[🇵🇰-Airforce] PAF History
- Thread starter ghazi
- Start date
Pakistan Airforce
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2024
- Messages
- 111,139
- Likes
- 867
- Nation
- Residence
LOCKHEED T-33 / RT-33 SHOOTING STAR
(1955-1993)
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948. The RT-33A version, reconnaissance aircraft was produced primarily for use by foreign countries, had a camera installed in the nose and additional equipment in the rear cockpit. T-33s continued to fly as currency trainers, drone towing, combat and tactical simulation training, "hack" aircraft, electronic countermeasures and warfare training and test platforms right into the 1980s.
15 T-33A, 6 RT-33A were received during 1955-56 by the Pakistan Air Force under the US military assistance programme, equipped No. 2 Fighter Conversion Unit and a tactical reconnaissance flight, the latter becoming No. 20 Photo Reconnaissance Squadron in 1959. No.20 Squadron was number-plated in 1972, its RT-33s and other photographic equipment transferred back to No. 2 Squadron to form a reconnaissance flight.
T-33s were armed with 2 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) Browning M3 machine guns and could carry 907 kg bomb or rocket load on two hard points. Hence; T-33 and RT-33 were used for ground attack and photo reconnaissance duties in 1965 and 1971 wars against forward Indian targets.
1 T-33 was lost when East Pakistani instructor pilot attempted to hijack it to India, trainee Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas forced it to crash within Pakistani territory foiling the hijack attempt; embracing shahadat.
T-33 retired from PAF service in 1993 and replaced with Shenyang FT-5s.
(1955-1993)
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948. The RT-33A version, reconnaissance aircraft was produced primarily for use by foreign countries, had a camera installed in the nose and additional equipment in the rear cockpit. T-33s continued to fly as currency trainers, drone towing, combat and tactical simulation training, "hack" aircraft, electronic countermeasures and warfare training and test platforms right into the 1980s.
15 T-33A, 6 RT-33A were received during 1955-56 by the Pakistan Air Force under the US military assistance programme, equipped No. 2 Fighter Conversion Unit and a tactical reconnaissance flight, the latter becoming No. 20 Photo Reconnaissance Squadron in 1959. No.20 Squadron was number-plated in 1972, its RT-33s and other photographic equipment transferred back to No. 2 Squadron to form a reconnaissance flight.
T-33s were armed with 2 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) Browning M3 machine guns and could carry 907 kg bomb or rocket load on two hard points. Hence; T-33 and RT-33 were used for ground attack and photo reconnaissance duties in 1965 and 1971 wars against forward Indian targets.
1 T-33 was lost when East Pakistani instructor pilot attempted to hijack it to India, trainee Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas forced it to crash within Pakistani territory foiling the hijack attempt; embracing shahadat.
T-33 retired from PAF service in 1993 and replaced with Shenyang FT-5s.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2024
- Messages
- 111,139
- Likes
- 867
- Nation
- Residence
MFI-17 MUSHSHAK / SUPER MUSHSHAK
(1974 till date)
MFI-17 Mushshak (English: Proficient) is a licence built basic trainer aircraft version of the SAAB Safari, used by the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force. It is manufactured in Kamra, Pakistan, by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). As of 2006, 80 aircraft have been manufactured. Built to MIL-Spec and fully aerobatic, it is used for training, towing and other ground support roles. An upgraded version, the MFI-395 Super Mushshak, has also been produced by PAC.
Used for training undergraduate student pilots the fundamentals of aircraft handling, instrument and night flying, the MFI-17 Mushshak is fitted with blind flying instrumentation. It is propelled by a single Textron Lycoming 4 cylinder engine with one twin-blade propeller. Also used for reconnaissance, observation and transportation purposes, there are attachment points (hard points) under the wings for extra fuel tanks and weapons, allowing the aircraft to perform ground attack sorties if required.
(1974 till date)
MFI-17 Mushshak (English: Proficient) is a licence built basic trainer aircraft version of the SAAB Safari, used by the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force. It is manufactured in Kamra, Pakistan, by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). As of 2006, 80 aircraft have been manufactured. Built to MIL-Spec and fully aerobatic, it is used for training, towing and other ground support roles. An upgraded version, the MFI-395 Super Mushshak, has also been produced by PAC.
