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Pakistan F-16 Discussions 2

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Lower fuselage of F-16 being inspected at F-16 upgrade cell. After MLU of entire
F-16 fleet in 2014, the aircraft repair and modification status of such facilities shall be upgraded too.
 
f-16_fighting_falcon_pakistan_air_force_no_11_sqn_04.jpg
f-16_fighting_falcon_pakistan_air_force_no_11_sqn_03.jpg

Lower fuselage of F-16 being inspected at F-16 upgrade cell. After MLU of entire
F-16 fleet in 2014, the aircraft repair and modification status of such facilities shall be upgraded too.


These men are the real driving force behind our armed forces. Without them, pilots are nothing. Special salute to the men who keep these machines in tip top shape!!
 
Why did she kept saying sixteen (16) F-16? and 4th squadron? She probably meant 4th F-16 squadron.



F-16 planes from Jordan included in PAF fleet - 21st May 2014
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Wednesday organized a formal ceremony to include F-16 fighter jets from Jordan Air Force into the national forces fleet here at Sargodha Airbase. The fighter jets arrived from Pakistan’s middle-eastern friendly country Jordan and were included in PAF Nineteenth Squad. The fighter aircraft have been purchased from Jordan and they were in the use of the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF). The ceremony started with the recitation of Holy Quran, Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif was the chief guest of the ceremony.

VIDEO LINK :


F-16 planes from Jordan included in PAF fleet - 21st May 2014
 
Final ex-Jordanian F-16s Delivered to Pakistan AF
Posted on: May 21st, 2014

Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Chief of the Air Staff, plus His Excellency Nawaf Khalifa Araieh, Jordanian Ambassador to Pakistan, together with the PAF pilots who flew the aircraft in from Jordan, pose for a group photograph at PAF Base Mushaf-Sargodha on April 27 following the delivery of the first five of 13 ex-Royal Jordanian Air Force F-16A/Bs to the PAF. The remaining eight aircraft arrived at the base today. PAF

DELIVERY OF the remaining eight of the 13 ex-Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) F-16A/Bs being acquired by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was completed today, May 21. The aircraft were flown in to PAF Base Mushaf-Sargodha, joining the initial five ex-RJAF aircraft which, as previously reported on AFD, had arrived at the base on April 27.

All 13 of the new deliveries will be operated by 19 Squadron ‘Sherdils’, which was officially re-formed at Mushaf as an F-16 unit on the same day as the first five aircraft arrived. With the final aircraft now delivered, a formal induction ceremony was held today, with Army chief General Raheel Sharif as the chief guest.He said these aircraft will further increase the capabilities of the PAF and also noted that both the Army and Air Force are making co-operative efforts to get maximum results against war on terror.

PAF Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, Chief of the Air Staff, said that the addition of the new squadron will increase PAF’s capacity in combating both internal as well as external challenges.

The precise mix of F-16As and ’Bs in the package of 13 aircraft remains unconfirmed. As we reported previously, it was said to have involved 12 F-16As and one F-16B, but when the first five arrived, it included two F-16Bs and three F-16As. Whether all of today’s arrivals were all F-16As has yet to be confirmed. AFD-

Dave Allport
 
Quote of the Day
Wingman is only allowed to say three things: Two, Bingo, and Lead, you're on Fire -- Anonymous
 
Told ya... Now it is in the papers...


WITH the inclusion of a new squadron of F-16s in the fleet, the Pakistan Air Force continues its quest for sought-after fighter aircraft.

The PAF recently purchased over a dozen American-built F-16s from Jordan to boost its strength. Eleven of these aircraft joined the PAF squad at the Mushaf airbase in Sargodha on Wednesday. With this, the total number of F-16 aircraft in the PAF is said to have reached around 80, thought to be more than sufficient to lead an aerial offence or defence tactic.

Though earlier it enjoyed supremacy in South Asia, the PAF was hit with financial constraints during the 1990s, and hardware restrictions were imposed on it by the US and its Western allies due to Pakistan’s nuclear programme. Specifically, the refusal by the US to deliver 28 F-16s despite receiving a hefty price of $685 million hit the steady development of the PAF. This prompted Pakistan to evolve an alternative strategy: this is the first time the PAF has purchased F-16 fighting falcons from a Middle Eastern country.

Pakistan not only acquired the maximum number of Mirage aircraft to build the world’s largest fleet of the 40-year-old warplane but also upgraded available F-16s with the new technology of Block 52 from Turkey. It also equipped its frontline squads with the latest avionics system, Beyond Vision Range missiles and air-to-air refuelling systems. The Mirages were upgraded at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, and after overhauling, these planes are now said to be serving to the maximum required standards.

The PAF also manufactured its own JF-17 Thunders with the help of China and inducted about 50 planes in the fleet. The plan now is to induct up to 200-250 in the squad over a couple of years as production has been doubled. Previously, Pakistan was producing around 10 JF-17 Thunder planes in a year; now, annual production stands at 20.

“Our fleet has a modest number of fighting falcons now. This includes old but overhauled and very effective Mirages, new F-16s with Block 52 technology, JF-17 Thunders, and the latest missile and avionics systems,” said PAF spokesperson Air Commodore Tariq Mahmood.

