DCS: JF-17 Thunder

DCS: JF-17 Thunder
N/A
Metacritic
93
Steam
75.745
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$79.99
Release date
4 December 2019
Developers
Publishers
Steam reviews score
Total
93 (203 votes)

JF-17 is a single seat, single engine, multirole light fighter that joint developed by AVIC Chengdu and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). The design phase of JF-17 "Thunder" finished at May 31st, 2002, and the maiden flight was made on August 25th, 2003. The first plane delivered to PAF (Pakistan Air Force) in 2007.

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DCS: JF-17 Thunder system requirements

Minimum system requirements (LOW graphics settings):
OS 64-bit Windows 7/8/10; DirectX11; CPU: Intel Core i3 at 2.8 GHz or AMD FX; RAM: 8 GB (16 GB for heavy missions); Free hard disk space: 60 GB; Discrete video card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 / AMD R9 280X or better; requires internet activation.

Updated
App type
Steam APP ID
1199120
Fullgame appid
223750
Platforms
Windows PC
Popularity
Reviews
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DyingLightRat
DyingLightRat

Who's idea was it to give a warning system the most soothing ass voice I've ever heard, I frickin love it. Not for me personally, but I'd whole heartly recommend this for a beginner if you want a first timer modern plane.

Sanakan
Sanakan

I LOVE PAKISTAN, I WILL SACRIFICE MY LIFE FOR PAKISTAAANNN!

Jokes aside, this is my first module in DCS and, at time of writing, the only plane I've ever flown in a proper flight simulator (War Thunder doesn't count). This puts me in a unique reviewing perspective as I have zero knowledge about how planes work inside the cockpit, everything I knew prior to the JF-17 is from an outside, third person perspective. I didn't know what INS, NWS, TWS, or SPI meant until about 15 hours ago.

So, what can a total greenhorn say about this plane?

The BIGGEST benefit of the JF, HANDS DOWN, is how EXTREMELY easy it is to interact with and understand what's going on. Three massive displays occupy the entire front of the cockpit. This is the feature that pushed me towards the JF as my cherry popper for flight sims. A very modern (for DCS) aircraft with a very modern user interface.

Enter navigation, dogfight, BVR or ground attack modes and the displays will automatically change to show what you need to see. Want to see your targeting pod while in dogfight mode? Press 2-3 digitally labeled buttons and it's there. It's amazing. Most of the time, operating this plane is more like using a (somewhat finicky) retro PC program, rather than an aircraft.

Flying the JF is comfortable enough, it feels small and nimble. I can't comment too much as I haven't tried other modules. I have managed to put it in an unrecoverable flatspin only once with the fly-by-wire system on. As a whole the plane behaves itself and handles well, like a modern aircraft should. It seems particularly difficult to stall so long as you're full afterburner, at near-stall speeds it sorta just flops around like a fish out of water. That said, it loses speed pretty fast if you pull hard, and while the acceleration isn't terrible, the plane struggles to build up a high top speed.

There are only 3 things I hold against the JF so far.

    • The feeling of a low top speed, even with lighter loads - it just feels as though the JF accelerates in a snap, then stops moments later. The speed problem obviously gets worse with more weight. The plane handles surprisingly well at low speeds, even while loaded, which is great because if you have to go more than 50+ NM and back, you probably will be flying at a meager pace of ~340 knots to conserve fuel.
    • Plyon space is extremely limited. "Multirole, not multimission" is exactly what the JF is. You have to pick what you're going to do and commit to it, there's just not enough space on the plane to effectively do 2 missions with 1 loadout. Basically every other jet can carry multiple JFs worth of bombs and missiles.
    • Poor fuel capacity. This fault is closely linked with the speed problem. At the right throttle the JF's legs feel long enough, even while fully laden; so long as you brought a tank with you. But your choice is to either go slower in an already slow-feeling aircraft, or melt through gas while going faster, but still slow by comparison to your competitors. At least when my buddies whine about their F-16s burning through fuel, they're going fast! Once you have no drop tanks you have to be VERY cautious about using higher throttle settings, you will chew through your miniscule internal tanks in less than 5 minutes

End verdict:
The JF is an incredibly simple plane to understand, once you get to the point where you're interacting with the displays. It was easier for me to learn how to program, deploy, and man-in-the-loop control cruise missiles from a data link pod than it was for me to learn how to cold start the JF and use the radio. The most difficult parts of this plane for me, as a fresh sim player, are the parts that are clearly inherited from older aircraft and their operation.

