Pakistan Air Force's First Aggressor Unit TDS

Pakistan Air Force's First Aggressor Unit TDS

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.

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.

Pakistan’s Next-Generation Fighter Jet Program Indigenization will be critical Says PAF Cheif

ACM Sohail Aman was able to offer interesting details regarding success accrued from the JF-17 Thunder, the PAF’s plans for a next-generation fighter, the vision behind Kamra Aviation City, and the rationale of setting up the Airpower Centre for Excellence (ACE). This week, we will take a look at ACM Sohail Aman’s vision in regards to the development of a next-generation fighter.

Just as important as the acquisition of a next-generation fighter itself, the CAS definitively established the need to build a sufficiently capable indigenous base to source and support that fighter. The rationale is driven by the reality that a next-generation aircraft is dependent upon financial and political strings that not only inhibit the PAF from progressing in terms of its modernization needs, but also limit the country in terms of its independence. Breaking away from this dynamic is the principal objective of the current PAF leadership, and a set of objectives for 2030 have been put into motion.

If the JF-17 paved the groundwork for such goals, the next-generation fighter would essentially form the pillars of what would hopefully be – one day – a capable domestic aerospace industry. The PAF is hoping to use the development of a next-generation fighter as a means to master most of the core technology necessary to produce and support the fighter with the minimum of dependency on an external source.

The nucleus of this ambitious objective is Kamra Aviation City. Naturally, before the thought of even trying to absorb the necessary technology can come into play, the CAS has recognized the need to build the requisite intellectual capital and human resources capacity. Kamra Aviation City is being established in very close proximity to Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), and it will serve as a home for educational as well as research institutions designed to produce the skilled personnel necessary to work on in-sourcing the technology used on a next-generation fighter.

The physical infrastructure will be ready in three to five years, but the necessary level of capacity (especially in terms of skilled personnel) will come to fruition in 10-15 years. Kamra Aviation City will be home to institutes capable of producing masters and PhD-level aerospace and aeronautical development professionals. The PAF is collaborating with several friendly countries on the matter, but what that means in specific terms was not made known.

Pakistan's PAF Re-equip Squadron No 2 Minhas With JF-17

PAF Re-Equip Squadron No 2 Minhas with JF-17

Pakistan Could Be Eyeing Russian Yak-130 Trainers

Pakistan could be showing an interest in the Yak-130 trainer of Russia after concluding a deal to purchase four Mi-35 Hind helicopters.

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) does not have a modern combat trainer though it operates advanced aircraft such as the American F-16, and the Pakistani-Chinese JF-17.

Pakistan Air Force officials have been talking to executives from Rosoboronexport and Irkut, the maker of the Yak-130 in various arms trade shows, though no definite intention to buy has been received.

The PAF does not have an advanced jet trainer to train its fighter pilots. It has a basic trainer, the propeller-driven Super Mushshak, which is a product of a Pakistani-Chinese partnership. For intermediate jet training it has the K-8 Karakorum and the Cessna T-17. Together with its Chinese partners, it manufactures the Super Mushak which is used as a basic trainer.

Yak-130

The sources said that the PAF was interested in the Yak-120 for it unique feature of mimicking the flying characteristics of a number of fighter aircraft such as the F-16 and JF-17 which will make the task of transiting from a trainer to a fighter a lot easy for pilots.

All these years, Rosoboronexport may have been cold to the idea of selling Pakistan advanced aircraft; firstly due to Russia's position of being India's dominant military equipment supplier and secondly for fear of its aircraft being falling into the hands of Chinese copycats.

IAF's MiG-25RB Foxbat : The LEGEND that could never be intercepted

Most often, the recent advances in technology and innovation make the achievements of previous years a delightful comic to read on a Sunday afternoon. However there do exist an elite league of legendary accomplishments which stand their ground even to this day even after decades have passed into oblivion. The moon Landings by USA for example, which to this day remains nothing short of a spectacular benchmark in space technology has remained unchallenged.

