FS 59 The strength and structure of the Pakistan Air Force Assessment. PDF created with pdffactory trial version

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1 FS 59 The strength and structure of the Pakistan Air Force Summary Strength 45, Combat aircraft Mirage III, Mirage V and variants; F-16A/B, F-7P; A Transport C-130; Boeing 707; Y-12; F Helicopters Alouette III 2. Assessment The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is a well-trained, highly professional organisation, and average flying time is about 210 hours (in comparison to India's 240), but rising. Difficulties with procurement from the US led to significant diversification of air platforms, and there have also been problems of logistics, maintenance and airspace monitoring and tactical control. As a result of resurrected and much expanded US military co-operation with Pakistan, it appears many problems are being resolved. The main irritant in relations was the non-provision of F-16s that were paid for 20 years ago for which the money was eventually and with ill-grace repaid. In a remarkable volte face, the US announced in March 2005 that it would supply Pakistan with an unspecified number of F-16s. Negotiations took place but were deferred following the December earthquake. It was reported on 13 April 2006 that the Pakistan Cabinet had approved purchase of up to 62 aircraft. It is likely that 26 older (Block A/B) will be provided, with 18 being current production models and an option on a further 18. (The Fort Worth plant manufactures 60 aircraft a year.) Approval was given for purchase of 500 BVRs and 500 JDAMs. The airframes cost is likely to be more than US$3 billion. Supply of complete air surveillance and traffic control systems has been approved, as have further deliveries of late model C-130s, helicopters and large quantities of spares for existing aircraft and systems. There is, however, some reluctance apparent in Pakistan to again become so reliant on US matériel and spares since a future rupture in relations would critically denigrate combat readiness, although the F-16 Page 1 of 11

2 decision was warmly regarded in the PAF. The significant amounts of US defence equipment in the pipeline and promised for the future are regarded as most welcome, but suspicion lingers about long-term intentions. The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) at Kamra, although not strictly speaking a PAF facility, is commanded by PAF officers and is most effective in refurbishing and upgrading combat aircraft. President Musharraf launched the PRC/Pakistan JF-17 joint production facility at Kamra on 5 April 2005, and it is intended that it be in operation by According to the Chairman of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) at Kamra, the first four aircraft are to be in service by the end of 2006, but these will be Chinesemanufactured. It is expected that the first squadron will be operational by the end of Negotiations are taking place with the PRC for supply of 36 J-10 combat aircraft. 3. Deployments, tasks and operations 3.1. Role and deployment The geographic commands are organised in over 20 squadrons with the primary mission of defending the country s airspace. Secondary missions are retaliatory strike including nuclear delivery, support of ground operations, fleet protection/maritime strike, and search and rescue. Table 1. Unit and Base Aircraft Type Role CENTRAL AIR COMMAND, HQ PAF Base Mushaf (formerly Sargodha) 34 (Fighter) Wing, PAF Base Rafiqui (Shorkot) 5 Squadron Mirage IIIEP/RP/DP AD/Reconnaissance 20 Squadron F-7PG/FT-7G AD 83 Squadron Alouette III SAR/Liaison 456 Squadron Crotale AD/SAM Page 2 of 11

3 38 (Multi-Role) Wing, PAF Base Mushaf (formerly Sargodha) 9 Squadron F-16A/B AD/Strike 11 Squadron (OCU) F-16A/B Conversion/Combat Training 24 Squadron Falcon 20F ECM/ESM 82 Squadron Alouette III SAR/Liaison 451 Squadron Crotale AD/SAM AIR HQ UNITS 35 (Composite Air Transport) Wing, PAF Base Chaklala 6 Squadron C130-B/E Transport L Squadron Boeing 707 VIP Transport Falcon 20E Citation V Super King Air 200 F Squadron Cessna 172 Communications Piper PA-34 Seneca Baron/Twin B Y-12 Transport Conversion School C-130 (6 Squadron) Training Combat Commanders School, PAF Base Mushaf (formerly Sargodha) CCS F-7; Mirage-5PA Page 3 of 11