The good news? Once you leave the ground, 99% of your time will be on those glorious, easy-to-use displays. I have probably less than 20 hours of time in the JF's cockpit between Steam & Standalone, and at this point the only thing I feel I haven't learned how to do is dogfight, aerial refuel & BVR. Basic operation, flying, navigation and ground/sea attack I'm all very confident in, at this point.

This plane felt exceptionally simple and easy to pick up, and I highly recommend it for that quality, in addition to being a tiny, unique little airplane nobody's really heard of when stacked against MiG-, Su-, and F- planes.

tieru999
tieru999

JF-17 Thunder is very nice feature complete module, got in on sale and did not think much about it. Certainly it gets the job done and it gets the job done flawlessly large modern MFDs in cocpit really helps and selection of weapons is also nice. I wont go into comparisons, despite I have F-14, F-16 and F/A-18, this module is nice and neat. I hope block three will arrive in future updates as it is already in production by PAC.

Onno
Onno

TL;DR: To sum it up in a single sentence: "The JF-17 is the F-16's kid brother from another mother.". The JF-17 is a nice fighter to get acquainted with modern day multi-role aircraft. It has a wide selection of weapons which allow it to be effective at air to air combat as well as attacking ground targets. The modelling of the systems is really well done. It's a pity that the version modeled does not feature an HMS though. The systems are very good is by far one of the easiest modern jets to learn. It is the only OPFOR plane in the modern era with a clicky cockpit, so if you're fond of flying for red in the modern era, then this bird has to be in your collection.

The plane:
This plane is not the ultimate fighter jet in the modern era DCS arsenal, but it can certainly perform at a level where it can deliver a fight and live to tell the tale afterwards. It is better at the long range fight than the close in fight though. The SRAAM provided is the PL-5, which is not a very capable IR AAM and the jet is limited to 8G when manoeuvring. The SD-10 MRAAM is quite capable though, and it allows you to scare off any would be assailants from quite a distance. Sensors wise, it is equipped with a good radar which can do air, ground and sea engagements. Furthermore the plane can optionally be equipped with a self-protection jammer pod which kind of doubles as a sort of passive radar. You can also equip a laser target designation pod that is okay, but not great.
Weapons wise, there is a wide variety of ammunition types available to do your work with, most of which are quite capable. It can't really carry that much though, so you have to make choices in what you want to do with it and it will limit the number of roles you can perform in one mission. Also, the plane has quite a short range. You can use fuel tanks to offset this, but it does come with the cost of carrying less ordnance. It can also refuel using a probe and drogue system, so if you are good with that this might be an option as well. Ultimately you have to work with diligence to get the most out if this jet. But if you do, it will deliver.
Systems wise I am really impressed with this bird. It has very easy to lean interfaces and there are a lot of options which make the work of the pilot easier. The way that the MFDs are organised is just a delight to work with. The radar interface is really clean and the radar is decent range given the diminutive size of the jet itself and this is augmented with a datalink capability. Unfortunately the number of radios is limited to only two. One downside of the radio system is that it uses a table based selection system and it is a bit laborious to alter these presets. The limited number of radios means that it is a bit harder to monitor all radio traffic and you do need to switch more than in some NATO jets. This becomes really apparent if you're using the datalink, as it will usurp of one of those radios, leaving you only with one main radio with the capability to also listen to the guard frequency. It would have been nice if it had an HMS system, but the version modeled does not come with this, limiting you to the MFDs for targeting and situational awareness a bit.

