the Chinese premier and present to him the best image of our air force,” he added.
Their pride is also shared by the aircraft’s Chinese developers.
“As the developers, we feel pretty privileged to see our planes undertake such an honourable mission and believe that the Pakistan Air Force chose the JF-17 to welcome our premier partly because it has a lot of Chinese elements,” said Yang Wei, the chief designer of the aircraft at the Aviation Industry Corp of China.
Yang’s team will join hands with their Pakistani counterparts to develop future versions of the JF-17, gradually providing the aircraft with partial stealth and aerial refuelling capabilities, the daily reported.
Posted by Parvez Jabri
