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Air force dropped 10,600 bombs in two years: Qamar
15 November, 2011
DUBAI: Pakistan Air Force chief has outlined details of airpower's role in a three-year-old campaign waged against Taliban insurgents entrenched in the northwest tribal areas, reports Flight Global.
Speaking at the Dubai International Air Chiefs' Conference, Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman confirmed for the first time the role played by the air force's Lockheed Martin F-16s and specially-equipped Lockheed C-130s.
Until August 2008, Pakistan's air force had no experience in participating in counter-insurgency operations. The role had previously been dominated by the army's artillery and helicopters.
Believing the range and precision of the air force's new F-16 fleet could yield better results, the air force embarked on a rapid learning curve. The air force acquired Goodrich DB-110 targeting pods for F-16s and fitted C-130s with FLIR Systems Brite Star II and Star Safire III sensors, Suleman said.
The fighters in August 2008 launched a bombardment against a newly discovered Taliban stronghold of about 200 fighters in the small village of Loe Sam, Suleman said. The Pakistani Air Force later applied a number of lessons from the Loe Sam operation on a subsequent campaign against major Taliban positions in the Swat valley.
Among the lessons was the need to monitor and strike mountain passes that could be used as escape routes for the displaced Taliban fighters, Suleman said. In the first two years of counter-insurgency operations, the air force conducted more than 5,500 strike sorties, dropped 10,600 bombs and hit 4,600 targets, Suleman said.
AINONLINE adds the commander of the PAF described some lessons learned to the air chiefs' conference. The need for good airborne reconnaissance was paramount, said Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleiman.
When the Army launched large-scale operations in the remote Federally Administered Tribal Areas in August 2008, the PAF had to rely on Google Earth imagery when planning air support missions, Suleiman admitted.
However, by the time that the army was ready to move against insurgents in the Swat valley in May 2009, the PAF had acquired Goodrich DB-110 electro-optical reconnaissance pods for its F-16 fighters, together with the same company's ground station for imagery exploitation. Intelligence analysts could now identify terrorist training camps, ammunition dumps and command and control facilities. Some of these targets were well camouflaged and protected by bunkers, Suleiman noted.
Two days before the ground offensive was launched, the PAF launched a series of interdiction missions and followed up with close air support throughout the six-month campaign. From the imagery collected by the PAF, the army was also able to identify suitable landing zones for the airdrops of commandos.
In these mountainous regions, airpower was best delivered from medium altitude by fast jets, Suleiman said. "The army has lost many attack helicopters due to their operating limitations at high elevations and [due to] hostile fire," he noted. Fighters could also react more quickly to developing combat situations.
When the army turned its attention to South Waziristan in October 2009, the PAF conducted a seven-day campaign in advance. By now, the service had added FLIR Systems Star Safire III EO/IR sensor ball to one of its C-130 transports. Army staff on board the C-130 was able to track the movement of terrorists at night and radio maneuvering instructions to soldiers on the ground.
The PAF has completely overhauled its tactics and techniques for the conduct of irregular warfare, Suleiman said. All of the squadrons were put through a training program over a four-month period. Laser-guided bombs have been used in 80 percent of the PAF strikes, the PAF chief revealed.
Avoiding collateral damage was a primary concern, he explained, "especially since we were engaging targets within our own country. We engage isolated structures only, away from populated areas."
More than 10,600 bombs have been dropped and 4,600 targets destroyed, he said. The PAF has flown more than 500 F-16 sorties with the DB-110 pod, and 650 with the Star Safire EO/IR sensor on the C-130.
The statistics may impress but while Suleiman claimed that "we've broken the back of militants in the Fata," he also warned that offensive military engagement could only accomplish" 10 to 15 percent" of the task of pacifying the tribal areas. The rest must be done by dialogue, winning hearts and minds through economic development of these very poor regions, he said.
In his presentation, Air Chief Marshall did not mention the Selex Galileo Falco UAV. However, Pakistan was the first customer for the reconnaissance drone, which carries the Anglo-Italian company's own electro-optical/infrared sensor ball.
Suleiman later told AIN that there had been problems with the UAV's data link, caused partly by terrain masking. "Then we put in a relay station and started flying it higher, so now we are using it more," he continued.