The execution:
The execution of this module by Deka Ironwoks is quite good overall. Some don´t like the overly clean look of the textures, and I have to admit that it can look a bit too much like you are sitting in a plane that has just been delivered from the factory yesterday, but I don't mind it too much. I think that there are also many things I like about how Deka has executed on this module. The workmanship standard is one of the best amongst the developers of DCS modules, easily besting the likes of ED and RAZBAM by a long shot. Deka mostly delivers the items they promised first rime right, which is a delight. They also have attention to detail not seen in any other module. things like life support systems are modeled in detail and need to be operated in order to be able to use the plane properly. This is an aspect that most other DCS modules lack and it is something which I think should be modeled in all modules. I think it really adds to the experience. In terms of systems modelling I do wonder though if it is as realistic as the real thing. There is no way to tell, as there is not much that I can find on how the real jet operates. Maybe things really are as easy in real life as they are in the DCS module, but it comes across as somewhat game-like in its simplicity. The low point might be the sounds, which can be a bit flat in terms of dynamic range. Also for the ground crew the difference between the stock sounds and the sounds for menu options which are particular to the JF-17 is a bit immersion breaking. But overall the sound is okay enough to not bother me.

Mike_Romeo
Mike_Romeo

The JF-17 is a small lightweight tactical fighter similar to the F-16

Strength:

-Very easy to learn and to fly. Very good for beginners
-Extreme intuitive cockpit
-Very good radar and datalink for very well situational awareness
-Wide and good array of weapons for any mission type.
Has one of the best long range air to air missiles in DCS, carries up to 32 laser guided 90mm missiles for air to ground, MITL cruise missiles with 100nm range, anti ship missiles, intelligent cluster glide bombs with SWF bomblets similiar to the AGM-154B and also anti- radiation missiles for SEAD missions
-Very good turn rates for 2 circle dogfights (20-24°/s)
-almost bug free with many lovely gimmicks from the developers

Weakness:

-Slightly to medium underpowered
-okayish range, can be more with tanks but that limits loadouts
-Harsh loadout restrictions. Its a multirole aircraft but not multimission
-No HMD or high off boresight missiles
-Worst gun and aiming sight for air to air (but very good and percise for air to ground)

Overall the JF-17 "Jeff" is a very fun aircraft suited for any kind of mission. Her weaknesses can also be seen as her strength making it more challenging and rewarding to fly and win with her. Overall a 8,7/10 from my point of view based on feelings.

Mono
Mono

In many reviews of the JF-17 Thunder i see people comparing it to the F-16 on the A/A role. And i can say that in the hands of a good pilot, this module (yes it has datalink) and it's SD-10 Fox 3 can kill F-16's. We unfortunatly suffer from this kind of A/A focused reviews because of the "meta" of this simulator in multiplayer servers.

HOWEVER, i believe that in the A/G role, the only plane better than the Jeff is the A-10C, all that, and you can go mach 1.2 fully loaded with some of the best smart ordinance in the game, imo the best targeting pod, anti-rad missiles, and so much more...

The downsides i got from this aircraft are:
1) It's engine (a modified Klimov RD-33) consumes fuel very fast. And its internal fuel tank is really not that big. So if you don't plan to refuel, your flights will feel more like hops.
2) It can't carry too much at once. It only has 5 hardpoints for misc weapons and ordinance, plus the wingtips are only for the Fox 2's.
3) I have experienced with this module the most frustrating problem on my almost 1500hrs of DCS. Sometimes ground crew just will not rearm-refuel this airplane no matter what. They will just ignore you, and i can't figure out how to fix this...
But it seems that this only happend to me, so you most likely wont have that problem.

OVERALL. Yes, buy this. It is my favourite MFD plane in DCS.

Karp of Bomreal
Karp of Bomreal

Starting out I was naive american imperialist, flying F-14, F-15 bla bla
But then I got this piece of perfect Chengdu Engineering, now dunk SD10 at
F-16 Noobs from 40,000ft lah

10/10 social credit, best platform in DCS

[ATX]LibertyJusticeNukes
[ATX]LibertyJu…

Every time I fly this plane, it reminds me of flying the F-16, F-18 and A-10C. Great plane though. I have had a lot of fun learning it and using it. If you want DCS and already own maybe one or two modules, then give this one a try. New players might find this module a bit more difficult, but that should not deter those who like a challenge.

ThreeDexter
ThreeDexter

The campaign is not ready at all

RBDR
RBDR

In 2019, the F-16C viper (a module made officially by Eagle Dynamics, who have experience in making system-complex modules such as the F/A-18 and the A-10C) released into early access as a steaming pile of shit. The plane was outright missing features.

Why am I talking about the F-16C in a review for the JF-17???

