JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter

Following the cancellation of the Super-7 upgrade of China's fleet of J-7 fighters in 1990, China began developing the lightweight multipurpose FC-1 (Fighter China-1). The design, which has also been called the Super-7, has a total investment in excess of $500 million. Supporting the development was the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corp. (CATIC).

The aircraft was jointly developed by China's second-largest fighter producer, Chengdu Aircraft Industry, in...