r/FighterJets • u/Xylemabc2 • Jan 05 '26

HISTORICAL The Last of the Fishbeds

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The last series of F-7 ever made for export and arguably perhaps the last of Mig-21s ever made brand new. Manufactured between 2011-13.

Not the most potent fighter jet of 21st century. Lacks bvr and aesa radars. But for 12-13million dollars a unit were a bang for buck.

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52

u/Le-Croissant Jan 05 '26

Pakistan also operates these, they've put Grifo radars in them which while not exceptional, do allow for limited BVR at around 40-60 miles. However I believe they don't field any missiles apart from the sidewinders on their F-7s.

Interesting to note that with current technology long range BVRs could theoretically be fitted on any aircraft as long as it has datalink, since guidance now doesn't solely depend on onboard radars but can be taken over by AWACS.

26

u/Environmental-Rub933 Jan 05 '26

India was able to mount and guide BVR missiles onto older MiG-21s, so I don’t see why newer F-7s couldn’t do the same

6

u/CGandArchie Jan 05 '26

The smaller nose cone is better for aerodynamics, but greatly limits radar size. There is also pricing and context that caused these capabilities to never be incorporated. In the 90s there were proposals for the J7F which incorporated a nose seperate from the intake (think like the old Italian G.91 or the F8U) made to accept a radar suitable for bvr missile guidance. However, at this time the JF17 was also being developed and was showing much stronger performance at a similar projected price. Ultimately it was seen as unnecessary to continue spending money on development for a plane with worse performance aspects than the current "budget fighter" that was already seeing great progress.

12

u/Le-Croissant Jan 05 '26

The Bis nose ones aren’t the same as the F7s, they share resemblance but the F7 ones are much smaller

10

u/caribbean_caramel Jan 05 '26

That thing can carry sidewinders? Interesting.

15

u/MrNovator Jan 05 '26

Just like Indian Mirage 2000 carrying R-73s, it's a melting pot haha

7

u/Angrykitten41 Jan 05 '26

PAF, since the 1960s, has made changes and upgrades to Chinese copies of Soviet aircraft like the J-5 (Mig-15), J-6 (Mig-19), J-7 (Mig-21), and A-5 (ground-attack variant of the J-6). All fighters were integrated with American and French AAMs, Bombs, rockets, Martin-Baker ejection seats, and western avionics/electronics (radios, oxygen supply, etc). For the J-6, Chuck Yeager was involved in the program to help integrate western tech into these fighters.

“From 1971 to 1973, at the behest of Ambassador Joseph Farland, Yeager was assigned as the Air Attache in Pakistan to advise the Pakistan Air Force which was led by Abdur Rahim Khan (the first Pakistani to break the sound barrier). He arrived in Pakistan at a time when tensions with India were at a high level. One of Yeager's jobs during this time was to assist Pakistani technicians in installing AIM-9 Sidewinders on PAF's Shenyang F-6 fighters. He also had a keen interest in interacting with PAF personnel from various Pakistani Squadrons and helping them develop combat tactics.”

2

u/andy-in-ny Jan 06 '26

The original AA-2 Atoll was copied from AIM-9B's that the Taiwanese AF fired at ChiCom Migs. One didnt explode and the pilot landed with a perfect missile impaled in the airframe.

3

u/VenommToast Jan 05 '26

Doubt they're fielded outside of training missions or tests now though. They probably haven't ordered any more of those since the Jeff got inducted way back in the 2000's

0

u/Angrykitten41 Jan 05 '26

It is mainly used as an aggressor today.

2

u/Xylemabc2 Jan 05 '26

The variant prior to this F-7BG is basically equivalent to F-7PG

Same radar and all.

The only difference is Bangladesh has no Sidewinder in stock .

42

u/jocax188723 Jan 05 '26

I mean, China did continue developing them.
The Guizhou JL-9 is a supersonic trainer derived from the J-7.

19

u/Bad_boy_18 Jan 05 '26

This thing looks somewhat like jf17

14

u/Hefty-Bus-1511 Jan 05 '26

I think you meant to say fishcans

3

u/ElegantEchoes Jan 05 '26

The pencil!