Because the JF-17 thunder (the first high fidelity module made by Deka Ironworks, a third party developer) released into early access a few months after the viper, and put it to fucking shame. EVERYTHING WORKED, and it was PRACTICALLY FEATURE COMPLETE AT EARLY ACCESS RELEASE. There were things missing, sure, but none of them affected the plane in any way. The sd-10 (the missile this plane typically uses in BVR combat) forced eagle dynamics to re-evaluate how shitty their own missile code is.

The JF-17 literally embarrassed ED so hard, that they're striving to make themselves look better. Deka Ironworks, by simply being competent, are indirectly bringing DCS to a higher standard.

Even if you don't enjoy the plane, BUY THIS FUCKING MODULE to show support to the devs who made Eagle Dynamics look like a bitch.

Chief of Booty
Chief of Booty

Module is incredible as it is mostly complete which is a nice break from the norm. It also has all of it's weapons available for use and it's systems work well and reliably.
Did I mention it also looks fantastic and the textures are extremely high resolution and are comparable to the equally stellar F-14.

pedrolucan
pedrolucan

If you want to fly a modern 4th gen fighter with a glass cockpit a wide variety of systems including an A/G radar, Man in the Loop missiles and laser guided rockets this is the best option currently avaiable in DCS. While still in early access and with its fair share of bugs and WIP textures it still manages to be an extremely capable platform for almost any scenario you can think of.

If Deka supports it well through its early access period i'm sure it will become one of the most popular modules in DCS. I also look forward to what other modules they come up with in the future!

OnTarget100
OnTarget100

Just bought it today and boy is it fun to fly and fight in. Really well done on the JF-17 Thunder. One of the best new planes to hit DCS. Highly recommend it. Enjoy

Yoroizuka Mizore
Yoroizuka Mizore

KA50 Good
A-10C Excellent
UH-1H Excellent
Hawk NOOOOOOOO!
MI8MTV2 Excellent
L39 Good
F/A-18C Good
F-14 Excellent
F-16C NOOOOO!
JF-17 Excellent again!

Kosmonaut
Kosmonaut

Get this plane if you want to make BlueFor Cry about how a Redfor planes missles are better than the spam arraam AIM-120C.

IVGC
IVGC

# One of the highly detailed new generation aircraft for DCS
# Like how they are aware of the known issues and planned to fix in the future updates
# Although the aircraft mostly perfect, I must be honest and say the cockpit / inside 3D models are not well made, looks little cheap and old generation graphics. As a 70 USD module, it must get better, and we are buying the module still. I hope devs improve the module up standards of 2020 graphics, quality 3D models soon shortly or it will be sad and not act like a 70 USD standards paid module.

Dankwalker
Dankwalker

Do you want a jet that could compete with these Bluefor shills? well this is a jet for you. A well needed plane for Redfor, with good air to air and air to ground weapons, this plane checks ever box, on top of all that it's a easy plane to get around with.

EDIT: If your having trouble downloading the module make sure you switch it to open beta

Verstehst du Dota?
Verstehst du Dota?

I cannot download it at all! Anyone the same?

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At release, this module is more complete than the F/A-18, which's been in early access for the past year, not to mention the joke that is the F-16.

If you want a true 4th gen, buy it. Maybe wait a few weeks if you're not sure, but definitely don't buy the broken mess that is the Viper.

Pax Noctis
Pax Noctis

I had no idea this was coming out until after it was out, I bought it because some folks I trusted recommended it and it is beyond a doubt my favorite module in DCS World right now. For reference I also own the A10, BS, F14, F18, M2000, Harrier and FC modules. This is exactly the kind of flight experience I've been hoping would be added.

The cockpit is glass, which means it's basically three awesome iPads on which you can do anything you can imagine. The HOTAS is one of the best setup in any of the modules I've experienced (with the A10 possibly edging it out). You can do all kinds of useful stuff without taking your hands off the HOTAS without having to map things like MFCD buttons to spots on your controller.

It's a capable aircraft (although others edge it out in other characteristics if you're looking at it from a purely metagame perspective). Right now it's propped up by the S10 being probably the best Fox3 in the game, but hopefully this will incentivize ED to remodel the AMRAAM rto be closer to technical accuracy in lieu of nerfing the S10.

