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Aviation History
1988
1988 - 3472.PDF
WORLD'S AIR FORCES fitted with Racal ASR.360 surveillance radars for maritime patrol and SAR duties. Type No Tornado ADV Jaguar S/B Hunter FGA.73/T.67 Strikemaster 82/82A BN-2A Defender > C-130H Hercules Skyvan 3M One-Eleven 475 DC-8-73 AS.332 Super Puma Bell 214B/214ST AB-205A/AB-212 AB-206A JetRanger **On order 8** 18/4 15/4 13 6 3 7 8 3 1 2 4 6 20/2 3 Pakistan Int Attack/Training Inl/Training Training/Coin Patrol/Trans Transport Patrol/Trans Transport VIP VIP Transport Transport/VIP Liaison Pakistan Air Force Pakistan continues to support the Mujahideen rebels in their fight against the Afghan Government, and, despite the Soviet with drawal, PAF activity in the border region remains high, with occasional engagements of Afghan Air Force aircraft still occurring in mid-1988. Recent offers of equipment from the US have included eleven Sparrow/Sidewinder-armed F-16A/Bs in February 1988, and three P-3C Orions in May. The status of these offers is unclear, but their formal acceptance by Pakistan has not been reported. Installation of Thomson CSF Atlis laser designator pods in some of the existing F-16 fleet continues. Pakistani collaboration with China is being further expanded, and development of a new jet trainer, the K-8, is being jointly financed. PAF requirement for the K-8 is reported to be for 75 aircraft. The PAF has also taken delivery of 20 Type No Role Air Force F-16A/B 33/5 Int/Attack/Trng F-7P Skybolt 20 Int Shenyang A-5 Fantan 160 Attack Shenvang F-6/FT-6 (MiG-19) 125/15 Int/FGA/Trng Mirage IIIEP 16 Int Mirage IIIRP/DP 13/2 Recce/Trng Mirage VPA/VDPA 28/2 FGA/Training Mirage VPA-2/VDPA-2 30/2 FGA/Training Shenyang FT-5 (MiG-17) 20+ Training Shenyang FT-2 (MiG-15UTI) 6 Training T-33A/RT-33A 10+/4 Training/Survey T-37B 50+ Training MFI-17B Mushak 80+ Training Atlantic 1 4 MR/ASW Boeing 707-320 2/1 Transport/VIP C-130B / E / L-100-20 Hercules 4/7/1 Transport An-26 Curl 1 Transport F.27 Friendship 200 1 VIP/Calib Falcon 20E 3 VIP Baron/Travel Air 1/1 Liaison Commander 680 1 Liaison Twin Bonanza Liaison PA-34 Seneca II 2 Liaison/VIP Cessna 172N 4 Liaison SA.330J Puma 1 VIP HII-43B Huskie 4 SAR. Alouette III 12 Liaison/SAR Navy F.27 Friendship 200 2 Trans/MR/Trng Sea King 45 5 ASW/SAR Alouette III ASW/Liaison Army MFI-17 Mushak 105+ AOP/Training O-IE Bird Dog 40 AOP/Liaison Commander 840/SMA 1/1 Comms/Survey Cessna 421 1 Communications AH-IS Cobra 20 Anti-tank SA.330J Puma 35 Transport Mi-8 Hip 10 Transport Bell-205/UH-lH Iroquois 10/5 Transport Bell-206 JetRanger 10+ Liaison Alouette III 24 Liaison Bell 47G 12 Training/Liaison F-7P Skybolt interceptors from China. Derived from the earlier F-7M Airguard (developed MiG- 21), these aircraft have been specifically modified for PAF use and were ferried to Pakistan during August 1988. Armament includes PL-5 and Sidewinder AAMs, while some Western equip ment has also been incorporated. The future of Grumman's Sabre II design, which resulted from a Pakistani-financed feasibility study into the Westernisation of the F-7M Airguard, is thus put in some doubt, although the F-7Ps could be earmarked for Sabre II conversion at a later date. Total PAF requirement in the class is 60 aircraft. Pakistan Army Aviation Corps Ten AH-1S Cobra anti-tank helicopters were received in 1984, and the squadron was declared operational in March 1985. A second batch often was delivered between January and May 1986. A replacement for the SA.330 Puma transport helicopter is sought, while the SA.342 Gazelle and the BO. 105 have been evaluated as candidates for a combat helicopter capable of hot and high oper ations. Pakistan Naval Air Arm Current strength stands at nine helicopters and two fixed-wing transports, together with three Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft which are nominally part of the Air Force inventory although Navy controlled. A fourth Atlantic (ex-Dutch Navy) was acquired in June 1988. Panama Fuerza Aerea Panamena The formation of the FAP's first combat squadron for Coin and light attack duties was reported in 1983/84, but delivery of its ten A-37Bs has never been confirmed. Four T-35D Pillan primary trainers were delivered in January 1988. Other FAP roles include policing the sea approaches to the Panama Canal, trans port, and liaison. Type A-37B Dragonfly T-35D Pillan C.212/C.212M Aviocar CN-235M DHC-6 Twin Otter BN-2A Islander DHC-3 Otter Boeing 727-100 PA-31 Navajo/Cheyenne Cessna 402B Cessna 172/206/U-17 PA-32 Cherokee Six UH-1B/H Iroquois Bell212/UH-1N AS.332L Super Puma * Delivery not confirmed 10* 4 2 3 1 2 1 2 2 1/2 1 1/1/2 1 4 9 6 1 Coin/Attack Training Transport Transport Transport Transport Transport VIP Comms Comms Liaison Liaison Transport Transport VIP Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea Defence Force The air element of the PNGDF is tasked with coastal and border patrol, in addition to transport and liaison duties. Four GAF Nomad Mission Masters are used for coastal surveillance, and are fitted with search radars. Five ex-RAAF C-47 Dakotas and three IAI-201 Aravas fly transport missions, the latter also being employed on patrols along the Indonesian border. An air-capability study into the short- and longer-term needs of the PNGDF was carried out in 1985/86 with Australian assistance, considering both fixed- and rotary-wing requirements. Details of its recommendations have still not been reported. Paraguay Fuerza Aerea Paraguaya The single combat squadron, the Grupo Aerotactico, operates EMB- 326GB Xavantes (Aermacchi MB.326), and armed AT-6G Texans remain in service in the Coin role. Six Embraer Tucanos were ordered in July 1987, delivery taking place in the following December. Many transports, not all of which are airworthy, Panama operates the wingletted Casa C.212 Aviocar 66 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 3 December 1988
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