In the year 1981, an aircraft which was more of a manned ballistic missile on steroids entered service in the Indian Air Force changing the course of history as it is. Its induction in the IAF brought in an entirely new performance envelope for its fighter pilots and it became necessary to wear special pressure suits to survive at its service ceiling from where in the curvature of the Earth was visible from the very edge of space.

To the NATO it was known as the “Foxbat” and the IAF christened it the name “Garuda” , the large mythical bird-like creature from the Hindu mythology whose wings were massive enough to block out the sun. Only 42 top pilots of IAF ever qualified to fly solo in the aircraft in 25 years of its glorious service which led its flawless record of zero interception even if detected.

IAF Mig-25

The first prototype of the Mikoyan MiG-25RB Foxbat-B was designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau in 1964. The aircraft could do Mach 2.8, and it was possible to sustain flights of Mach 3.2 in the early 1970s, but the engines being damaged beyond repair were a concern at such extreme supersonic speeds. To bring that into perspective, the Eurofighter Typhoon even with all the modern technology these days can super cruise at Mach 1.5. To achieve Mach 3, the airframe were built to withstand the airflow temperatures of up to 300 degrees Celsius. The MiG-25's sustained speed was far above above the dash speed of all other fighters of whichever nation or built, either in 1970’s or even today. In all, 29 records were claimed by the aircraft, of which seven were all-time world records for time to height, altitudes of 20,000 m and higher, and speed. Several records still stand today.

The Indian Air Force inducted the reconnaissance version which was a very high altitude, supersonic aircraft capable of a service ceiling which made its interception by enemy fighters or surface to air missiles a joke at IAF’s Nos 102 Squadron 'Trisonics' who flew and serviced these majestic birds. The version IAF had were the MiG-25RB for reconnaissance and the MiG-25U two seater for conversion training. Countless top secret reconnaissance missions were flown over hostile territory of Pakistan and China documenting military bases and surveying the situation on the ground. These flights provided crucial intelligence during war and helped India stay two steps ahead in the reconnaissance game.

F-16IN to make a comeback in MMRCA-II

According to The Indian Express, the United States has extended an offer to India to jointly produce a line of fighter jets to both enhance military ties as well as provide for India’s frontline fighter fleet shortage. This comes right after the Indian government announced that the MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) deal, originally signed with France’s Dassault Aviation, was, for all intents and purposes, over. Bumps, missteps and poor communication contributed to the downfall of the contract which would have seen a set of Rafales built in France to Indian specifications, while the remaining number of jets to be procured in the deal would be built under license in India. So that means India will soon be back on the market, looking for another multi-role fighter to fulfill its needs for another fifteen to twenty years while it works on developing its own indigenous stealth fighter program and makes the best of the mess that is the Sukhoi/HAL FGFA, the joint Russian-Indian derivative of the PAK FA/T-50 stealth fighter prototype.

Among the many offers tendered to India during the MMRCA competition was one from Lockheed Martin, featuring a heavily-updated version of one of the most successful fighter aircraft in history- the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Designated the F-16IN Super Viper, Lockheed Martin went as far as to call it “the most advanced F-16 ever”.

F-16IN

The integration of fifth-generation technology into the fourth-generation platform is pretty much what makes an already-potent fighter an even more potent air-to-air and air-to-ground killer. Using the Block 60 configuration as the base to work off of, Lockheed Martin added a number of upgrades to beef up the Fighting Falcon into the Super Viper. The most powerful upgrade comes in the form of the AN/APG-80 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar system, which is already in service with the United Arab Emirates’ Block 60 Desert Falcons.

Pakistan's New F-16s Can Beat India's Su-30s

Pakistan's latest fleet of F-16 Block 52 variants can beat India's front line Sukhoi Su-30MKIs in a one-on-one dogfight, a top Indian government official told Arming India, in an admission that the Indian Air Force (IAF) lacks a counter to its enemy number one's air combat platform.

