Pakistan to arm fighter jets with Chinese missiles

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has confirmed it will buy Chinese missiles and flight systems to equip its 250 JF-17 Thunder jet fighters as it seeks to deepen military cooperation with Beijing, state media said Thursday.

Rao Qamar Suleman, air chief marshal of the Pakistan Air Force, told the Global Times newspaper Chinese radar systems and SD-10 mid-range homing missiles would be used on the fighters co-developed by the two nations.

“PAF has no plans to install Western devices and weapons on the aircraft for the time being,” the newspaper quoted Suleman as saying.

Pakistan may also buy up to four Chinese surface-to-air missiles, as it seeks stronger cooperation with China to help upgrade its armed forces, Suleman told the China Daily in a separate interview.

He made the remarks on the sidelines of the annual Zhuhai Air Show now under way in southern

PAF wants more Chinese defense missile systems

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is interested in buying more defense systems and equipment from China, and hopes to deepen cooperation to upgrade its armed forces, a top Pakistan Air Force officer said, Trend Pk learnt today.

Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman told China Daily that Pakistan is evaluating, among other options, three or four Chinese surface-to-air missiles including the advanced “HQ-18″.

The missiles, with a maximum range of 100 km, can be used against short-range ballistic missiles, aircraft or cruise missiles, with intercepts taking place between a low-level 25 meters and an altitude of 25 kilometers.

Suleman also said China had completed the first of four Chinese ZDK-03 airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft for the Pakistan Air Force on Nov 13.

“The delivery to Pakistan will start in the early part of next year,” said

Pak. Air Chief Rao Qamar calls on COAS Gen. Kayani

Staff Report

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman called on Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani at General Headquarters on Thursday.

According to an Inter Services public Relations press release, the Chief of Air Staff remained with him for some time and discussed the matters of professional interest. Trend Pk

Pakistan receives three US F-16 aircrafts

Pakistan on Saturday received three new F-16 aircraft from the US as part of 18 such fighter jets scheduled to reach the country by December.
The jets landed at the Shahbaz Airbase of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in southwestern Jacobabad city, media reports said. It was initially reported that five F-16s will reach Pakistan in this consignment but only three arrived Saturday. Senior officials of PAF were present at the airbase on the arrival of these aircraft.
Three other aircraft reached Pakistan in June as part of the consignment, while the remaining would be handed over by the end of December. Pakistani pilots were trained by the US Air Force prior to the handing over and they flew the aircraft in the Pakistani airspace.
A PAF spokesman said: ‘Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman has congratulated the Pakistani nation on enhanced strength of its fighter jets’ fleet.’
Sources said the arrival of these five F-16 jets was scheduled for September 2010 but was delayed due to floods in August and September. The Shahbaz Airbase was partially inundated during the floods that wreaked havoc across Pakistan, leaving over 1,800 dead and over 20 million homeless.
The government of former Pakistan president Gen. (Retd.) Pervez Musharraf had struck a deal with the US for the purchase of 24 refurbished F-16 aircraft to enhance air warfare capacity of the country. The new government, after taking charge in 2008, decided to buy 18 additional new block-52 fighter jets.

Gilani urges army to get ready for challenges

KARACHI: Pakistan Navy’s war game Shamsheer-i-Behr IV has begun on Monday.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani while addressing the inaugural function said Pakistan wants peace but army must be ready to take on challenges. Pakistan Navy is custodian of Pakistan’s territorial waters and these exercises will help to plan naval defence strategy in future, he added.

Governor Sindh Dr. Ishrartul Ibad, Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman were also present at this occasion.

Three new F-16s inducted in PAF fleet

JACOBABAD: The first batch of the latest version F-16 C/D Block 52 high tech fighter aircraft that arrived Pakistan yesterday at the newly developed PAF Base in Jacobabad, have been formally inducted in Pakistan Air Force, Geo News reported Sunday.

Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, US ambassador in Pakistan Anne Patterson and United States Air Force Chief of Staff Gen Norton Schwartz attended the inducting ceremony.

The three aircraft were ferried directly from the United States to Pakistan by PAF pilots, who had recently completed training on the new aircraft in US. Air Marshal Mohammad Hasan, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Operations), Air Marshal Waseem ud Din, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Administration), along with other senior PAF officials yesterday received the aircraft at the base.

Pakistan attaches great significance to its air defence needs. Taking stock of the situation the country had signed a contract with the US government in 2006 for acquisition of 18 F-16 C/D Block 52 aircraft.

