“the JF-17 is possibly the cheapest new-build fighter in the world today.”
Finally something from China that’s not just another pimped-out MiG-21.
The F-7 etc. is eggzackly a way pimped-out MiG-21.... and there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it reminds me a lot of the F-16G, a pimped out F-16 that went nowhere around here.
The original MiG-21 was a cheap hot rod, but basically a great all-time and infinitely flexible design. (Must be a hell of a used-plane market for them somewhere). The next version will probably get a canard to meet the demand from fashion-conscious Third World Air Forces working on a non-oil budget. If these folks ever discover aerial refueling, we could be very uncomfortable. Right now, these babies are sort of range-challenged. (Thank God!)
Question for the USAF. Would we rather have 15 of something like this, or 1 F-35? 20 of'em, or 1 F 22? Quantity has a quality all its own.