4 Pakistan Air Force Academy (comprising the College of Flying Training and the College of Aeronautical Engineering), PAF Base Risalpur Evaluation Flight K-8 Flying Instructors School T-37 and loan aircraft as required Instructor Training Primary Flying Training Wing 1 PFTS Mushshak Primary Training 2 PFTS Mushshak Primary Training Basic Flying Training Wing 1 BFTS T-37B/C Basic Jet Training 2 BFTS T-37B/C Basic Jet Training NORTHERN AIR COMMAND, HQ PAF Base Peshawar 33 (Multi-Role) Wing, PAF Base Minas (Kamra) 14 Squadron F-7P AD/Attack 15 Squadron F-7P AD/Attack 25 Squadron Mirage-V AD/Attack 36 (Tactical Attack) Wing, PAF Base Peshawar 16 Squadron A-5 Ground Attack 26 Squadron A-5 Ground Attack 81 Squadron Alouette III SAR/Liaison Page 4 of 11

5 37 (Combat Training) Wing, PAF Base Mianwali 1 Squadron (Fighter Conversion Unit) FT-5 Advanced Training 18 Squadron (OCU) F-7P/FT-6 Combat Training 19 Squadron (OCU) F-7P/FT-6 Combat Training 86 Squadron Alouette III SAR/Liaison SOUTHERN AIR COMMAND, HQ PAF Base Faisal 31 (Fighter Wing), PAF Base Samungli (Quetta) 17 Squadron F-7PG AD 23 Squadron F-7PG AD 85 Squadron Alouette III SAR/Liaison 32 (Fighter Ground Attack) Wing, PAF Base Masroor 2 Squadron F-7P AD 7 Squadron Mirage-3O AD 8 Squadron Mirage 5PA2/3 Maritime Strike (dedicated to Navy) 22 Squadron (OCU) Mirage 5PA Combat Training Mirage 5DPA2 Mirage IIIDP 84 Squadron Alouette III SAR/Liaison 3.2. Peace support operations There have been no contributions to UN or other multinational peace support operations. Page 5 of 11

6 4. Command and control Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mehmood Ahmed (18 March 2006) Vice-Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Rashid Kalim The chief of the air staff commands the air force, is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the National Security Council, and is responsible for co-ordinating inter-service co-operation within the overall doctrine of the Riposte and, it would appear, its nuclear equivalent. The Vice-Chief of Air Staff is responsible for flight safety, intelligence, procurement, PR and the Air War College. Air HQ has five directorates, each under a Deputy Chief of Air Staff : operations, administration, engineering, personnel, and training. 5. Organisation The headquarters of the Pakistani Air Force (Air HQ) is at Chaklala, close to Islamabad and adjacent to the capital's civil airport. There are three air defence districts: North, Central and Southern. Rear Air HQ is at Peshawar Air Force bases Major operational bases Chaklala (Rawalpindi/Islamabad civil) Sharea Faisal (Karachi) Minhas (Kamra) Masroor (Karachi) Mianwali Risalpur (training) Peshawar Rafiqui (Shorkot) Samungli (Quetta) Mushaf (formerly Sargodha) Page 6 of 11

7 Forward operational bases Lahore Mirpur Khas Multan Murid Nawabshah Pasni Risalewala (Faisalabad) Shahbaz (Jacobabad) Sukkur Talhar Vihari 6. Training The Pakistan Air Force Academy is based at Risalpur, 60 miles east of Islamabad. The air force makes use of at least 100 training aircraft for ab initio, basic and advanced courses. Platforms include T-37B/C jet trainers supplied by the US, of which more are being supplied, following withdrawal of sanctions and general upgrading of US-Pakistan relations. Large quantities of spares have been provided. Plans for further acquisition of K-8 trainers (Chinese with some Pakistani content) remain unknown. In March 2006 four women pilots graduated from the Academy, and a further three are under training, but in spite of the success of the programme the PAF announced that induction of females for the pilot stream had been stopped, as We want to check operational fitness of these women officers after which a decision about the induction of more women officers would be taken. Pakistan air force pilots fly with the Royal Saudi Air Force and others in the Gulf region, gaining much experience and completing more annual air hours on advanced aircraft than is currently possible with their parent service. They are highly regarded by the air forces to which they are seconded. It is notable that the three air vice marshals promoted air marshal on 5 April 2006 had served on attachment with the Saudi Arabian, UAE and Qatar air forces. A major training exercise ( Anatolian Eagle ) took place in September/October 2004 in Turkey, in which six Page 7 of 11

