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Beyond the Boundaries of History: Why did the F-7M design become the life-saving straw for the Pakistan Air Force?
In the context of the Cold War, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) knew that the update of its fighter jets was the key to its defense strategy. As times change, the old F-6 fighter jets can no longer meet combat needs. Pakistan decided to look for new cost-effective fighter jets. This is the birth of Project Saber II.
The origins of Project Saber II
In the 1980s, the Indian Air Force imported MiG-29s from the Soviet Union in order to modernize its fighter fleet, while the Pakistan Air Force began to focus on new technologies to replace its increasingly obsolete aircraft. In 1984, PAF's new F-7P fighter jets had integrated some Western electronic systems, which laid the foundation for Pakistan's further aircraft improvements. Therefore, the PAF decided to launch the Saber II project in 1987, aiming to develop a low-cost multi-role fighter based on the F-7M design.
The original idea of Project Saber II was to reduce manufacturing costs by modifying the existing F-7M design, while improving performance to meet future combat needs.
Design feasibility assessment
PAF commissioned Grumman Aviation of the United States to conduct a feasibility assessment in 1987. After several months of research, Grumman found that the financial risks and high costs of the project outweighed the potential economic benefits and recommended that the program be terminated. With the U.S. sanctions against China and the PAF's urgent need for new fighter aircraft, although the Saber II design had certain technical foundations, it was ultimately unable to be realized due to financial factors and international politics.
US opposition and project termination
During the Cold War, U.S. support for Pakistan dwindled. As the Soviet Union withdrew its troops, the PAF faced difficulties after the United States withdrew its investment. After Grumman withdrew from the program, PAF tried to find alternatives, but the ensuing economic and military sanctions, especially the strong opposition to Pakistan's nuclear program, accelerated the fall of Saber II.
The reason why the Saber II plan eventually collapsed was not only financial problems, but also the geopolitical situation at the time that affected the transfer of technology and the possibility of international cooperation.
The process of evolving into JF-17
With the failure of the Saber II, the PAF began looking for other solutions and ultimately selected the then cost-effective F-7P Skybolt as a replacement. In 1995, Pakistan launched a new cooperation with China, which eventually led to the successful development of the JF-17 Thunder. This model was officially entered into service in 2003 and became the main fighter of the PAF.
The birth of JF-17 marks the PAF's resurgence in adversity and is also an important step for Pakistan to seek self-reliance and technological autonomy.
In short, although Project Saber II failed to achieve what it hoped for, its historical lessons played an important guiding role in the subsequent enhancement and modernization process of the Pakistan Air Force. Even in the face of many difficulties, PAF continued to seek technological breakthroughs, eventually evolving the F-7M into the JF-17 Thunder that attracts world attention today. So, with the changes in the form of modern warfare, will the Pakistan Air Force be able to break through the boundaries of technology again in the future?
