RIAT arrivals, Wednesday 16 July - Pakistan Air Force JF-17 C Thunder and Egyptian Air Force Antonov 74 at Fairford for RIAT 2025

 ..screen grab from the Planes TV live stream of the arrivals of the Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder at Fairford, another 'first' for RIAT. This is not the elderly 'A' variant from 2007 but a new 'C' version of Chinese design.  

The JF-17C, the latest variant of Pakistan's JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, is capable of launching advanced air-to-air missiles, primarily the Chinese-made PL-10 and PL-15. The PL-10 is a short-range, infra-red guided missile, while the PL-15 is a long-range missile with active radar guidance, providing the JF-17C with beyond-visual-range (BVR) capabilities. Bottom photo; arrival of the PAF Il 78 MP Midas support aircraft..

The 59th nation to have participated in the show at Fairford is the Egyptian Air Force -  an Egyptian Air Force Antonov 74 flies into Fairford for the first time. The EAF operates 3 of these tactical transports, an updated version of the An 72 fitted with glass cockpit, better radar and having longer range. High-mounted engines to avoid FOD. They are based at Cairo International with the 533rd Wing. First flew in 1983.