Armed forces prepared to defend country: General Wynne
ISLAMABAD: Three defence services have commenced joint combat exercises in various locations of the country to keep themselves fully prepared for any eventuality. The exercises are part of a regular winter feature but they have conspicuous significance in the wake of the ongoing sabre-rattling across the international frontiers and divide. The command of the forces is taking part physically in the exercise. Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Tahir Rafique Butt, who is an astute fighter pilot, took part in the demonstration of skill of his force in combined action with the troops of other wings.
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Khalid Shamim Wynne, who had commanded country’s prestigious full-fledge exercises more than once in the most difficult terrain in deserts of the country during harsh summer, went for over viewing of the joint action in the exercise while he was board on the state of art AEW&C Aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
Enemies of Pakistan attempted to destroy the type of the aircraft in past, but all such state of art plans are fully operational. Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani also visited the exercise areas a day earlier.
According to the PAF, General Khalid Shamim Wynne, while visiting the ongoing exercise ‘Saffron Bandit 012—3’’ held at an Operational Base of PAF said that Pakistan is a peace-loving nation.
“Nevertheless, I am confident that we as a nation, the Armed Forces and specifically the PAF, are well-prepared to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he reiterated. “The prevailing complex global geo-political environment and regional threat situation are not only unique but also more challenging, since we face both internal and external threats. Therefore, readiness and war preparedness have attained enhanced significance. The PAF is a potent and frontline element of National Security, and through the highest levels of professionalism; it will always measure up to the expectations of the nation. In fact, the nation and the sister services draw strength from PAF’s commitment and motivation,” he added.
Earlier, CJCSC flew in an AEW&C Aircraft to observe the certain dimensions of aerial warfare and the professional handling and employment of integrated air and ground combat elements by the aircrew. It was yet another historic event when ACM Tahir Rafique Butt himself participated in the exercise and made an evaluation of the war preparedness of PAF Combat Squadrons. He was fully satisfied about the morale and state of preparedness of the force to match with call of the duty. While interacting with the participants after flying the mission, General Khalid Shamim Wynne said, “The opportunity to interact with the skilled Air Warriors and to practically fly with them in Exercise Saffron Bandit has afforded me an insight into the high quality of training standards maintained by the PAF. This Exercise, with the mandate of providing exposure and training to PAF’s Combat Crew in near-realistic environment, certainly serves well for enhancing war preparedness in the hi-tech scenario of aerial warfare. It is heartening to see PAF stepping into the future with its newly acquired capabilities and emerging concepts of employment.”
Exercise Saffron Bandit is a triennial command level exercise conducted in PAF since 994. A sequel of five exercises has been conducted so far while the ongoing is the sixth Saffron Bandit 012—3. This time, the environment is unique where modern capabilities of PAF are operating under one umbrella for the first time and Pak Army Aviation and Army Air Defence are also deployed for undertaking the exercise.
Earlier on his arrival, the CJCSC was received by ACM Tahir Rafique Butt and he was given a comprehensive briefing on the exercise.
Meanwhile, Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Tahir Rafique Butt had solo flight on single-seat fighting Falcon F-16 of the PAF while taking part in exercise Saffron Bandit 012—3 and it was rare phenomenon that the Air chief led the formation as he assumed strike escort mission believed to be work of a perfect combat pilot.
Well-placed sources of the PAF told The News later in the evening that the Air chief who came in the fighter pilot fatigue and wearing gee-suit exclusively cut for the fighting pilots for maintaining pressure during the sharp moves. He flew from the operational base in central Pakistan. Disregarding any protocol attached with the Air chief he drove to hanger in a common jeep where the F-16 was parked. Such jeeps are devoted for the movement of the pilots. ACM Tahir Rafique Butt flew for about an hour with his strike mission and later had a cup of tea with his fellow pilots of the mission in the base mess. They also had chat about their experience of the mission. The pilots, who were partner in the mission eulogised the command of ACM Butt while the Air Chief expressed his satisfaction on the agility of the pilots and congratulated them on their accomplishment, the sources added.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-20496-Armed-forces-prepared-to-defend-country-General-Wynne
