JH-7 as a Missile Hauler

[Bilal]

It depends on the size of the ALBMs.

Technically, the CM-400AKG is an ALBM, and the JF-17 has deployed those in May 2025. Similarly, the Roketsan UAV-230 is also technically an ALBM, and it was recently tested from the Akinci.

Just IMO, but if the PAF wants to continue building ALBM capabilities, it can continue working off of the CM-400AKG or, potentially, Fatah-1 (or Fatah-1 ER). That would give it options in the 400 mm and 300 mm diameter range, respectively, and its current platforms should be able to deploy those.

Yes, the artillery rocket turned ALBMs and smaller ranged ones are possible today. I meant a capability like Air Lora, Rocks, in other words an air launched Fatah-2 adaptation for opening day high impact (almost) assured strikes.

 

[Bilal]

There's a Fatah-I ER ?

The other Fatah-2 or Fatah-1ER

 

[Quwa]

Yes, the artillery rocket turned ALBMs and smaller ranged ones are possible today. I meant a capability like Air Lora, Rocks, in other words an air launched Fatah-2 adaptation for opening day high impact (almost) assured strikes.

What's interesting is that South Korea is developing a new ALBM for use from the KF-21. So, there is a potential design route here that could work within the PAF's platform constraints (e.g., JF-17, J-10CE, J-35AE), the question is they'd need to develop it as a new platform or if they can adapt the Fatah-2.

I think with the ROK example, one route might be to re-leverage parts of the Fatah-2 (e.g., rocket motor), but potentially design a smaller missile (likely closer to the size of the CM-400AKG). The goal could be to have a true hypersonic strike missile (sustained flight through impact + maneuvering).

For ex., what ROK has done is develop a 607 mm diameter missile (similar to Fatah-2), but it's much shorter and has a lighter warhead.

 

[TOPGUN]

Another waste of post and waste thread space !!!!!!!!

 

[Pakistan First]

I don't agree with you. The reach and strike across India is very much needed. If India needs to feel pain, the fear of pain is bigger than pain itself. They need to know that PAF has the capability and capacity, plus the firepower, to go beyond LR drones and rockets to attack the length and breadth of Bharat. Just like they, the bhindi mindset, always claim that they can annihilate entire Pakistan conventionally... let them have this pain also. For me, the updated JH7P is the only option until / unless the J16 is available.

No Material in your post except rhetoric. How come you can even imagine that JH-7 will help in any of things you said ? like "The reach and strike across India" - Its not going to fly over indian airspace anyways to hit deep inside india. Its not a stealth aircraft. It will be detected as soon as it leaves the airbase and it will be shot down if flying over hostile airspace or even over LOC.

We need capability to hit at farthest corners of india but for that you need long ranged missiles, which ARFC is testing newer versions and increasing ranges. Why we should send pilots on suicide mission on an ancient airframe like JH-7. Its like giving a trophy to enemy by yourself.

So if we have zero interest to utilize the range of the aircraft then whole purpose of this platform is dead. As far as payload is concerned. Again its total nonsense that just to pack 4 ALBMs on single platform we buy such a heavy maintenance platform. When we can still fire 4 ALBMs using 2 jeffs. Or as many ALBMs as we want with plenty of Jeffs that we have. Why should not we spend that huge amount of money on building more ALBMs and procuring aircrafts that adds real value instead of absurd theories.

So:

ARFC / Long range missiles : Yes
Buying a fleet of Ancient airframes like JH-7: Big No / Impossible. Not in this universe.

Its hilarious to even consider it in 2026. These kind of threads were tolerable in early 2000s.

 

[Bilal]

What's interesting is that South Korea is developing a new ALBM for use from the KF-21. So, there is a potential design route here that could work within the PAF's platform constraints (e.g., JF-17, J-10CE, J-35AE), the question is they'd need to develop it as a new platform or if they can adapt the Fatah-2.

I think with the ROK example, one route might be to re-leverage parts of the Fatah-2 (e.g., rocket motor), but potentially design a smaller missile (likely closer to the size of the CM-400AKG). The goal could be to have a true hypersonic strike missile (sustained flight through impact + maneuvering).

For ex., what ROK has done is develop a 607 mm diameter missile (similar to Fatah-2), but it's much shorter and has a lighter warhead.

View attachment 219948

Fatah-2 (Rocks class) will be out of question with ~2500kg mass. Even at ~1600kg I don’t think any JF-17 hard points are rated for it, maybe centerline but then we’ll have ground clearance issues.

SMASH as Fatah-2 proxy for mass and dimensions:


J35 probably but it would kill the low observability, do we really want to use our ace platform (when it arrives) as bomb truck.

J10C probably ok for the 1600 range similar to the Korean solution but “probably”.

 

[Quwa]

Fatah-2 (Rocks class) will be out of question with ~2500kg. Even at ~1600 I don’t think any JF-17 hard points are rated for it, maybe centerline but then we’ll have ground clearance issues.

J35 probably but it would kill the low observability, do we really want to use our ace platform (when it arrives) as bomb truck.

J10C probably the 1600 range similar to the Korean solution but “probably”.

Maybe the key is to keep iterating on the CM-400AKG design such that it can provide sustained hypersonic flight?

 

[Bilal]

Maybe the key is to keep iterating on the CM-400AKG design such that it can provide sustained hypersonic flight?

Yeah the problem is we can iterate but it will soon hit physics limits. We simply can’t have a heavier rocket’s performance it terms of range and throw weight, no matter how much we iterate it. And we have a deep enemy.