The 2025 Dubai Air Show is bringing important developments linked to the various official delegations that have attended one of the most prominent air exhibitions in the Middle East and the world. Among these is the Pakistan Air Force, which has taken advantage of the event to strengthen institutional ties with allied forces, as well as to position the JF-17 Thunder—born from industrial cooperation with China—on the export market. To this end, one of the most significant announcements reported by the service is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with an undisclosed country to move forward with the potential sale of the fighter aircraft produced by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.
As of today, the JF-17 Thunder, in its multiple variants—of which the most advanced is the so-called Block III—is one of the main combat aircraft in service with the Pakistan Air Force.
Developed through a partnership with the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, which designates the aircraft as the FC-1 / FC-1 Xiaolong, the fighter seeks to position itself as an attractive option due to its capabilities and performance, both for the allied air forces of Pakistan and China and for other interested operators.
This has materialized in export orders and sales to the air forces of Nigeria, Myanmar and, more recently, Azerbaijan, which last year finalized an order for 40 Block III aircraft. Regarding this latest case, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex is believed to have recently delivered the first units, which were officially showcased during the Victory Day aerial parade held in Baku.
Returning to the developments emerging from the 2025 Dubai Air Show, a delegation led by “…Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force, held a series of high-level meetings with the heads of air forces from allied countries,” the service recently detailed.
In addition, the delegation included the deployment of JF-17 Thunder aircraft to demonstrate their capabilities. At this point, it is worth highlighting that among the announcements it was stated that: “Demonstrating the growing international confidence in Pakistan’s aerospace industry, several countries expressed interest in acquiring the JF-17 Thunder. In a notable development, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with an allied country for the acquisition of the JF-17 Thunder, marking another significant milestone in Pakistan’s expanding defense and industrial partnerships. The agreement reflects the aircraft’s rising global appeal and the sustained confidence in Pakistan’s aerospace capabilities.”
While no further details were provided about the country that signed the document, the development can be seen as another step by Pakistan to promote the JF-17 Thunder. However, as noted on other occasions regarding this type of event, a Memorandum of Understanding is not legally binding, since—similar to a Letter of Intent—it merely reflects the interest of a potential operator in obtaining more information on the combat platform, opening multiple possibilities and exchanges for the future.
Photographs used for illustrative purposes.
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