Myanmar Air Force officially inducts new JF-17 fighter jets.

Myanmar Air Force has inaugurated a total of seven new aircrafts and helicopters into the force to mark the 71st anniversary of the founding of the Air Force, according to a release of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services Sunday.

Myanmar Air Force broke covers on new JF-17 fighter jets
(Credit: seniorgeneralminaunghlaing.com.mm)

Attended by Defense Services Commander-in-Chief Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force General Maung Maung Kyaw, the commemorative ceremony was held at the fight training base in Meiktila Sunday.

"On the 71st anniversary of Tatmadaw (Air), a significant and honourable day for the State and the Tatmadaw, four JF-17 aircraft and two ATR 72-500 aircraft and one Eurocopter totalling seven were commissioned into service at the Flying Training Base in Meiktila Station this morning," the Myanmar Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services press office said.

The new aircrafts and helicopters conducted a demonstration fly-by and aerobatic display, which was followed by the inspection of the inaugurated aircrafts by Min Aung Hlaing with the release of 70 birds as merit making according to traditional practices.

Myanmar Air Force was established on Dec. 15, 1947, a year before Myanmar regained independence.

In July 2015, Myanmar became the first export customer of the JF-17 Thunder with an order for 16 Block II variants. The JF-17 fighter aircraft will replace Myanmar Air Force aged fleet of 16 Nanchang A-5IIK ground attack aircraft and 24 Chengdu F-7M fighter jets received from China in the 1990s. 

The PAC JF-17 Thunder is a light-weight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Air Force, the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAC) of China.

The JF-17 is powered by a single Russian RD-93 turbofan engine, which is a variant of the RD-33 engine used on the Mig-29 fighter. The JF-17 can carry a weapon payload of 3,600 kg under its seven wing and fuselage pylons.