Islamabad, Mar. 8 : Strengthening their bilateral relations in the filed of military armaments, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Chinese firm CATIC have struck a deal to jointly produce the JF-17 (Thunder) aircraft.

Following the deal, serial production of the fighter jets would start soon.

Fourty two such aircrafts would be jointly produced by the PAF and the CATIC on the basis of `seller's credit' policy. All the 42 jets would be inducted into the PAF services.

Pakistan Aeronautical Complex chairman, Air Marshal Khalid Chaudary, and CATIC president MA Zhiping, inked the deal on behalf of both the countries.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed and Ambassador of China to Pakistan, Luo Zhaohui besides other top officials were also present during the exchange of documents between both the countries.

Addressing media persons on the sidelines of the function, Air Chief Marshal Mehmood informed that 15 of these aircrafts will be produced in the first phase annually.

"First squadron of these highest quality fighter jets would be inducted in the PAF's fleet by mid of this year as PAF has already been using 8 jointly produced aircraft for the last couple of years," The News quoted Air Chief Marshal Mehmood, as saying.

He also said that Pakistan would soon be having the ultra-modern radar system- AWACS.

"An agreement has already been reached with a Chinese firm which would start its delivery by 2010," he added. (ANI)