That's precisely why India had chosen French Rafales as its Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) that can counter the F-16's capabilities. India's Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar had told Parliament last week that the government had earlier this year withdrawn a 2007 tender for 126 MMRCA, a contest in which Rafale was chosen by India.

The two squadrons of F-16C/D variants of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) have superior electronic warfare capabilities and that's what is worrying the IAF commanders, the highly-placed government official, who did not wish to be identified, citing service rules, said in a tête-à-tête with Arming India on July 30, 2015.

"It is not the BVR (Beyond Visual Range) air battles, but the close air battles that the Su-30s can't match up with the F-16C/D variants. The PAF planes have superior electronic warfare capabilities and the contemporary air battles rely more on EW capabilities to beat an enemy combat plane in a one-on-one dogfight," the official said.

Su-30MKI

The contemporary air battle strategies revolve around neutralizing enemy planes at beyond visual range. But there is a possibility that some enemy plane would sneak in through the air defense measures in place. In such a scenario, the enemy plane could wreak havoc on the Indian troops and assets on the ground. As a counter, fighter jets may have to be scrambled to take on the enemy plane one-on-one.

The official also noted that for every one F-16 that PAF has, India has to deploy two Su-30s if the enemy fleet is to be beaten. "If the F-16 goes after one Su-30, it can run and the other Su-30 can get a go at the enemy F-16. That way, the IAF has to deploy too many of its Su-30 resources for just countering the F-16s."
PAF currently operates four F-16 squadrons, of which two deploy the F-16 Block 52 variants. India has inducted 10 Su-30 squadrons in its fleet till date and plan to have four more of the Russian-origin, India-built planes in the fleet soon.

In July 2015, American original equipment manufacturer Lockheed Martin received a follow-on foreign military sale contract to produce and upgrade Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) for the PAF's F-16 fleet. The contract includes the production of 15 Sniper ATPs and upgrades to the Pakistan Air Force’s existing 22 Sniper ATPs, according to an announcement from the company on July 14, 2015.

AVIC Presents FC-31 Stealth Fighter model to Pakistan Air Force

Mr Li Yuhai Executive Vice President of AVIC presents FC-31 model visiting Pakistani CAS Air Marshal Suhail Aman.

J-31 

Technically ill-matched Indian Air Force losing ground to PAF

Defense PSU HAL has been unable to properly maintain, update or equip IAF with the essentials needed to put forth a respectable challenge for the rival Pakistan Air Force. Inadequate training also provided to rookie pilots is also one of the main reasons the Indian Air Force is heading towards decline, as far as maintaining standards is concerned.

On Tuesday morning, the dismal condition of IAF further came to light when a Jaguar fighter crashed 13 km east of Allahabad. Fortunately, the two pilots were able to eject themselves and escape the ordeal. The hapless condition of IAF can be judged from the fact that it is down to 35 squadrons, with some of them existing only on paper.
This was the sixth fighter IAF jet to crash since January of this year, a stat that should ring alarm bells for India. India’s hostile neighbour Pakistan has one of the best air forces in the world and so does China. India is involved in border disputes and has militarily been confronted by both Pakistan and China in the past. The IAF has a battle on its hands with its fast-depleting fighter strength, which will progressively get worse with the virtually obsolete MiG-21s and MiG-27s headed for long-delayed retirement.

Jf-17 Thunder

Whilst the Chinese have almost three times the number of fighter jets than India, Pakistan Air Force is also flying close to the Indians. Pakistan Air Force has 21 combat squadrons at their disposal, with four more soon to be added to the overall quantity. India and Pakistan have fought three wars with each other, and it is a known fact that PAF has always bested the Indian Air Force in encounters.

PAF Wants to Buy Chinese Stealth Aircraft

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has expressed interest in procuring fourth generation stealth fighter aircraft FC-31 from China.

Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain told Dawn on Friday the matter was being discussed with Chinese authorities.

It is for the first time that a senior government functionary has confirmed talks with China over purchase of the longer-range stealth aircraft — an issue that has been a subject of speculation in defence circles since the 10th edition of the Zhuhai Air Show (China) held earlier this month, when the aircraft was unveiled.

The Jane’s Defence Weekly had quoted an unnamed Pakistani official as saying that the PAF was holding talks with China for the purchase of 30 to 40 of the Shenyang FC-31 fighter planes and that discussions had gone beyond initial inquiries.

The FC-31 is being developed by China primarily for the export market. Chinese officials claim that several countries have expressed interest in the aircraft believed to be comparable to US F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

A Chinese J-31 stealth fighter

A prototype of the aircraft, designated as J-31, has been flown by the Chinese aircraft research and development firm Shenyang Aviation Company for a couple of years now.

What particularly interests the PAF is that FC-31 prototype (J-31) and JF-17 use the same Russian Klimov RD-93 engines.

Pakistan is increasingly relying on China as a reliable source for its defence procurements.

Mr Hussain said that Pakistan was also interested in Chinese attack helicopter Z-10.

China and Pakistan had earlier co-produced JF-17 Thunder. Pakistan has been eagerly trying to market this fighter aircraft.

“We have nearly confirmed orders from seven countries for JF-17,” Mr Hussain said.

Pakistan, which is at present producing Block-2 of JF-17 at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, is eyeing orders from countries in the Middle East and Africa.

JF-17 Block 2 makes first flight ahead of Block 3 improvements

The first Block 2 JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft made its maiden flight from the Pakistan Aeronautical Company (PAC) facility at Kamra on 9 February.

The aircraft (serial number 2P01) made three more successful flights before being taken to the paint shop in mid-February. The test flights came as a boost as PAC continues to look for a first export customer for its platform.

Air Commodore Ahsan Rafiq, Deputy Chief Project Director (Operations) JF-17 and a former commanding officer of the JF-17 Test and Evaluation Unit, described the Block 2 version as "an upgraded Block 1 with an air-to-air refuelling (AAR) probe, enhanced oxygen system [to allow the pilot to stay in the air longer], and improved electronic countermeasures system (ECS)".

JF-17 Block  2

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has a contract for 50 Block 2 JF-17s but as Air Cdre Ahsan pointed out, "the full AAR system will not appear until the 29th jet, which should fly later this year [at Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) in China]."

In a further development that sends a clear signal that PAC and Chinese marketing partner CATIC intend business in the international arena, the Block 2 JF-17 will also have a two-seater version, which is now being developed at Chengdu according to the PAF's requirements.

Pakistan Successfully Tests Indigenous Burraq Armed Drone Technology

Pakistan's indigenously developed Armed drone Burraq can fly in all weather conditions, launch Barq laser-guided missiles.Pakistan Becomes One of 8th countries in the world that have indigenous Laser-guided, armed drone technology.

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Inducts Chinese-built Karakoram Eagle Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS)

Karakoram Eagle  AWACS

In a bid to improve the country’s defence capabilities, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) inducted on Thursday a Chinese-built ‘Karakoram Eagle’ Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS)
The new aircraft, introduced at a ceremony held at an operational PAF base in Karachi, is capable of detecting hostile aerial and sea surface targets far before ground-based radars regardless of their height. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was the chief guest at the ceremony.
The aerial warfare branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces announced that the new aircraft will be a part of the No4 Squadron.

PAF proudly said that the country’s air defence is now able to look deeper in enemy territory, be it land or sea.

Russia Plan to Induct 55 PAK-FAs by 2020

The Russian Air Force (VVS) will have received 55 Sukhoi PAK-FA (T-50) fighter aircraft by 2020, according to Vladislav Goncharenko, the deputy director of the United Aircraft Corporation's (UAC's) combat aircraft department.

