Pakistan is acquiring Chinese air-to-air missiles and avionics to arm its 250 JF-17 Thunder fighter fleet. Pakistan air force chief said this amid signs that the French had spurned offer to equip them. Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman Chief of the Pakistani Air Force told the Global Times that his country may also opt to acquire other advanced defence missile systems including Chinese Surface to Air Missiles – SAM – systems. Suleman currently on a visit to China told the paper that the advanced active radar and homing middle-range missile developed by China, called the SD-10 will become the standard Beyond Visual Range weapon of the JF-17. The paper said that Pakistan may also buy upto four batteries of the Chinese SAM missiles.Pakistan Air Force has a big fleet of Chinese made fighters including F-7PGs and A-5s. The medium technology JF-17 or Thunder jets manufactured jointly with China are a new addition to Pakistan armoury.'Global Times' quoting unnamed sources claimed that the French consortium has withdrawn from a reported 1.2 billion euro contract to supply radars and missiles for the first wave of 50 JF-17 fighters.