Anyway I could ramble all day about why I like this thing, but if you're one of those, "I want a hi-fidelity plane in DCS, is this the one for me?" the answer is probably yes. I've flown almost all the modern modules and this one is the funnest and most accessible without sacrificing functionality. The Tomcat comes close, so if you have a buddy who wants to play Joker with you that might be a consideration. Otherwise... this one.

Instead of Bitchin' Betty we have Helpful Henrietta, a gentle, soothing voice who tells you what's

Ziljan
Ziljan

Flies exactly how the F-16 is supposed to fly in real life (but doesn't in DCS). So hell yeah I recommend it.

UPDATE 10-23-20: The jet is still awesome to fly. Handles like a dream. My one gripe though is the gun. Many things are disapointing about it, but the gunsight itself is probably the worst thing I've seen on any plane in DCS. It is extremely buggy. The refresh rate is about 10hz, so trying to use it in a turn greater than 2g the gunsight starts to bounce all over the place and should probably come with a seizure warning. None of the spastic range of positions that the gunsight predicts with a radar lock are even remotely accurate, and this is perhaps the one area where the F-16 is dramatically superior to the JF-17.

An "X" mark painted on the canopy window would have been an improvement.

Jerrry
Jerrry

Very interesting jet, full glass cockpit makes for a unique experience.

Zwitterion
Zwitterion

Deka Ironworks nailed it with this one. This is becoming my favorite aircraft. It reminds me of the eastern block philosophy in weapon development. Effective, reliable, and very user friendly. Relatively simple to set up weapons. Unlike some western units that require you to submit a DNA profile before you can start the engines. The laser guided rockets are really fun to use. I am glad I got this one.

MILFshake69
MILFshake69

Total piece of sh!t! No tutorial, nothing seems to work right. For an a/c that is very hotas focused, there is a total lack of axis commands. Getting a lock on any surface vessel is maddening and 90% of the time doesn't result in a hit. And yes, i did rtfm. Wish i spent my money on something else.

Latein
Latein

Amazing aircraft, from launch it can do alot from CAS, CAP, SEAD and Anti Ship (pretty sure it can do more but they are the 1s iv found so far). When I first saw this aircraft thought wow that looks really complicated but it isnt yeah the controls might seem hard and very confusing on what to bind but dont worry there are amazing tutorials out there for instances Grim Reapers have videos on what controls to bind and all the way through to how to use certain weapons and landing via ILS and other awesome stuff apart from that it flies really well feels (to me) like a F-16 apart from the visibility out of the canopy cause of the annoying bar going straight through the middle of the canopy which hinders (yet again i feel like) the vertical dogfights. Here is a little hint dont forget to plug in the oxygen other wise enjoy blacking out while dogfighting yes found out from experience, ok little note on the english voice 2 you can hear a mouse click of when the altitude warning comes on like this altitude *mouse noise* and repeats.

NSHARPY
NSHARPY

Really fun Module, has pretty much all its weapons and systems working flawlessly, great multi-role module!

Snoopy
Snoopy

What a brilliant little aircraft. I was hesitant at buying it, but glad I did. I own almost every single DCS module, and this thing is already in my top 3. Before buying, check out Chucks guide on it (Just google JF-17 Chuck) and make sure it has the capabilities you desire. For me, this is the most versatile multi-role aircraft in the game. There is still room for improvement of course, but for an early access, this is in a way better state than even the F/A-18C to this date, and don't even mention the F-16.

BigFroogy345
BigFroogy345

A breath of fresh air in which an early access release is essentially complete rather than a work in progress.

CarbonFrozen423
CarbonFrozen423

Very easy to learn, competitive in multiplayer servers, and great fun to fly, 10/10.

Dusty
Dusty

One of the best modules in game. A nice little lightweight fighter, fast agile and handles nicely. Huge glass MFDs which are great for flying in VR. Cant carry a huge amount of boom but what it has is very modern, bombs, smart bombs, glide bombs. Rockets, smart laser rockets, anti ship, man in the loop cruise missiles, air to air etc etc. It has one of the best if not the best target pods in DCS. Its has some nice touches that make things easy like after you load a data cartridge the 10 nearest airfields are loaded with numbers. Want to fly to home base just type in the number on the scratch pad upfront, boom there is you final approach on your MFD. Running low on fuel? Hit the bingo button and there is the nearest airfield to head for. If i was brand new to DCS and wanted a jet that could do it all and was easy to learn this would hands down be my first pick.

fade
fade

Oh boy is this module GOOD!