“The recently inducted F-16 squadron from Jordan has been purchased at a nominal price. Similarly the cost of co-produced JF-17 Thunder is almost one-third in comparison with any modern aircraft of its category.”

But former vice chief of air staff Air Marshal Shahid Lateef says the F-16 squadron from the Royal Jordan Air Force was available at a low price because its technology was getting old.

“The A&B version of F-16 aircraft, which we have just bought from Jordan, was available to us at a low price because Jordan was also upgrading their fleet to the C&D version of F-16. The A&B version of F-16s is now an old technology.”

Despite the PAF’s strategic expansion or upgrade, it remains far behind the Indian Air Force as far as numbers are concerned.

“India has an air force that is three times bigger than that of Pakistan,” says Lateef. “Their budget is six times higher. They have recently ordered 126 Rafale jets from France and have well over 1,000 fighter planes. We are no match for them in numbers.”

But Mahmood insists the difference in the number of planes and weapons becomes immaterial when human resource delivers better results.

“Besides technology, our main weapon is the motivation of our human force,” he argues.

“They know very well how to fight against an enemy three times bigger, and our pilots and engineers have proved themselves better in the past. Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt attaches great importance to human resource, realistic training, empowerment at field commanders level and progressive approach to tackle every challenge.”

The proof of the pudding, they say, is in the eating.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2014
 
Told ya... Now it is in the papers...


WITH the inclusion of a new squadron of F-16s in the fleet, the Pakistan Air Force continues its quest for sought-after fighter aircraft.

The PAF recently purchased over a dozen American-built F-16s from Jordan to boost its strength. Eleven of these aircraft joined the PAF squad at the Mushaf airbase in Sargodha on Wednesday. With this, the total number of F-16 aircraft in the PAF is said to have reached around 80, thought to be more than sufficient to lead an aerial offence or defence tactic.

Though earlier it enjoyed supremacy in South Asia, the PAF was hit with financial constraints during the 1990s, and hardware restrictions were imposed on it by the US and its Western allies due to Pakistan’s nuclear programme. Specifically, the refusal by the US to deliver 28 F-16s despite receiving a hefty price of $685 million hit the steady development of the PAF. This prompted Pakistan to evolve an alternative strategy: this is the first time the PAF has purchased F-16 fighting falcons from a Middle Eastern country.

Pakistan not only acquired the maximum number of Mirage aircraft to build the world’s largest fleet of the 40-year-old warplane but also upgraded available F-16s with the new technology of Block 52 from Turkey. It also equipped its frontline squads with the latest avionics system, Beyond Vision Range missiles and air-to-air refuelling systems. The Mirages were upgraded at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, and after overhauling, these planes are now said to be serving to the maximum required standards.

The PAF also manufactured its own JF-17 Thunders with the help of China and inducted about 50 planes in the fleet. The plan now is to induct up to 200-250 in the squad over a couple of years as production has been doubled. Previously, Pakistan was producing around 10 JF-17 Thunder planes in a year; now, annual production stands at 20.

“Our fleet has a modest number of fighting falcons now. This includes old but overhauled and very effective Mirages, new F-16s with Block 52 technology, JF-17 Thunders, and the latest missile and avionics systems,” said PAF spokesperson Air Commodore Tariq Mahmood.

“The recently inducted F-16 squadron from Jordan has been purchased at a nominal price. Similarly the cost of co-produced JF-17 Thunder is almost one-third in comparison with any modern aircraft of its category.”

But former vice chief of air staff Air Marshal Shahid Lateef says the F-16 squadron from the Royal Jordan Air Force was available at a low price because its technology was getting old.

“The A&B version of F-16 aircraft, which we have just bought from Jordan, was available to us at a low price because Jordan was also upgrading their fleet to the C&D version of F-16. The A&B version of F-16s is now an old technology.”

Despite the PAF’s strategic expansion or upgrade, it remains far behind the Indian Air Force as far as numbers are concerned.

“India has an air force that is three times bigger than that of Pakistan,” says Lateef. “Their budget is six times higher. They have recently ordered 126 Rafale jets from France and have well over 1,000 fighter planes. We are no match for them in numbers.”

But Mahmood insists the difference in the number of planes and weapons becomes immaterial when human resource delivers better results.

“Besides technology, our main weapon is the motivation of our human force,” he argues.

“They know very well how to fight against an enemy three times bigger, and our pilots and engineers have proved themselves better in the past. Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt attaches great importance to human resource, realistic training, empowerment at field commanders level and progressive approach to tackle every challenge.”

The proof of the pudding, they say, is in the eating.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2014

The article states that 11 ex-RJAF F-16 ADF's were delivered on Wednesday (yesterday) and 11 had already been delivered earlier (as had been posted on this forum earlier) ... so the total ex-RJAF planes delivered is 22?
 
@Windjammer

How strong is the chatter about Haseeb Paracha's appointment at Shahbaz?
@Aeronaut, Initially i learnt this from a reliable source however later when i was chatting with Haseeb (He's back now in Pak) I brought up the subject and he sounded a bit dismayed any ways all he said was '' Bus Dua Kare'n''.....i have since learned the same from another source. Worth remembering Haseeb was the main man in the induction of Block-52s.
 
@Windjammer

From what i've heard, he is a formidable commander and would certinly add to the firepower of the 5th squadron.
 
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