The new appearance of the prospective Pakistani PFX fighter jet indicates a transition to a larger twin-engine aircraft with stealth elements. The published conceptual image shows the aircraft strongly resembling the Russian Su-57. This was reported on October 10 by the IDRW portal.
The similarity to the Su-57 is evident in several design elements. Both aircraft feature a twin-engine layout, a developed central fuselage section, closely spaced engine nacelles, and canted tails. The Pakistani concept also shows angular wing and nose contours, aligned leading edges of the airframe, and side strakes on the forward fuselage.
Collectively, these features make the new PFX visually much closer to the Russian fighter than to the light single-engine JF-17 Thunder, with which the Pakistani aviation project is associated.
However, this refers to the similarity of the external layout, not to proven copying of the Su-57. Similar solutions are used in designing aircraft that require a combination of high maneuverability and reduced radar visibility. The PFX air intakes, according to the image, are designed with a DSI scheme — without traditional external boundary layer diverters. However, based on a single concept, it is impossible to determine how effectively the design reduces the aircraft's visibility and whether it meets the requirements of a full-fledged fifth-generation fighter.
The published dimensions indicate a fairly large aircraft: a wingspan of about 15.6 m, and a length of approximately 20.1 m. For comparison, the Russian Su-57 also belongs to the class of large twin-engine fighters, while the JF-17 is a more compact single-engine aircraft. The large PFX airframe potentially allows for more fuel, weaponry, and onboard equipment, but actual values for range, combat load, and speed have not yet been published.
Pakistan first showcased a PFX mock-up at the IDEAS 2024 exhibition. At that time, the project was positioned as a 4.5+ generation fighter, with development expected to be completed by the end of the decade.