I was a bit skeptical due to it coming from a new developer, but after watching hours of videos of the JF-17 and reading tons of guides, I decided to buy it. The only module I owned until now was the F-18 and I must say, the JF-17 flies and feels better, and is just as capable.
Really am happy with the decision to get it instead of the F-16, now I can fly on Redfor and still do everything I do in the F-18.

If you are still thinking about the same decision to get one or the other, just go for this one and wait until the F-16 module is actually released, you won't be disappointed!

fantom
fantom

Very nice module, Very proud to have PAF aircraft in dcs already... I hope team will also work on block 3 or block 2 module.

marshaaa
marshaaa

now we only expect MiG-21's with R77's in DCS

Phunny.
Phunny.

A fantastic module. Essentially a modern MiG-21. 'Nuff said.

Ichiban
Ichiban

Surprisingly very complete for being released in early access. Not an insanely difficult module for being full fidelity, while still maintaining a level of complication, which I like.

CommandDork
CommandDork

One of the easiest (and most modern) jets to get into quickly for DCS World. The interface is very much point-and-click and pilot-friendly, excellent traits for a product meant for the export market. I was able to land it twice in my first two go-rounds with it - which is saying a lot for someone of my skill level (those runway craters from other previous attempts with jets aren't bomb craters!). Feels very complete when compared to other offerings like the F-14, AV-8B, F/A-18, and F-16.

A nice entry into the DCS World lineup and worth it even at full price.

farredhot
farredhot

I have only bought this product yesterday.
My first impression of the JF-17 Thunder is quite impressive.
However, lot of glitches happened when I first started the game after downloading JF-17 DLC in Steam. Most prominent problems are:
1). Training modules do not have audio (Or rather audio doesn't work)
2). The radar in the ground mode flickers a lot.

If anyone has suggestions to fix these issues, please comment below.

Broken Angel
Broken Angel

So far this has quickly turned into my go-to and favorite aircraft in the game. Because this right now before the eurofighter is the most advanced or one of the most advanced planes in the game and a pretty easy one to learn too! Learned most of the systems of this in just four days! And it has some stuff the hornet has too like glide bombs you can use with your TGP
Andd laser guided rockets, in a rocket pod. This aircraft is a recommend from me atleast

Alpacino
Alpacino

I'm having problems with the wheel, its not turning after cold start on the ground, i'm using HOSTAS4 thrustmaster. with su25t no problems works fine! but with jf17 when i pitch left or rigth, its not working, i try everything, installed beta 2.5 latest version, also not working, pls DCS help me!

NewFanWar
NewFanWar

Very useful easy to fly, easy to refuel(AAR was add), easy to use payload(almost like Hornet/Viper/Warthog/frogfoot etc)

joker
joker

good module, good quality and most of it works fine. very funny and easy to fly.

Static
Static

Didn't even know this aircraft existed until I saw some Youtube videos and on it and decided to pick it up. When I first loaded in I was amazed at how sexy it looked and how well it performed in ATA and ATG engagements. It can fight a M2K and even pose a threat to the mighty F14 when being used in the right hands. When it comes to ground pounding there is a decent selection of interesting and new weapons that are great for long range attack, as well as CAS. The addition of AAR has made the aircraft even more capable.

Compared to other DCS Modules (Hornet, Viper, Harrier) this aircraft is almost feature complete, and whats there isn't buggy. It is a solid work of art and I wish that other producers would take a page out of Deka Ironworks' book.

Definitely worth the cost, and like me, it might even become your favorite aircraft!

ian
ian

The JF-17 Jeff is a fun module, not quite up to the same level as the F16, F18 or F14B . But the JEFF is fun to fly, in its own right and the situation awareness you have at your finger tips, through the computerise screen's is just amazing. The Jeff may not have the best looking cockpit, or the best weaponry in the game. But it is one of the most completed modules, which I've ever come a cross in DCS.

