IF Pakistan had not ventured into the JF-17 project some 25 years ago, we would not have enjoyed the glory and triumph in the aftermath of the Balakot incident.

A lesson that this victory has left for us is that wars cannot be won only by the heroism and valour of the pilots but by strategic planning to acquire the latest weaponry. We should remember that it takes 25 to 30 years to develop a fighter aircraft.

To rely on some foreign power to update your air power inventory is also not a trustworthy plan. An inevitable requirement of the time is to start planning for production of a fifth generation stealth fighter aircraft in collaboration with China as JF-17s will no more remain state-of-the-art.

It is time a project for producing Chinese J-20 was initiated in Pakistan to replace JF-17s in due course of time and make PAF an efficient air force, second to none.

Air Cdre (retd) Khayyam Durrani

Karachi

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2019