Azerbaijan debuts five JF-17 Block III jets at Baku military parade

Azerbaijan publicly presented five newly acquired JF-17 Block III fighter jets during a military parade in Baku on November 9. The display confirmed the country’s status as the fourth international operator of the Chinese-Pakistani developed multirole fighter.

The event follows a prior announcement by President Ilham Aliyev in September regarding the acquisition. Azerbaijan’s order for 40 aircraft, valued at $4.6 billion, represents one of the largest procurement deals for the JF-17 platform to date.

Azerbaijan joins Pakistan, Myanmar, and Nigeria as operators of the JF-17. The induction was noted during a live broadcast by APA TV.

The JF-17 Block III variant features the KLJ-7A radar and is powered by the Klimov RD-93 engine, with the possibility of future integration of the Chinese Guizhou WS-13 Taishan engine.

Prior to this delivery, Azerbaijan’s combat fleet included 12 MiG-29s and 18 Su-25s. The arrival of the JF-17s signals a significant addition to the country’s air combat capabilities.

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