 |
Pakistan Air Force's First Aggressor Unit TDS
Sep 13, 2017
Pakistan, China Air Forces Started Shaheen VI Exercise
On September 7, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) began their bilateral air exercise – Shaheen VI – China. The annually-held exercise, which will conclude on September 27, involves as many as 19 PAF fighter and support aircraft.
Pakistan’s state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reports that the PLAAF contingent for Shaheen VI includes the Shenyang J-11 (i.e. license-built Chinese Su-27 Flanker), Xian JH-7/JH-7A strike aircraft, and KJ-200 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. A PLAAF spokesperson told APP that Chinese ground forces and air defence units are also participating. Photos of the exercise, published by Xinhua, show that the Shenyang J-8II interceptor is also participating with the PLAAF.
The PAF appears to be participating with the JF-17 Thunder, which is jointly produced by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), CAIG F-7P and the Karakoram Eagle ZDK03-based AEW&C.
Pakistan and China rotate the responsibility of hosting the Shaheen exercise, with Shaheen V being held in Pakistan in 2016. That year, the PAF also participated in Anatolian Eagle and Red Flag in Turkey and the U.S., respectively. The PAF also conducted its force-wide exercise, Tempest II, in 2016.
Besides benchmarking operational practices and performance with partnering air forces, exercises of this nature also enable the PAF to engage in dissimilar air combat training (DACT). Of particular interest would be the Shenyang J-11, which is a Flanker variant like the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Su-30MKI.
Pakistan’s state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reports that the PLAAF contingent for Shaheen VI includes the Shenyang J-11 (i.e. license-built Chinese Su-27 Flanker), Xian JH-7/JH-7A strike aircraft, and KJ-200 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. A PLAAF spokesperson told APP that Chinese ground forces and air defence units are also participating. Photos of the exercise, published by Xinhua, show that the Shenyang J-8II interceptor is also participating with the PLAAF.
 |
| Shaheen-VI |
The PAF appears to be participating with the JF-17 Thunder, which is jointly produced by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), CAIG F-7P and the Karakoram Eagle ZDK03-based AEW&C.
Pakistan and China rotate the responsibility of hosting the Shaheen exercise, with Shaheen V being held in Pakistan in 2016. That year, the PAF also participated in Anatolian Eagle and Red Flag in Turkey and the U.S., respectively. The PAF also conducted its force-wide exercise, Tempest II, in 2016.
Besides benchmarking operational practices and performance with partnering air forces, exercises of this nature also enable the PAF to engage in dissimilar air combat training (DACT). Of particular interest would be the Shenyang J-11, which is a Flanker variant like the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Su-30MKI.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
Pakistan has witnessed new defense acquisitions in this decade than any other, and in the center of it all is the new fighter which ... -
Pakistani pilots flying modernised versions of the 1970s-vintage F-16 Falcon fighter have beaten the RAF's brand-new Eurofig... -
The terrorist attack on Karachi's Mehran Naval Station on May 22 was conceived and launched by India with the primary objective o...