Don't be put off around the lack of steam gauges, as once the Jeff is in the air and in combat, then she can give as good as she gets...

This is truly a 20 century aircraft.

Gerdam1701
Gerdam1701

I recently purchased the JF17 and its blown me away! Its excellent fun to fly, a genuine multi role strike fighter and those large glass screens are brill in VR. Its actually very easy to learn, would recommend getting your key binds set up properly by watching a youtube video. I wasnt sure about the level of detail in the cockpit prior to my purchase but I'm 100% happy with it. It feels like a modern fighter but shes not perfect in terms of performance. Anyone on the fence, just go for it. The fact that its practically 100% complete on the day of release is also to be commended. Did I mention she looks great too!!!

UltraMaga
UltraMaga

10 out of 10 if you like DCS at all this is a must buy!!!this is an amazing aircraft , i didnt realize how much i would enjoy flying this jet. the laser guided rockets make this a must buy imo + the fact that its feature complete . you will have to download a few hundred page PDF flight manual and really study it to become combat efficient with the JF17 all tho its simple enough to jump in and start poking buttons and figure out most of the systems on your own.the main problem with this jet is it doesnt hold a lot of weapons at once , so your better off to choose air or ground load outs. but i cant say enough good about the laser guided rockets 16 in one pack and you can hold 2 packs . my favorite load out is 2xPL-5Ell 2xSD-10 1x16BRM-1 laser guided rocket pack and a WMD targeting pod and two gas bags. that allows me to fight my way in or out of the target area air to air and take out 16 ground targets with the rocket pack and gun. i wish this would become the standard for releasing a Jet Module in DCS. Thank you Deka Ironworks you hit this one out of the park. 10 out of 10

※Mikuzoid死
※Mikuzoid死

Personally this is may favourite module in DCS. The best way to describe this aircraft is that it's an ultra modern(in comparison to the other modules) ultra-cheap multi-roll. Compared to the F-16 & 18 the flight characteristics are mediocre at best but what sets the Jeff apart from the rest is the modern weaponry which make the Jeff an excellent high and low collateral ground strike aircraft while being a particularly potent BVR aircraft with it's PL-12/SD-10's even up against the F-16 and 18 as long as you know what your doing. The biggest problem the Jeff suffers from is it's limited pylon count and very limited payload capacity. Also the aircraft should be used as a standoff platform, get too close and your probably not making it back unless you know what your doing.

Also I want to point out how well the developers for this module has handled this aircraft. Compared to other modules, at release this module was pretty much entirely complete and did not feel EA as ED's recent modules have done. Plus the only bug I came across which was just after launch was that laser guided rockets would not lock but has since been fixed, compare that too the Harrier or A-10 which still suffers from some pretty major bugs.

AviationAddict
AviationAddict

It really is a fun, very agile aircraft to fly. Given the cost of this aircraft though, there definitely needed to be some more training missions provided besides start up and basic navigation. That does not even remotely begin to tap into the complexities of this aircraft. Users wanting to utilize this bird to its full capability should be able to choose if they want to learn this aircraft via the training missions provided, or by resorting to youtube tutorials. It is nice that the devs provided a campaign with the airplane, but again, if you don't know how to utilize this bird, you will be re-starting a lot.

123
123

Feels very exotic compared to american jets. Very fun in multiplayer, easy to learn, missile warning system and RWR are great.

Jayne Cobb
Jayne Cobb

One of the most feature complete aircraft in DCS World. A very modern multi-role airframe that is easy to fly and will keep you coming back for more.

Irony Giant
Irony Giant

The A-10 is a sturdy pair of work gloves.
The F-16 is a nimble pair of driving gloves.
The F-14 is just a single sequin-covered Michael Jackson glove.

The JF-17 is that pair of gloves you wear instead of all those others because they're easiest to put on.

Also, her name is Jeff.

HaunterSix
HaunterSix

I have a few jets, but this one is my all time favorite. I love it, easy to learn, easy to fly, and most important, easy to survive.
Very manouverable and fast jet with good weapons u can choose from, only downside is that u dont carry much weapons, for eg u can have 4 long distance radar guided missiles and 2 sidewinders, and thats it, or a TGP and laser guided rockets, not good on tanks but works great on everything else.

