China and Pakistan’s JF-17 Block III Fighter Sees Orders From Azerbaijan More Than Double to 40 Fighters

China and Pakistan have secured a $4.6 billion order for 40 <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/jf17bl3-pakistan-revolutionise-fleet" target="_blank">JF-17 Block III fighters</a>, with the Azerbaijan Defence Ministry procuring the aircraft to significantly expand and modernise the country’s combat aviation capabilities and phase out Soviet-built MiG-29 fighters. The order expands Azerbaijan’s procurement from a previous fleet of 16 fighters, the first of which arrived in the country in September 2024.&nbsp;The contract’s announcement by Pakistani government sources occurred a month after the new JF-17 variant’s heavier counterpart, the J-10C, gained <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/pakistani-j10c-shot-down-indian-rafale" target="_blank">major victories </a>in the service of the Pakistan Air Force in a series of air battles with the Indian Air Force, <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/indian-air-force-faces-pr-crisis-240-million-rafale-destroyed" target="_blank">shooting down at least one</a> Rafale fighter among other successes. This significantly increased the prestige of modern Chinese ‘4+ generation’ aircraft with their first major combat test. The JF-17 Block III uses many of the same technologies as the J-10C and has similarly advanced avionics and weapons, but is a lighter aircraft with much lower procurement and operational costs, and has a much more conservative flight performance, while being restricted to carrying a smaller radar and weapons payload. The Pakistan Air Force currently deploys both fighter classes as part of a high-low combination, with the JF-17’s very low lifetime costs being a key factor allowing Azerbaijan to afford a fleet of 40 of the aircraft.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/06/08/article_68461292ba58a6_28202509.jpeg" title="Pakistan Air Force J-10C with PL-15 Air-to-Air Missiles and Three External Fuel Tanks">With the average cost of the JF-17 Block III fighters expected to cover only part of the $4.6 contract value, it remains highly uncertain what other armaments Azerbaijan will procure as part of the remainder of the deal.&nbsp;A lifetime supply of spare parts, extensive weapons supplies and technology transfers, may raise the value of the JF-17s to a greater portion of the overall contract value.&nbsp;JF-17 fighters are assembled in both China and Pakistan on separate production lines, although those built in Pakistan rely very heavily on Chinese inputs due to the limitations of the Pakistani tech sector and industrial base. The fighter class was jointly developed by the two countries, but does not serve in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force and is produced in China exclusively for export. The JF-17 Block III has gained considered interest from a number of potential clients, most notably the Bangladesh Air Force where it may <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/bangladesh-considering-procurement-of-chinese-jf-17-block-iii-fighters-high-low-pairing-with-j-10c-planned" >succeed</a> older Chinese-supplied J-7 fighters in service. The fighter is considered a close counterpart to the <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/thai-air-force-confirms-swedish-gripen" target="_blank">Swedish-American Gripen E/F </a>lightweight fighter, which has similarly been marketed for its combination of cutting edge avionics and very low operational costs and maintenance needs, while suffering from many of the same performance limitations. The recent combat successes of the J-10C, however, and the clearly much higher status allocated to the J-10 within the Pakistan Air Force, raises the possibility that clients considering both aircraft will be more inclined towards the heavier and more capable model over the lighter one.&nbsp;