Morocco explores possible JF-17 fighter deal with Pakistan following new defense pact.

Pakistan confirmed it is holding defense export talks with 13 countries, including Morocco, covering JF-17 fighter jets, Mushshak training aircraft, and unmanned systems.

As reported by Reuters on January 20, 2026, Pakistan confirmed it is holding defense export talks with 13 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, including Morocco, covering JF-17 fighter jets, training aircraft, and unmanned systems. The JF-17 Thunder gained traction following its operational use in 2025 against India. Officials also cited cost factors and shifting global procurement conditions as key drivers.
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A key factor in the JF-17’s attractiveness is its comparatively lower unit cost when measured against many Western multirole fighters, with estimates placing the fighter’s price in the $25 million to $30 million range. (Picture source: Pakistan Air Force)

This increase in foreign interest can be traced back to 2025, when Pakistan Air Force units flew JF-17s together with Chinese-made J-10 fighters during clashes with India, an episode Islamabad considers a reference point for export credibility. Pakistan also framed the momentum as part of a broader shift in global procurement behavior driven by supply-chain disruptions linked to the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East. Cost positioning was emphasized, as the JF-17, with a unit price in the $30 million to $40 million range, contrast significantly with U.S. and European fighters assessed as costing more than three times as much. The outreach was also tied to Pakistan’s renewed intention to expand defense exports as a source of long-term industrial revenue.

The group of countries mentioned in connection with these talks spans the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, and includes Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Morocco, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and authorities in eastern Libya, alongside previously acknowledged discussions with Bangladesh and Iraq. Most of these states are Muslim-majority countries, a factor that aligns with Pakistan’s historical role as a security partner in several regions. The most advanced negotiations were characterized as wide-ranging packages rather than single-item purchases, with Bangladesh cited as discussing JF-17 Block III fighters together with MFI-17 Mushshak trainers, Shahpar reconnaissance and strike UAVs, air defense systems, and Mohafiz mine-resistant armored vehicles. Pakistan has presented this bundled approach as a way to combine aircraft procurement with training, logistics, and sustainment cooperation, while this same framework leaves room for intelligence sharing and long-term military ties beyond aircraft delivery alone.

Industrial capacity is currently identified as a limiting factor, with current JF-17 production assessed at about 20 aircraft per year and plans outlined to significantly increase output by the end of 2027 through factory upgrades and expansion. This growth plan also reflects rising demand for training aircraft and unmanned systems, supported by an expanding domestic private sector involved in drone manufacturing. At the same time, Pakistan acknowledged structural constraints linked to co-production with China, as export approvals can be sensitive for certain destinations, particularly where U.N. arms embargoes apply, such as Libya and Sudan’s Darfur region. The export drive also unfolds against a complex Middle Eastern backdrop, where Pakistan maintains a mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia and discusses broader defense cooperation involving Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, while navigating competition between Saudi and UAE economic and industrial influence, an area where Riyadh is still seeking to play catch-up.

Concerning Morocco, the defense relations between the two countries have recently increased on January 13, 2026, through a memorandum of understanding covering training, joint exercises, cybersecurity, defense industry interaction, and military health services. The agreement was signed in Rabat during a visit by Pakistan’s defense minister and involved senior Moroccan defense officials, establishing a bilateral mechanism to manage implementation. Military cooperation has already included counterterrorism exercises, with the third bilateral drill held in Pakistan in 2025, focusing on operational coordination and tactical proficiency. These developments indicate a gradual deepening of military ties rather than a sudden shift, and they create a structured channel through which equipment options such as the JF-17 can be examined alongside training and sustainment arrangements. For Morocco, this agreement supports a diversification of partnerships, while for Pakistan, it opens access to a North African market traditionally dominated by Western suppliers.

Indeed, the Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) is currently structured around Western fighter jets, with the F-16 Fighting Falcon forming the core of its multirole fighter capability. Morocco has pursued a modernization program that includes the acquisition of 25 new F-16 Block 70/72s and the upgrade of 23 existing F-16C/D Block 52+ fighters to the F-16V standard, improving radar, avionics, and survivability. Legacy aircraft such as the Mirage F-1 and F-5E-F have historically supplemented the fleet, but the strategic emphasis has shifted toward concentrating capability within the F-16 ecosystem, and possibly the F-35 in the future. Introducing a new aircraft such as the Pakistani JF-17 would therefore require a careful evaluation of integration costs and operational coherence, as the RMAF's weapons compatibility, pilot training, and maintenance infrastructure are already closely aligned with U.S. standards.

The JF-17 itself is positioned by Pakistan as an affordable, fourth-generation, single-engine, multirole fighter jointly developed with China to replace older third-generation aircraft and to avoid reliance on sanction-prone supply chains. The JF-17 Thunder, also known as the FC-1 Xiaolong in China, made its first flight in August 2003, was inducted into Pakistan Air Force service from 2007 onward, with a progressive shift toward local manufacturing and assembly in Pakistan. The aircraft is designed for air-to-air, air-to-ground, limited anti-ship, and reconnaissance missions, and the introduction of several production blocks allows export customers to select a fighter jet balanced between capability and affordability, from earlier blocks to the more capable Block III.

Currently powered by a Klimov RD-93MA afterburning turbofan engine, the JF-17 offers a maximum speed of about Mach 1.6, a glass cockpit with hands-on-throttle-and-stick controls, digital flight control architecture, and multirole sensor integration. Later variants, particularly the Block III, include an active electronically scanned array radar, upgraded electronic warfare management, improved pilot interface features, and expanded weapons integration. The Pakistani jet supports a mix of air-to-air missiles, precision-guided munitions, and unguided ordnance across eight external hardpoints, alongside an internal GSh-23 23 mm cannon. This configuration is intended to provide credible combat capability while keeping maintenance and operating requirements relatively contained. For potential buyers, the decision space centers more on sensor configuration, weapons sourcing, and the feasibility of establishing a parallel logistics and training pipeline alongside existing fleets.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.