Pakistan Air Force | News & Discussions.

[GumNaam]

Once again, we fail to see smile on his face with same positioning of the legs.

View attachment 813991

it's not a smiling contest.

 

[The Eagle]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1491387819423838209

https://twitter.com/x/status/1491387968254541826

 

[Raja Porus]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1492059150594953216

 

[ghazi52]

 

[Windjammer]

Ability Vs Capability.

There's been much debates and claims regarding how twin engine jets are more reliable than single engine ones or a certain aircraft boasts of so many hard points compared to others with fewer ones.
Well, i guess it also boils down to ability and capability. Here we have the A-5 Fantan, retired from the PAF service almost a decade earlier, it had twin engines and Ten hardpoints compared to say the Mirage 3 or 5....both are single engine and have only 5 hardpoints. Yet the Mirage which entered into PAF service a decade before the A-5 arrived, still continues to serve in it's role.

 

[Ali_Baba]

Ability Vs Capability.

There's been much debates and claims regarding how twin engine jets are more reliable than single engine ones or a certain aircraft boasts of so many hard points compared to others with fewer ones.
Well, i guess it also boils down to ability and capability. Here we have the A-5 Fantan, retired from the PAF service almost a decade earlier, it had twin engines and Ten hardpoints compared to say the Mirage 3 or 5....both are single engine and have only 5 hardpoints. Yet the Mirage which entered into PAF service a decade before the A-5 arrived, still continues to serve in it's role.

View attachment 814879

Didn't these things needed their airframes/engines inspected/overhauled every 200-300 hrs ?

 

[nomi007]

 

[ghazi52]

CAS WITNESSES CONCLUDING CEREMONY OF INTER-BAND COMPETITION 2021-22

17 February, 2022: PAF Inter-Band Competition 2021-22 concluded at PAF Complex, Islamabad. Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force was the Chief Guest at the closing ceremony.

General discipline, dress and instruments inspection, marching in columns and drawing different patterns were part of three-day annual Musical Fiesta. Four PAF Brass Band Units displayed dexterity of professionalism and created magic with their tunes.

Moreover, in connection to Diamond Jubilee celebrations of independence of Pakistan, a special saga was performed by all participating units. While playing tunes of national and folk songs, all Band Units drew collectively the digit “75 surrounded by Crescent.” Besides, Brass and Pipers Bands from Sister Services, Student Bands of Saleem Nawaz Fazaia College, PAF Base Masroor and Fazaia Inter College, PAF Base Minhas also participated as guest performers.

The Chief Guest awarded trophies and prizes to Winner Band, Best Band Master and Best individual performers. The Chief Guest also appreciated performance and artistic pursuits of all the participants.
*PAF SPOKESPERSON*

 

[Raider 21]

Ability Vs Capability.

There's been much debates and claims regarding how twin engine jets are more reliable than single engine ones or a certain aircraft boasts of so many hard points compared to others with fewer ones.
Well, i guess it also boils down to ability and capability. Here we have the A-5 Fantan, retired from the PAF service almost a decade earlier, it had twin engines and Ten hardpoints compared to say the Mirage 3 or 5....both are single engine and have only 5 hardpoints. Yet the Mirage which entered into PAF service a decade before the A-5 arrived, still continues to serve in it's role.

View attachment 814879

French craftsmanship and aircraft design outlasted Chinese aerospace engineering in those days.
Many PAF pilots died flying this when it was introduced. Despite twin-engined, it was underpowered.
As one PAF pilot quoted "thank goodness us junior taller ones were selected on F-16s, the rest of us were not too lucky. Half a squadron of A-5s were killed in less than 3 years...."

 

[Windjammer]

French craftsmanship and aircraft design outlasted Chinese aerospace engineering in those days.
Many PAF pilots died flying this when it was introduced. Despite twin-engined, it was underpowered.
As one PAF pilot quoted "thank goodness us junior taller ones of us were selected on F-16s, the rest of us were not too lucky. Half a squadron of A-5s were killed in less than 3 years...."

Yes but the A-5s have their own potential hence the reason some are kept in storage.

 

[SQ8]

French craftsmanship and aircraft design outlasted Chinese aerospace engineering in those days.
Many PAF pilots died flying this when it was introduced. Despite twin-engined, it was underpowered.
As one PAF pilot quoted "thank goodness us junior taller ones of us were selected on F-16s, the rest of us were not too lucky. Half a squadron of A-5s were killed in less than 3 years...."

