ISLAMABAD / MOGADISHU (The Thursday Times) — JF-17 Thunder, jise kabhi bunyadi taur par mughribi jangi tayyaron ka kam laagat badal samjha jata tha, ab aik mukhtalif darje mein shamil ho gaya hai. Pakistan ke India ke saath haliya fauji tasadum ke baad, ahalkar aur difai tabsira nigar is jahaz ko jang mein azmaya hua aur amli taur par tasdeeq shuda qarar de rahe hain, aisi imtiyazi haisiyat jo aalami hathiyaron ki mandiyon mein wazan rakhti hai.
Barhti hui kashidagi ke dauran, JF-17 ko Pakistan ke kai satahi fazai difa ke nizam mein shamil kiya gaya aur ise intehai tayyari ki halat mein rakha gaya. Tajziya nigar mauqif rakhte hain ki is waqiye ne jahaz ki sakh ko sirf kifayati intikhab ke bajaye aik qabil-e-aitmad agli saf ke multirole fighter ke taur par mazboot kiya.
Nazariye mein yeh tabdeeli ab Janoobi Asia se kahin aage khareed ke faislon par bhi asar andaz hoti nazar aati hai.
Khabron ke mutabiq Somalia ki Wafaqi Hukumat Pakistan se 24 tak JF-17 Thunder Block III jangi jahaz hasil karne ke liye aage barh chuke muzakrat mein masroof hai, difai mubasireen aur in baatcheet se waqif khitte ke security ahalkaron ke mutabiq. Agar yeh muahida tai pa gaya, jis ki mutawaqqa maliyat taqreeban 90 crore dollar hai, toh yeh 1991 mein markazi hukumat ke dhah jane ke baad se Somalia ki sab se aham difai khareed hogi.
Yeh jahaz mushtarka taur par Pakistan Aeronautical Complex aur China ki AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Corporation ke ishtirak se tayyar kiya jata hai, aur Pakistan Air Force ke liye bunyadi platform ki haisiyat rakhta hai. Naye Block III variant mein active electronically scanned array radar, jadeed banaye gaye avionics, mazeed behtar electronic warfare systems shamil hain aur yeh jadeed beyond-visual-range missile systems ke saath hum aahang hai. Yeh woh khususiyat hain jin ka maqsad mehnge mughribi jangi jahazon ke saath technology ka farq kam karna hai.
For Somalia, the potential acquisition is transformative. The Somali Air Force has lacked a fixed-wing combat fleet for more than three decades. Since the early 1990s, Mogadishu has relied heavily on external partners for airspace monitoring and limited aerial support. Restoring an indigenous fighter capability would mark a decisive step towards sovereign control of its vast airspace, maritime corridors and critical trade routes.
A recent visit to Islamabad by a Somali Air Force delegation led by Commander Mohamud Sheikh Ali underscored the operational urgency behind rebuilding that capability. Officials familiar with the talks say Pakistan’s offer extends beyond aircraft delivery to include pilot training, weapons integration, maintenance infrastructure and long-term logistical support.
Pakistan is not marketing an unproven platform. The JF-17 already flies with foreign operators. Myanmar and Nigeria field the aircraft within their air forces, while Azerbaijan has joined the programme more recently, expanding its order and publicly unveiling new deliveries. These exports have provided Islamabad with practical experience in sustaining overseas fleets and managing long-term defence partnerships.
Beyond confirmed operators, the sales pipeline appears to be widening. Bangladesh has engaged in discussions that include the potential acquisition of JF-17s, and defence reporting in recent months has cited interest or exploratory talks involving Iraq, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Libya. The breadth of engagement reflects Pakistan’s effort to position the aircraft as a competitive option for emerging and mid-tier air forces seeking multirole capability without the financial and political constraints often attached to Western systems.
For Somalia, the regional implications are considerable. The Horn of Africa continues to grapple with piracy, insurgency and illicit trafficking networks. A fleet of modern fighters would significantly expand Mogadishu’s capacity to monitor and defend its airspace and maritime approaches, potentially reshaping the local airpower balance.
For Pakistan, each negotiation reinforces a broader strategic ambition. Islamabad has increasingly framed defence exports as a pillar of economic and diplomatic policy, targeting partnerships across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. By emphasising affordability, operational validation and flexible cooperation terms, Pakistan seeks to differentiate its aerospace industry in a competitive global marketplace.
The agreement would not only restore Somalia’s aerial deterrence for the first time in a generation. It would also underscore Pakistan’s emergence as a credible exporter of modern fighter aircraft, signalling that the JF-17 Thunder has evolved from a regional programme into a platform with growing global reach.