The first PAK-FA deliveries are scheduled for 2016.

 

 

Sukhoi PAK-FA (T-50) fighter aircraft

 

Pakistan Air Force has an edge over Indian Air Force: Indian Parliamentary panel

NEW DELHI- The strength of Indian Air Force combat fleet is down to 25 squadrons, the Parliamentary panel observed.

"With regard to the existing squadron strength, we are down to 25 squadrons today while Pakistan Air Force has 26 squadrons of operational combat fleet," the committee pointed out.

The standing committee on defence in its report observed that the national security was being compromised.

Pakistan Air Force

According to the committee, one of the reasons for the plight of their combatant strength in the skies is the considerable delay in procurement of various platforms.

The 33-member panel said, "Our capability in contrast to our neighbors is eroding quickly."

The committee members were concerned to know about the strategy being pursued to fill the huge gaps in sanctioned and existing trainer aircrafts.

China-Pakistan JF-17 Fighter Jet Nears First Foreign Deal

An unidentified Middle Eastern country is in “advanced” talks to make the first foreign purchase of JF-17 fighter jet jointly developed by Pakistan and China. 

The joint sales team from the Pakistan Air Force and China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation also known as CATIC, are in advanced talks with 10 other countries to sell the JF-17 Thunder, said PAF Air Commodore Khalid Mahmood, who heads sales and marketing for the fighter jet. 

“We are in advanced negotiations with a Middle Eastern country, but the political situation over there has delayed the deal,” said Mahmood in an interview at the Zhuhai Air Show yesterday, declining to give more details. “But we still expect them to be our first foreign client.” 

JF-17 Thunder

The JF-17 Thunder fighter jet is among several aircraft China is seeking to export, after designating its domestic aerospace sector as a key national strategic industry. The single-engine jet was jointly designed and manufactured by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China, also known as AVIC. 

The partners are in “advanced talks” with clients in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America for jet sales, Mahmood said. He declined to identify any of them. Prospective orders will be for the third block of 50 planes, with the Pakistan Air Force having ordered the first two blocks of 50. 

JF-17s Block 2 Under Construction In Pakistan

Production of the first two of 50 JF-17's Block 2  on order by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is now well under way at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, with the first expected to fly by the end of the year.

The Block 2 JF-17 has several capability increases over the Block 1s, but the main boost to the PAF as well as to export potential is the installation of an air-to-air refuelling system. One aircraft has been fitted with a refuelling probe, which protrudes from the right side of the fuselage just behind the cockpit, sitting forward of the pilot's position. It is being used for flight trials.

JF-17 Block 2

However, this modification will not appear in Block 2 aircraft until midway through the production at the Aircraft Manufacturing Factory (AMF), probably in early 2016, PAF officials said. Coupled with software enhancements, other new features include an upgrade to the avionics system that works around China's Nanjing KLJ-7 radar.

As a result, the Block 2s can add the Chinese-designed C-802 anti-ship missile and SD-10A beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile to the Block 1s' existing armoury, which includes Mk 82/84 dumb bombs and the PL-5-EII short-range air-to-air missile. All the Block 1s will eventually be upgraded with the Block 2 improvements.

PAF-PLAAF Starts Joint Air Exercise - Shaheen-III (2014)

A Chinese air force contingent arrived in Pakistan on Monday for a joint drill. The drill, code-named \"Shaheen (Eagle)-3,\" will be held at the Rafiqui air base in the northeastern province of Punjab. The joint training, part of the exchange and cooperation programs between the two air forces, is expected to strengthen the friendly and cooperative relationship, the Chinese Defense Ministry said in a statement.

 Shaheen-III Air Exercise

 The first such drill was held in Pakistan in March 2011, and the second in China\'s western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region last August.

No J-10B for PAF Anytime Soon | PAF Offical Calls For A Focus On 5th Generation Platform Instead