Pakistan Air Force to Early Retire an Entire Chinese Fleet 

Pakistan Air Force has made a major announcement pertaining to their Chinese equipment that will likely have strong implications not only in the world of defence purchases but also between the bilateral ties of China and Pakistan. Pakistan has decided to retire the entire fleet of the Chinese-made ZDK-03 AEW&C fleet after just 12 years of service, as per Republic. They have cited non-compatibility and quality issues to be the reason behind this decision. Pakistan had first signed the deal for the induction of this aircraft for $278 million with China, but the deal has gone south with this decision.

While there has been no response from China on this development yet, this announcement by the Pakistan Air Force will build a negative image for China’s defence equipment. The nation, which aspires to increase its defence exports, will face difficulties in the future to attain bidders for their equipment. Pakistan, on the other hand, is heavily dependent on China for defence, in addition to the heavy debt Pakistan is unable to repay to the nation. This decision is thus likely to have a negative impact on the two nations’ bilateral relations.

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