Pakistan could supply JF-17 fighter jets to Sudan in $1.5 billion defense deal amid civil war.

Pakistan proposed the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet to Sudan during the final stage of a defense package estimated at $1.5 billion.

On January 9, 2026, Reuters reported that Pakistan proposed the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet to Sudan during the final stage of a defense package estimated at $1.5 billion. The proposed deal, which includes aircraft, drones, and air defense systems, comes as Sudan’s armed forces seek to reinforce air capabilities during an internal conflict that has lasted more than two and a half years.
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The JF-17 Thunder is a fourth-generation, lightweight, single-engine multirole fighter jet co-developed by the Chinese Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). (Picture source: PAC)

The potential defense deal between Pakistan and Sudan encompasses a broad range of equipment designed to enhance Sudan’s air and air defense capabilities. It includes ten Karakoram-8 light attack aircraft, more than 200 drones intended for reconnaissance and one-way attack missions, and unspecified air defense systems to protect military assets and operating areas. The package also includes Super Mushshak training aircraft and may incorporate a limited number of JF-17 Thunder multirole fighters developed jointly with China and produced in Pakistan. No confirmed quantities or delivery schedules have been disclosed for the fighter component, but the overall package is described as being near completion and would rank among Pakistan’s larger defense exports to Africa.

Funding arrangements remain undefined and are a central uncertainty in the proposal. It has been suggested that Saudi Arabia may have facilitated contacts or played a brokering role, but there is no confirmation that Riyadh would directly finance the weapons package. Diverging accounts indicate that Saudi involvement could range from diplomatic facilitation to no financial role at all. These discussions take place alongside broader Pakistan–Saudi defense talks valued between $2 billion and $4 billion, creating the possibility that Sudan-related supplies could be indirectly connected to wider Gulf-Pakistan defense arrangements without a clearly identified funding structure.

The air aspect of Sudan’s ongoing internal war, which has now lasted more than two and a half years, helps explain the structure of the proposed package. At the start of the conflict, Sudan’s army had a stronger position in the air, but the Rapid Support Forces have increasingly relied on drones to gather intelligence and carry out attacks. This shift has reduced the army’s advantage and made air control more contested. The combination of light attack aircraft, large numbers of drones, air defense systems, and potentially JF-17 fighters is intended to help the army restore some degree of air control and limit unmanned threats. Accusations by the Sudanese army that the RSF has received external support add to the sensitivity of any effort to change the air balance.

Outside Sudan, the JF-17 has already been purchased by Myanmar, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, and Libya, reflecting Pakistan’s broader defense export push. In January 2026 alone, interest has been recorded from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and now Sudan, often within discussions that combine fighter aircraft with trainers, drones, air defense systems, and training cooperation. Recent negotiations have included large-scale packages, such as Libya’s multibillion-dollar agreement and advanced talks with Indonesia over a possible acquisition of about 40 JF-17s as part of a diversified fighter fleet.

The renewed attention toward the JF-17 is tied to practical considerations rather than prestige. The aircraft sits in a lightweight multirole category that emphasizes lower purchase and operating costs compared with heavier fighters. This allows air forces with limited budgets to maintain aircraft numbers while still covering air defense and strike tasks. Pakistan has also promoted the JF-17 together with pilot training, maintenance support, and institutional cooperation. Its availability outside Western approval systems and its compatibility with non-Western weapons have further increased interest during a period marked by supply constraints and political friction.

In terms of performance, the JF-17 is a single-engine, lightweight multirole fighter designed for supersonic flight. It is powered by the RD-93 series afterburning turbofan engines, with later variants using the RD-93MA producing about 19,000 pounds of thrust. The aircraft is about 14.3 meters long with a 9.5-meter wingspan, an empty weight of roughly 7,965 kg, and a maximum takeoff weight of about 13,500 kg. It can reach Mach 1.6, operate up to about 55,000 feet, and carry weapons on seven external hardpoints. Later variants integrate an active electronically scanned array radar, updated electronic warfare systems, and beyond-visual-range missile capability for air defense and multirole missions.

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.