All and all this a great multi-role jet, u can go air to air, air to ground, anti-ship, those anti ship missile btw are awesome, with range 80 miles+ and one of them is tv guided :D

I really recommend this jet

#Lolt Kacper
#Lolt Kacper

After just getting started with DCS using FC3 it got quite repetitive quite quickly, I have decided to go for this jet and was not disappointed, great easy to use and logical system, learning seemed intimidating at first but it all came together in the end, highly recommended as a starter jet, after using some FC3 planes ofc.

MumboMan
MumboMan

Makes f-16 pilots salty when you kill them because they think this is a Chinese f-16

Rayheat
Rayheat

JF 17 SUPREMACY

BEST FIGHTER JET
KILL ALL OF NATO 10 SECOND FLAT
DOES NOT BREAK ON UPDATE
SEXY NORTHROP GRUMMAN APPEAL (DO NOT CONFRONT IRONWORK FANBOY ABOUT THIS FACT)
BEAUTIFUL CHINESE ENGINEERING (ONLY ESSENTIAL SYSTEMS, NO NEED FOR FANCY COCKPIT DESIGN)
REPAIRABLE BY ANY MONKEY, ALL SUPPLIES EASILY AVAILABLE FROM ALI BABA.
PERFECT LIGHTWEIGHT FIGHTER WITH SUPERIOR ENERGY AND INSTANTANEOUS TURN POTENTIAL (SUPERIOR CHENGDU ENGINEERING)

NATO COPE HARDER, RETIRE MORE TICONDEROGAS, ABM WON'T SAVE YOU FROM THE DIVINE DONGFENG

ACCEPT CHONG AS YOUR NEW SAVIOR

rybodhi
rybodhi

I own the F-16C & the F/A 18 C but my preferred ride is the JF-17 Thunder.
I play in VR and the nice big displays really help! Just the way the weapon systems are arranged, it is logical and easier to learn in comparison to the Viper or the Hornet.

She flies great! I really love this module!

I would like to see Eagle Dynamics create a Campaign however, I don't think we have anything which is a little disappointing. (I would happily pay for more content!)

I wish a modder out there would add a hook so she could be Carrier capable, that would be awesome but all in all I happy with what I have got.

In summary I totally recommend this module!

(Especially for the newer player as you will find her easier to pick up than some of the others.)

Prering
Prering

Killed two F16s in TWS DTT with two SD10s and a Hornet with a glidebomb at the same time

Makes blue team salty af

10/10 would order on Alibaba again

Xocolatlite
Xocolatlite

This jet flew under the radar for a lot of people because it isn't a famous NATO fighter, but it's by far the least buggy modern fighter in DCS. In many ways, it's the spiritual successor of the F-20--an affordable export fighter with modern avionics, but gimped performance to make it more affordable for second tier air forces.

While it lacks the payload to perform multiple missions in a single sortie, it has a highly modern suite of weapon options that make it a versatile multirole fighter. It can do everything an F-18 can in the air, just not at the same time. You'll need to specialize in an A-A or A-G loadout for each sortie if you want to be effective.

From a systems standpoint, it's intuitive and easy to learn. It has a single-axis FBW system, so it feels unintrusive to fly compared to the F-18. The large MFDs and advanced situational awareness (buffed even further if you take a jamming pod with you) ensure you'll be more aware of the battlefield than other fighters, which helps you significantly with controlling where and how engagements unfold.

This is important because, performance wise, your Achilles heel is an underpowered engine, which makes 2 circle and vertical fights inadvisable. BVR is the preferred engagement range against most contemporaries.

Your weapons options include a formidable Fox-3 in the SD-10, allowing you to keep your distance and avoid close encounters with higher performance NATO aircraft. For ground weapons, the LD-10 gives you the best SEAD capabilities of any modern fighter in the game. It has more features and better performance than the HARM, while man-in-the-loop cruise and anti-ship missiles provide long range options for high priority land and sea targets. Laser guided rockets and a suite of guided and unguided bombs round out the CAS and anti armor weaponry.

Overall, this is a highly capable module with options for every playstyle. It provides an extremely high degree of situational awareness and standoff A-A weapons to compensate for its weaknesses up close. I'd strongly recommend it if you want off the NATO beaten path.