8 F-16s of the PAF joined air forces of the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey. Exercise High Mark 5 was held in September 2005, with the aim of testing combat skills, and some 8,200 sorties were flown. The M2 motorway was used to test its suitability as an emergency strip Training areas Officer training, basic pilot instruction and instructor training take place at PAF Risalpur, midway between Rawalpindi and Peshawar. Advanced training is carried out by Operational Conversion Units at Sargodha, Masroor and Mianwali, the Fighter Conversion Unit at Mianwali, and the Combat Commanders School at Mushaf (renamed from PAF Sargodha to commemorate ACM Mushaf Ali Mir who was killed in an air crash in 2003). 7. Equipment in service 7.1. Fixed wing Table 2. Type Role Current total Mirage 3E/EP FGA 58 Mirage 3O FGA 38 (1) Mirage 5 (various) Strike/FGA 50 (2) A-5 Ground Attack 40 Mirage 5PA3 Maritime Strike 10 F-16A/B Multirole Strike 34 (3) JF-17 Multirole Strike 2 (4) F-7P/FT7 Air defence/training 75 (5) F7PG Air defence/training 55 (6) C-130E/H Transport 20 (7) Page 8 of 11

9 Type Role Current total Y-12 Transport 2 CN Transport 4 (8) Boeing 707 Transport/VIP 3 F VIP Transport 2 (9) Falcon DA-20 EW 2 Mirage 3RP Reconnaissance 10 Beech Baron/Travel Air Liaison 2 Cessna 172 Liaison 4 Piper Seneca Liaison 2 T-37B/C Basic jet trainer 30 (10) K-8 Karakorum Basic jet trainer 20 (11) Mirage 3DP Trainer/FGA 3 Mirage 3OD Trainer/FGA 7 Mirage 5B Trainer/FGA 4 Mushshak Training/liaison 40+ Notes (1) Ex-Australia, delivered in early 1990s, half in operational condition; large quantities of spares. Ongoing rebuild/upgrade programme at PAC Kamra. (2) Most ex-france, delivered after extensive rebuild/upgrade. Further avionics upgrade by Sagem (3) During the period of US sanctions, spares were obtained through various and expensive means. There is no longer a shortage of spares, and the US has agreed in principle to supply an unspecified number of F- 16s in an unknown time frame. Two upgraded A/Bs arrived in late (4) For trials. Production line being constructed at Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra. Likely total 150 plus attrition spares. The Kamra plant will remain operational for upgrade/rebuild. (5) Fitted with Italian Grifo 7PG PD radar. (6) Grifo radar. (7) Upgrade continuing. Foreign contract. 6 aircraft ex-australia, via Lockheed. Page 9 of 11

10 Type Role Current total (8) 3 inshore maritime surveillance, 1 VIP configured. (9) One with Navy. (10) Replacements being supplied on attrition basis. (11) China-Pakistan venture. Construction problems after US sanctions concerning Rockwell Collins avionics and the Garrett engine. 75 to be acquired Rotary wing Table 3. Type Role Current total SA 316/319 Alouette III Utility 15 (1) Note (1) Includes some Romanian IC-Brasov licence-built IAR-316Bs Missiles Table 4. Type Role Raytheon AIM-9J/L/P2 Sidewinder Air-to-Air (being replaced by 9M) MATRA R-530 MATRA R-550 Air-to-Air Air-to-Air PL-5 Copy of R-550 Hughes AGM-65A/B Maverick Aerospatiale AM 39 Exocet Air-to-Surface Anti-Ship The UK Defence Forum has also published a similar paper FS 59: The strength and structure of the Pakistan Air Force 2006, and an assessment of the country s defence policy, RS 44. These are available on request. Page 10 of 11

11 Disclaimer The views of authors are their own. The UK Defence Forum holds no corporate view on the opinions expressed in papers or at meetings. The Forum exists to enable politicians, industrialists, members of the armed forces, academics and others with an interest in defence and security issues to exchange information and views on the future needs of Britain s defence. It is operated by a non-partisan, not for profit company. UK Defence Forum papers are archived at - the last three years being accessible only to members and subscribers. Prior to that they are in the public domain subject to usual conventions. May 2006 Page 11 of 11