Under this arrangement, PAF would receive these aircrafts in different batches. The delivery of all the 18 aircrafts would complete by the end of this year.

The F-16 C/D Block 52 aircraft is a high tech fighter aircraft equipped with sophisticated state-of-the-art avionics suite, latest weapons with Night Precision Attack capability.

These aircraft are much superior to the F-16A/Bs already in the inventory of the PAF.

The US gave Pakistan four used F-16 jets last year with 18 more to be yet handed, as the process regarding the supply of these new fighter jets would complete in December 2010.

ECP to give demonstration on EVMs on Monday

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan will give a demonstration on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) which will be held at a local hotel on June 28 (Monday) at 9.00 am.

Senior leadership of leading political parties will also attend the demonstration session.

Under the plan to reform the voting system in the country the ECP wants to introduce electronic voting machines in future.

PAF to get first batch of F-16s tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Air Force will receive first batch of 18 new F-16 fighting falcon jet fighters from United States on Saturday.

Three F-16s are scheduled to arrive at Shahbaz Airbase in Jacobabad, Pakistan on Saturday, with 15 more to be delivered later this and next year, said US Air Force Maj Todd Robbins, the Pakistan country Director in the US office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force for international affairs.

According to American embassy, the US Air Force is set to deliver the first batch of these F-16s to the Pakistani Air Force as a sign of deepening relations between the United States and Pakistan.

“This is the most visible part of a strong and growing relationship between the two air forces that will benefit us both short-term and long-term,” Robbins said.

The sale of F-16s to Pakistan renews new aircraft sales that existed between the United States and Pakistan in the 1980s, but were halted in the 1990s.

The F-16 is a multirole jet fighter sold to 24 countries around the world, according to its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin.

US Air Force Maj. Todd Robbins said, “The 18 being sold to Pakistan are the Block 52 versions of the aircraft, which will give Pakistan new capabilities, including day-night, all-weather and precision-attack capabilities.”

He said “They”ve not had these capabilities before, so this is a major milestone in the US providing this capability, which older models of F-16s don”t have.”

Robbins said, “This will enable them to strike terrorists within their borders while helping them to avoid collateral damage.

It”s an increase in capabilities that are beneficial to us all.”

Pakistan is paying $1.4 billion for the 18 new aircraft, in addition to $1.3 billion in upgrades to its existing F-16 fleet, which are to begin being delivered in 2012, Robbins said.

The US Air Force also is training Pakistan Air Force pilots. The first eight recently completed training with the Arizona National Guard in Tucson, with additional training done by Lockheed Martin, Robbins said.

The Air Force also training Pakistanis in night-attack training and recently completed training to four instructors and five flight leads.

PM, chiefs of armed forces watch PAF’s power show

JHANG: Pakistan Air Force is displaying its power and expertise in aerial capability today in Jhang area of Thal in connection with countrywide High Mark exercises, Geo News reported Tuesday.

The fly past of the fighter jets opened the PAF’s fire power.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, the chiefs of all armed forces of Pakistan, the high-ups from the Forces’ echelons and the members of the Parliaments attended the opening ceremony.

The PAF’s JF-17s, F-16s, Mirages, F-7s, PG Aircraft, helicopters are taking part in the drills among other jets.

Various practices including mid-air refueling and air-to-land targeting with missiles and bombs are being conducted during the exercises. The refueler plane has recently been incorporated in the PAF fleet. The plane supplied fuel to two Mirages during the Drills. Moreover, the plane also displayed the feat of deceiving the enemy’s radar.

The high mark exercises include search-and-relief operation, the use of spy planes, expeditious supply of heavy apparatus by the transport planes and the ground operation with the help of the PAF in war against terrorism.

The high-mark exercises will include the display of drone planes being used in ground operation against the extremists in the ongoing anti-terror war in collaboration with the PAF.

The PAF’s chief Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman said the first phase of the High Mark drills opened today and the second phase will start tomorrow, adding the Pak Air Forces is changing itself with the passage of time.

The drills are aimed at estimation of the PAF capabilities, he added.

The PAF exercises commenced in mid-March to last for another two months.

The drills happening every fifth year, are a means to assay the professional capability, expertise and war preparations of the PAF.

Air Chief Calls on PM Gilani

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News: Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marsha Rao Qamar Suleman on Friday called on Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at PM House here this afternoon and briefed him on professional matters relating to Pakistan Air Force.

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