Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Small but better Vision set for Pakistan Air force

Small but better Vision set for Pakistan Air force


     The Pakistani Air force rapidly growing as a formidable air force with the induction of JF 17 block 2 fighters and F 16 Blk 52 fighters along with Airborne control center and multi role Tanker aircraft. PAF Spokesperson said this in a interview, when the PAC - Pakistani Aeronautical Complex delivered the 16th JF 17 Blk 2 fighter this year, Completing the goal of 16 Aircraft per year. He also said about the future of PAF with two advanced aircraft's. along with one twin engine aircraft.

    Pakistani Airforce plans to decommission all older generation fighter aircraft before 2020 and keep  just two model of advanced fighter aircraft later 2020. The older Fighter jets like French made Mirage series and Chinese modified MiG 21 are about to be completely withdrawn by 2020. In 2020 PAF would operate JF 17 Blk 2 and 3 version, F 16 Blk 52 version along with low number of either J 31 or the Su 35 for special missions.

    Pakistan air force set to receive the modified Block 3 fighters by early 2017, with Chinese made AESA Radar's, New engines and improved avionics and electronic warfare suites. PAF operates some fifty older generation JF 17's. Even though they do have the BVR capability and able to launch Anti shipping missiles too. Pakistan deployed a modified JF 17 blk 1 squadron close to Karachi for naval strike missions. PAC also plans to modernize those early models with advanced systems present in Blk 2 variants.

    The Block 2 version is currently in serial production, That PAF plans to induct thirty two fighter jets in two years span. The target set to PAC to deliver those new Blk variants within two years time. The PAC also completed the first batch of 16 aircraft's this year, and about to produce another 16 in 2016.


    The Chinese testing new engines avionics and radar's in their J 10 platform. Which can be easily transferred to the PAF JF 17's. China currently testing those new systems in J 10 B platform and set to achieve the goals before the fall of 2016.  Thus shows the Pakistani's can easily adopt new Chinese technologies in newer JF 17 when the production starts in 2017.

    Pakistani's another option is the proven F 16 fighters. PAF operates some seventy six F 16 Fighters where most of them are advanced variants. Those F 16 are multi role aircraft's comes with decent air to air mission systems and air to ground options. PAF also pressing the Americans to supply additional F 16 Blk 52 aircraft's. The Americans didn't responded the Pakistani proposal this time.

    The American government is ready to supply the new F 16 to Pakistani Air force. However the American congress dominated by the Republicans blocked the US government proposal of possible FMS sale. The Senate committee almost close to isolate the Pakistani's from the US allies list, Due to many reasons, Which include their support of terrorism and connections with China and Russia.

     It's reported due to the increased interests with Indians, Americans moving away from Pakistani options. The Republican President candidate Trump fingers Pakistan is the mother of Terrorists and US have many plans which include deploying American ground forces. He also supported Indian view of Pakistan and China, Also endorsed the US Congress option of making close relationship with India.

    It's clearly the PAF may add upto some 200 plus modern fourth generation fighter aircrafts and another twelve Su 35 S or J 31 advanced twin engine fighter jets before 2020. The fleet Supported by Il 78 tanker aircraft's for long range  mission supports,


    The PAF also have four SAAB 2000 Erieye airborne control center, The force multipliers make the fighter jets more powerful with additional jamming and control supports. PAF has another set of four Chinese AESA mounted on the An 12 modified as YJ 8 in China.

    The small but outstanding force is good enough to challenge the Indian Air force. However the 200 fighters numbers seems tiny when IAF operates more than six hundred modern twin engine fighters with advanced network centric systems.

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