Pakistan is currently relying on the F-16 to carry precision air strikes and it wants to expand the role to the JF-17. To achieve that, the service plans to import the Thales Damocles targeting pod and integrate it on the fighter.
By Georges Seguin (Okki) (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Deputy Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Muhammad Ashfaque Arain, was in Paris recently to discuss the potential purchase with French officials.
Speaking to Reuters, Arain said the “Damocles is a battle- proven system and the other options are not.”
“If we do not get the Damocles pod for example, then we will need to look for alternate options that may not be proven.”