A large contributor to that issue was using the FT-6 to train A-5 pilots. The Difference in T/W was more than palpable but pilots kept flying the FT-6 while in the A-5

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

A large contributor to that issue was using the FT-6 to train A-5 pilots. The Difference in T/W was more than palpable but pilots kept flying the FT-6 while in the A-5

The A-5 was a makeshift solution to plug the gap between the shelved plan for a dedicated attack aircraft and the shift to a mostly F-16 fleet.

In the 1970s, the PAF was on the verge of ordering 110 A-7s. That deal fell through, but the British stepped in by offering the Jaguar. The PAF felt the Jaguar was too cost-prohibitive and, by the early 1980s, all eyes were on multi-role platforms like the M2K and F-16. When the PAF ordered the Peace Gate I/II F-16s, I think they decided to shift towards a large F-16 fleet like most other F-16 operators. So, in other words, the F-16 was supposed to be the swiss-knife for air-to-air and air-to-ground.

I think the A-5 was supposed to be out by the mid-1990s via the Peace Gate IV F-16s.

That said, I think the really interesting question was what the PAF would've done if it got all the F-16s. That scenario puts the Mirage ROSE program in a whole new light. We wouldn't have had as many airframes as we ultimately did. Moreover, the US' willingness to release stand-off weapons with the F-16 was always going to be iffy, especially when (at least in the 1990s) the fighter wasn't really configured for it.

IMO, something like the Tornado would've fit really, really well in that situation. When the PAF flew it, it wasn't a good fit for the multirole gap left by Pressler; but as a complementary strike-first, maritime option? Totally different story.

 

[SQ8]

The A-5 was a makeshift solution to plug the gap between the shelved plan for a dedicated attack aircraft and the shift to a mostly F-16 fleet.

In the 1970s, the PAF was on the verge of ordering 110 A-7s. That deal fell through, but the British stepped in by offering the Jaguar. The PAF felt the Jaguar was too cost-prohibitive and, by the early 1980s, all eyes were on multi-role platforms like the M2K and F-16. When the PAF ordered the Peace Gate I/II F-16s, I think they decided to shift towards a large F-16 fleet like most other F-16 operators. So, in other words, the F-16 was supposed to be the swiss-knife for air-to-air and air-to-ground.

I think the A-5 was supposed to be out by the mid-1990s via the Peace Gate IV F-16s.

That said, I think the really interesting question was what the PAF would've done if it got all the F-16s. That scenario puts the Mirage ROSE program in a whole new light. We wouldn't have had as many airframes as we ultimately did. Moreover, the US' willingness to release stand-off weapons with the F-16 was always going to be iffy, especially when (at least in the 1990s) the fighter wasn't really configured for it.

IMO, something like the Tornado would've fit really, really well in that situation. When the PAF flew it, it wasn't a good fit for the multirole gap left by Pressler; but as a complementary strike-first, maritime option? Totally different story.

Another scenario I did at some point - but it fared ok since India would add M2ks to counter it.

 

[khail007]

French craftsmanship and aircraft design outlasted Chinese aerospace engineering in those days.
Many PAF pilots died flying this when it was introduced. Despite twin-engined, it was underpowered.
As one PAF pilot quoted "thank goodness us junior taller ones were selected on F-16s, the rest of us were not too lucky. Half a squadron of A-5s were killed in less than 3 years...."

IMO the story begins from F-6, A-5 seems to be a modified version with nose cone and side intakes and addition of hardpoints. No idea about the engines that both types have the same or different. F-6 was also a twin-engine.

 

[Raja Porus]

Yes but the A-5s have their own potential hence the reason some are kept in storage.

Back in 2018 I over heard a convo between two PAF pilots while sitting besides them in a tennis court that A-5s are still in war reserve


During 2001-2 standoff, PAF was lacking bvr capability while IAF had it, so it'd would've have been interesting to see how PAF would counter this great handicap. Moreover we also lacked any credible AD assets.
The only solution I could see is that we would've to conduct preemptive strikes on their airbases and keep them suppressed, but even then what about their bases inland?
@SQ8 @Windjammer @PanzerKiel
@Hodor