Pakistan Air Force | News & Discussions

Excellent analysis of preparations from both sides. Limitations of IAF and much more by ACM (R) Ammar Masood on Fahad Hussain podcast. Real stuff is after @35:00

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Air Marshal not Air Chief Marshal. Though he would have been a very strong contender for that role had Sidhu not taken an extension.
 
I listened to the chat with AM Aamir Masood. I think the key thing (known even before this interview) is that there is no tactical/kinetic situation in which India has an overmatch advantage over Pakistan and perhaps in some cases, we have an overmatch of a capability. The reversal of the course by INS Vikrant is an example of this because they realized the carrier would be a sitting duck with its air arm not able to hold off PAF's VLAAM capability which eventually could lead to AshM hits on the carrier itself.
The talk about a month long war (which can happen) is diminished because it would not be in India's interest to lower the nuclear threshold for Pakistan (and the reality is that neither side has the stamina to keep up a very high tempo conflict at scale raging for a long time. This was seen in 1965, 1971 etc.).

For those that may be interested, I also listened to Praveen Swami's interview with Lt Gen Panag where the latter said that this will be a tit for tat affair because Pakistan will respond to any or everything we throw at them. Thus the point about raising the cost for Pakistan can perhaps be understood in the following manner:

India's military planners, who I am sure have communicated this to Modi/Godi et-al, know Pakistan will respond with equal and perhaps more ferocity to their attack, so they have built into their calculations, Pakistan's military response. So what outcome will they get out of this?

In my mind, they want it to be a big enough inconvenience for Pakistan and raise the cost in terms of the run up/prep for hostilities but not go across IB etc. Second, they would want to have verifiable evidence of Pakistani blood being shed to placate the frothing at the mouth revenge/war hysteria at home. Any civilian or military deaths in Pakistan would evoke a very strong response so this part of their action would lead the two to go up the rungs on the escalation ladder, but the idea on the Indian side is they need to shed Pakistan blood (as if they haven't already been shedding Pakistani blood through their proxies). But this is the demand of the brainwashed masses in India which they may come to regret.

Above aside, firing across LoC, raids, the usual escalations at the tactical level etc. would be heated up. They may also use stand-off/ALCM etc. on select targets but what needs to be seen is what targets they choose. If they hit Pakistani military targets beyond the positions on the LoC, like brigade/formation HQs, ammunition, logistics facilities then this will be a far more serious escalation and Pakistan's response will put them in a very tight situation as they will be forced into yet another reaction cycle and this is the escalation ladder that neither side can control.

India would consider it an episodic win if they can raise the cost for this build-up on the Pakistan side along with some claims of having drawn blood on our/AK side to placate local audience. In response, they expect to be hit, and the most significant issue is that they CANNOT control the escalation ladder once that happens. So this is a pretty big gamble.
 
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What should be total numbers active of fighters PAF should have minimum in future?

So that indian numbers edge can be minimized specially concidering IAF and indian navy numbers as well.
 
What should be total numbers active of fighters PAF should have minimum in future?

So that indian numbers edge can be minimized specially concidering IAF and indian navy numbers as well.
What we have is enough. Pakistan is not interested in increasing the numbers in its fleet for affordability reasons and also because we can manage the situation with the current force structure. We make up for numbers with a well balanced pilot-to-cockpit ratio to ensure we can sustain a high-tempo fight with multiple sorties being carried out by the same aircraft being flown by multiple air crews.
Second, PAF's focus has been on qualitatively enhancing the fleet. The numbers etc. are looked at routine force restructuring exercises that happen every 5 years (if I am not mistaken) which look at what platforms are to be retired, what replacements etc. need to take place etc.
In terms of absolute numbers, PAF is not a small air arm. It is easily in the top-10 but with potency that is greater than many others that make up the top-10 list. If you look at the capabilities available in the fleet, it is mashallah quite impressive.
The GoP needs to continue to invest in the PAF and give it the support it needs to constantly stay ahead of the threat curve.
 
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Pakistan Reveals New Air Defence System and Other Capability Gains​

Pakistan Air Force News by Bilal Khan 1 day ago
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Bilal Khan​



Timely Defence News with Verified Insights​

Get the latest Pakistani defence news with reliable research and accurate forecasting
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In the midst of Pakistan’s recent tensions with India, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) revealed a number of key details about its capabilities.

Details on new ground-based air defence systems (GBAD), new-generation munitions for the JF-17 Block-III, and the evolving composition and growing role of its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fleet underscore a multi-pronged strategy.

The PAF’s strategy appears focused on developing a more layered air defence network, enhancing the combat effectiveness of its fighter fleet, and leveraging unmanned systems for increasingly complex roles, such as long-range strikes.

