BEIJING, Nov 19 Pakistan has said it will buy Chinese missiles and flight systems to equip its 250 JF-17 Thunder jet fighters, state media said on Thursday.

Chief of the Air Staff Rao Qamar Suleman told the Global Times newspaper that Chinese radar systems and SD-10 mid-range homing missiles would be used on the fighters co-developed by Pakistan and China.“PAF has no plans to install western devices and weapons on the aircraft for the time being,” the newspaper quoted the Pakistan Air Force chief as saying.

Pakistan may also buy up to four Chinese surface-to-air missiles, as it seeks stronger cooperation with China to help upgrade its armed forces, he told the China Daily in a separate interview.

The air chief made the remarks on the sidelines of the annual Zhuhai Air Show now under way in southern China.

Pakistan had initially planned on arming its JF-17 fighters with missiles made by French firm Thales SA in a deal reportedly worth 1.2 billion euros (1.6 billion dollars).

But French officials said in April the deal had been put on hold without explanation. French daily Le Monde reported that it was cancelled to avoid damaging relations with India.

PAF has a fleet of Chinese aircraft, including F-7PGs and A-5s, but also US-built F-16s and French Mirages. The medium-tech JF-17 or Thunder jets, manufactured jointly with China, are a recent addition.—AFP