Used for training undergraduate student pilots the fundamentals of aircraft handling, instrument and night flying, the MFI-17 Mushshak is fitted with blind flying instrumentation. It is propelled by a single Textron Lycoming 4 cylinder engine with one twin-blade propeller. Also used for reconnaissance, observation and transportation purposes, there are attachment points (hard points) under the wings for extra fuel tanks and weapons, allowing the aircraft to perform ground attack sorties if required.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2024
- Messages
- 111,139
- Likes
- 867
- Nation
- Residence
CESSNA T-37
(1962 till date)
The Cessna T-37 (Tweet) is a small, economical twin engine jet trainer-attack type aircraft which flew for decades as a primary trainer for the United States Air Force (USAF) and in the air forces of several other nations. The A-37 Dragonfly variant served in the light attack role during the Vietnam War and continues to serve in the air forces of several South American nations.
Pakistan Air Force procured a substantial number of T-37 in the early sixties for use as basic jet trainer at the air force academy Risalpur. T-37s are still in service.
(1962 till date)
The Cessna T-37 (Tweet) is a small, economical twin engine jet trainer-attack type aircraft which flew for decades as a primary trainer for the United States Air Force (USAF) and in the air forces of several other nations. The A-37 Dragonfly variant served in the light attack role during the Vietnam War and continues to serve in the air forces of several South American nations.
Pakistan Air Force procured a substantial number of T-37 in the early sixties for use as basic jet trainer at the air force academy Risalpur. T-37s are still in service.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2024
- Messages
- 111,139
- Likes
- 867
- Nation
- Residence
K-8 KARAKORUM
(1994 till date)
The Hongdu JL-8 (or Nanchang JL-8), also known as the K-8 Karakorum, is a two-seat intermediate jet trainer and light attack aircraft built in joint-cooperation between the China (China Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation) and Pakistan's (Pakistan Aeronautical Complex).
The first prototype was built in 1989, with the first flight taking place on 21 November 1990.
Pakistan Air Force received fourteen K-8 trainers in 1994, after which it decided to order 75 more to replace its fleet of
Cessna T-37 trainers. The latest development in the K-8 family is the K-8P version, which currently is operated by the Pakistan Air Force. K-8P has an advanced avionics package of integrated head-up displays and multi-function displays (MFD), MFD-integrated GPS and Instrument Landing System (ILS) / Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) systems.
The People Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) received its first six K-8 trainers in 1998. Later upgrades to the Chinese model included an indigenously manufactured Chinese engine. The PLAAF is anticipated to continue adding the trainer to its fleet in order to replace older trainers that are now obsolete, such as the JJ-5 (FT-5).
Other nations have shown interest in the trainer and it now also serves in the air forces of Egypt, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. While the plane primarily serves as a trainer, it can also be used in the ground attack or even air combat role when appropriately armed.
In 2008 Venezuela announced the purchase of 18 K-8 aircraft. Currently the K-8 is being marketed by China to the air forces of the Philippines and to Indonesia, for replacing Indonesia's BAE Hawk MK.53 jet trainers. In 2009, the Bolivian government approved a deal to purchase 6 K-8P aircrafts for use in anti-drug operations.
(1994 till date)
The Hongdu JL-8 (or Nanchang JL-8), also known as the K-8 Karakorum, is a two-seat intermediate jet trainer and light attack aircraft built in joint-cooperation between the China (China Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation) and Pakistan's (Pakistan Aeronautical Complex).
The first prototype was built in 1989, with the first flight taking place on 21 November 1990.
Pakistan Air Force received fourteen K-8 trainers in 1994, after which it decided to order 75 more to replace its fleet of
Cessna T-37 trainers. The latest development in the K-8 family is the K-8P version, which currently is operated by the Pakistan Air Force. K-8P has an advanced avionics package of integrated head-up displays and multi-function displays (MFD), MFD-integrated GPS and Instrument Landing System (ILS) / Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) systems.
The People Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) received its first six K-8 trainers in 1998. Later upgrades to the Chinese model included an indigenously manufactured Chinese engine. The PLAAF is anticipated to continue adding the trainer to its fleet in order to replace older trainers that are now obsolete, such as the JJ-5 (FT-5).
Other nations have shown interest in the trainer and it now also serves in the air forces of Egypt, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. While the plane primarily serves as a trainer, it can also be used in the ground attack or even air combat role when appropriately armed.
In 2008 Venezuela announced the purchase of 18 K-8 aircraft. Currently the K-8 is being marketed by China to the air forces of the Philippines and to Indonesia, for replacing Indonesia's BAE Hawk MK.53 jet trainers. In 2009, the Bolivian government approved a deal to purchase 6 K-8P aircrafts for use in anti-drug operations.