Courtesy: The News
15 November, 2011
DUBAI: Pakistan Air Force chief has outlined details of airpower's role in a three-year-old campaign waged against Taliban insurgents entrenched in the northwest tribal areas, reports Flight Global.
Speaking at the Dubai International Air Chiefs' Conference, Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman confirmed for the first time the role played by the air force's Lockheed Martin F-16s and specially-equipped Lockheed C-130s.
Until August 2008, Pakistan's air force had no experience in participating in counter-insurgency operations. The role had previously been dominated by the army's artillery and helicopters.
Believing the range and precision of the air force's new F-16 fleet could yield better results, the air force embarked on a rapid learning curve. The air force acquired Goodrich DB-110 targeting pods for F-16s and fitted C-130s with FLIR Systems Brite Star II and Star Safire III sensors, Suleman said.
The fighters in August 2008 launched a bombardment against a newly discovered Taliban stronghold of about 200 fighters in the small village of Loe Sam, Suleman said. The Pakistani Air Force later applied a number of lessons from the Loe Sam operation on a subsequent campaign against major Taliban positions in the Swat valley.
Among the lessons was the need to monitor and strike mountain passes that could be used as escape routes for the displaced Taliban fighters, Suleman said. In the first two years of counter-insurgency operations, the air force conducted more than 5,500 strike sorties, dropped 10,600 bombs and hit 4,600 targets, Suleman said.
AINONLINE adds the commander of the PAF described some lessons learned to the air chiefs' conference. The need for good airborne reconnaissance was paramount, said Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleiman.
When the Army launched large-scale operations in the remote Federally Administered Tribal Areas in August 2008, the PAF had to rely on Google Earth imagery when planning air support missions, Suleiman admitted.
However, by the time that the army was ready to move against insurgents in the Swat valley in May 2009, the PAF had acquired Goodrich DB-110 electro-optical reconnaissance pods for its F-16 fighters, together with the same company's ground station for imagery exploitation. Intelligence analysts could now identify terrorist training camps, ammunition dumps and command and control facilities. Some of these targets were well camouflaged and protected by bunkers, Suleiman noted.
Two days before the ground offensive was launched, the PAF launched a series of interdiction missions and followed up with close air support throughout the six-month campaign. From the imagery collected by the PAF, the army was also able to identify suitable landing zones for the airdrops of commandos.
In these mountainous regions, airpower was best delivered from medium altitude by fast jets, Suleiman said. "The army has lost many attack helicopters due to their operating limitations at high elevations and [due to] hostile fire," he noted. Fighters could also react more quickly to developing combat situations.
When the army turned its attention to South Waziristan in October 2009, the PAF conducted a seven-day campaign in advance. By now, the service had added FLIR Systems Star Safire III EO/IR sensor ball to one of its C-130 transports. Army staff on board the C-130 was able to track the movement of terrorists at night and radio maneuvering instructions to soldiers on the ground.
The PAF has completely overhauled its tactics and techniques for the conduct of irregular warfare, Suleiman said. All of the squadrons were put through a training program over a four-month period. Laser-guided bombs have been used in 80 percent of the PAF strikes, the PAF chief revealed.
Avoiding collateral damage was a primary concern, he explained, "especially since we were engaging targets within our own country. We engage isolated structures only, away from populated areas."
More than 10,600 bombs have been dropped and 4,600 targets destroyed, he said. The PAF has flown more than 500 F-16 sorties with the DB-110 pod, and 650 with the Star Safire EO/IR sensor on the C-130.
The statistics may impress but while Suleiman claimed that "we've broken the back of militants in the Fata," he also warned that offensive military engagement could only accomplish" 10 to 15 percent" of the task of pacifying the tribal areas. The rest must be done by dialogue, winning hearts and minds through economic development of these very poor regions, he said.
In his presentation, Air Chief Marshall did not mention the Selex Galileo Falco UAV. However, Pakistan was the first customer for the reconnaissance drone, which carries the Anglo-Italian company's own electro-optical/infrared sensor ball.
Suleiman later told AIN that there had been problems with the UAV's data link, caused partly by terrain masking. "Then we put in a relay station and started flying it higher, so now we are using it more," he continued.
Courtesy: The News
eventhough most of the pics i uploaded were from translated french and indonasian forums-- which were later uploaded to blogs and then reposted here by members
kahan tak daikhoon ... Thanks buddy