PAF Reveals FD-2000 SAM Induction​

A notable development is the confirmed addition of the FD-2000 long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system to the PAF’s inventory.

This system joins the previously inducted HQ-9BE very long-range SAM (reportedly offering 260-280 km reach) and the HQ-16FE medium-to-long-range SAM (160 km range).

The FD-2000 is the export version of an early variant of the HQ-9, offering a range of 125 km. Interestingly, Pakistan had expressed interest in the system in the mid-2000s, but it did not acquire the system.

The integration of the FD-2000 is notable for its role in densifying the PAF’s GBADS. Its shorter range fills a range coverage tier below the HQ-16FE, contributing to a multi-layered network with overlapping engagement zones.
 
What we have is enough. Pakistan is not interested in increasing the numbers in its fleet for affordability reasons and also because we can manage the situation with the current force structure. We make up for numbers with a well balanced pilot-to-cockpit ratio to ensure we can sustain a high-tempo fight with multiple sorties being carried out by the same aircraft being flown by multiple air crews.
Second, PAF's focus has been on qualitatively enhancing the fleet. The numbers etc. are looked at routine force restructuring exercises that happen every 5 years (if I am not mistaken) which looks at what platforms are to be retired, what replacements etc. need to take place etc.
In terms of absolute numbers, PAF is not a small air arm. It is easily in the top-10 but with potency that is greater than many others that make up the top-10 list. If you look at the capabilities available in the fleet, it is mashallah quite impressive.
The GoP needs to continue to invest in the PAF and give it the support it needs to constantly stay ahead of the threat curve.
did we ever consider war of attrition that india can force on Pakistan? what will be PAF's options
 
did we ever consider war of attrition that india can force on Pakistan? what will be PAF's options
Since Pakistan cannot match India's larger wherewithal, over the course of a longer war, the intensity on both sides will be decreased to preserve war stores and assets. Can Pakistan go a month or longer depends on the supply of spares, preservation of assets etc. etc. In an all out war that lasts for a month or longer, the targets would include munitions factories, storage, POL depots etc. so there are a lot of factors to consider. What happens if Pakistan had 6 months of POL reserves and those were hit and decimated in the first month of a war? That would certainly change the situation. The same applies to land, naval and air assets.

However, Pakistan's nuclear doctrine takes into consideration attrition in a war. If the armed forces get depleted to a point (the exact, specific redline is ambiguous for a reason), Pakistan will respond in the strategic domain. This is part of the Pakistani nuclear doctrine.

#2 is what we are referring to here:

  • Spatial Threshold:
    Loss of significant territory, particularly the Indus River valley, which is considered vital for Pakistan's economy and national identity.
  • Military Threshold:
    Destruction of a substantial portion of Pakistan's military, especially the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), which is seen as crucial for national security.
  • Economic Threshold:
    Actions that could cripple Pakistan's economy, such as severe economic sanctions.
  • Political Threshold:
    Internal destabilization or political turmoil that could undermine the stability of the Pakistani state.
 
I've heard two pieces of news/rumors, one good and one bad:

Rumor 1: A 3 day old rumor suggests that two Mighty Dragon aircraft with Chinese pilots landed in Pakistan and remain under Chinese command.

Rumor 2: Yesterday's rumor is that, with US mediation, a situation similar to February 2019 has been decided, but this time Pakistan will be in a weaker position to provide India with a face-saving outcome and de-escalate the current situation.

I hope this rumor is wrong and doesn't come true. 😞
 
I've heard two pieces of news/rumors, one good and one bad:

Rumor 1: A 3 day old rumor suggests that two Mighty Dragon aircraft with Chinese pilots landed in Pakistan and remain under Chinese command.

Rumor 2: Yesterday's rumor is that, with US mediation, a situation similar to February 2019 has been decided, but this time Pakistan will be in a weaker position to provide India with a face-saving outcome and de-escalate the current situation.

I hope this rumor is wrong and doesn't come true. 😞
Sir, Rumour 1 could be expedited deliveries of J10CEs (remaining 16)

Rumour 2 , my take - IAF will not run operations - they can use Brahmos then our response will be Aero Ballistic missiles strike.
 
Sir, Rumour 1 could be expedited deliveries of J10CEs (remaining 16)

Rumour 2 , my take - IAF will not run operations - they can use Brahmos then our response will be Aero Ballistic missiles strike.

Dear I specifically called it a 'RUMOR' because the source isn't reliable, and the chances of it being wrong are much higher than it being right.

The second rumor, however, is so depressing that I don't even want to think about it, but I posted it here anyway.
 
One thing Pakistanis love is rumours, which funnily enough is the name of the secret sports bar in Lahore PC they never tell you about....!
 

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