Even as Russia scotched rumours of Moscow supplying the Klimov RD-93MA afterburning turbofan engine—a derivative of the MiG-29’s RD-33 engine—to Pakistan for its newest JF-17 Block III fighters, defence experts feel that even if such a sale takes place, it will only benefit India.
Pyotr Topychkanov, who heads the Section on New Challenges in South and Southeast Asia at the prestigious Moscow-based Primakov Institute, told news agency PTI that while there are no confirmed reports of such a sale, if it happens, it shows that China and Pakistan haven't yet managed to replace the Russian-origin engine.
JF-17fighter jets are co-developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), mainly to meet the needs of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). Under a trilateral Russia-China-Pakistan agreement, Russia has been supplying fully assembled RD-93 engines, developed by Klimov Design Bureau in St. Petersburg, since the early 2000s. There were reports that said a Chinese engine, Guizhou WS-13 Taishan, is under development to replace RD-93 eventually.
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Besides, it would also mean that the new aircraft of the PAF will be familiar and predictable to India, especially since they share the same engine, and India observed the JF-17's operational use during Operation Sindoor, Topychkanov noted.
It is to be noted that one of the criticisms faced by the RD-93 engines was the black smoke they emit (occasionally), making it easier for enemy pilots to spot them during dogfights.
Topychkanov recalled that China had requested Russia to supply RD-93 engines for its FC-17 jet as a stopgap measure. NDA and UPA governments at the time of prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh had then flagged the possibility of this being transferred to Pakistan.
However, another defence expert, who did not wish to be identified, said he vaguely remembers discussions on the issue. Russia convinced India that the RD-93 engine deal was purely commercial without transfer of technology (ToT), while India was given a license for much superior RD-33 engines for its MiG-29s under ToT.