Making bomb runs with dive deliveries of weapons and hitting at enemy’s mock bunkers, the fighter aircraft of Pakistan Air Force on Tuesday demonstrated a high level of tactical preparedness featuring speed, precision and strength.With thunderous supersonic boom, the aircraft representing PAF’s fleet including F-16s, JF-17 Thunder, Mirages and F-7 JP appeared in the blue skies during PAF’s Firepower Demonstration at Thal Range, that spans over an area of 34,000 acres. The demo started with two A-5 aircraft - one carrying a National Flag and the other with a welcome banner, flew past the audience including Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, services chiefs, parliamentarians and PAF officials.
Two Mirage aircraft showcased the recently acquired aerial refuelling from the IL-76 refueller, maintaining a skilful distance of just 13-26 metres from the tanker. An F-16 aircraft flying at an ultra-low altitude and releasing chaff and flares for self-defence, dropped two mark of 2,000 pound bombs at the target, that received a loud applause by the audience. Four JF-17 thunder aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, dropped their weapons at 1,900 feet, targeting the mock hideouts of militants at 3 o’ clock position.
In an impressive performance, a Mirage aircraft flying at extremely low 200 feet, dropped its weapons at the enemy targets, while two F-16 at 250 km and maintaining a speed of 480 knots released two mark 84 bombs of 2000 pounds, at the targets. Four Mirage - the Night Hawks, capable of low level penetration, allowing minimum time to the enemy and achieving surprise, dropped 5,000 pounds bombs. The weapons generated a high explosive effect against the hardened bunkers.
The H-2 weapon - a wide-range television guided missile, was dropped by two Mirage aircraft at a mud platform, staying at 100-140 kms away from the target, thus making it possible to create a lethal and precise attack at far-off range. The PAF’s Special Service Wing demonstrated the targeting of terrorists’ hideouts in their exercise. A C-130 demonstrated the air to container delivery operation, while the MI 171 used as assault and anti-terrorist aircraft, showed the direct action by commandoes of Pakistan Army who landed swiftly from the aircraft and moved to the compound of terrorists.
The SAAB aircraft flew past the audience, that has a Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW & CS) with a capability to see and scan a target at 450 km distance. In the end, the audience was enthralled as the ‘Sherdils’ - the aerobatic team of PAF Academy RisalPur, with T-37 aircraft approached emitting out red and green coloured fumes, and presented exquisite maneuvers followed by a wing-over demo. The entire exercise was carried out in a near real situation with an objective of depicting fighter pilots’s capabilities of avoiding collateral damage and inflicting maximum damage to the enemy targets. APP
