Project Sabre II

Project Sabre II was a Pakistani initiative launched in 1987 to develop an affordable multirole combat jet based on the Chengdu F-7 Skybolt, a Chinese variant of the MiG-21. The program aimed to replace Pakistan's aging Shenyang F-6 fleet with an upgraded version of the F-7M. Grumman Aerospace was contracted to provide expertise, but the project faced financial challenges and was terminated in 1995 due to high costs and U.S.-China tensions after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

U.S. sanctions and an arms embargo on Pakistan further hindered the program. In response, Pakistan sought alternative solutions, collaborating with China on the JF-17 Thunder project, which successfully replaced the F-6 fleet in 2003.