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Capabilities of PAF Dassault MIRAGE-III/V.

Should Pakistan upgrade its Mirages to South African Cheetah standard if not Beyond?

  • Yes

    Votes: 181 59.0%
  • No

    Votes: 126 41.0%

  • Total voters
    307
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mig 21.jpg
 
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One idea the PAF can look at is rebuild the Mirages by zero-houring the airframe and engine. That way, it can fly for many years. No need to worry about the expensive electronics or digital flight control system, there's JF-17 for multi-role. Just maintain 3 Mirage squadrons as dedicated strategic/nuclear deployment assets, and downstream all conventional strike (SOW, conventional ALCM, etc) to the JF-17.

A long time ago I read an interview of the air force chief when he was questoned about mirage rebuilds. While happy with them, he made the point that you can only rebuild an aircraft that often, as the very metal you are working on is fatigued.
 
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One idea the PAF can look at is rebuild the Mirages by zero-houring the airframe and engine. That way, it can fly for many years. No need to worry about the expensive electronics or digital flight control system, there's JF-17 for multi-role. Just maintain 3 Mirage squadrons as dedicated strategic/nuclear deployment assets, and downstream all conventional strike (SOW, conventional ALCM, etc) to the JF-17.

You mean something similar like Kifir block-60??
 
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You mean something similar like Kifir block-60??
Similar to Cheetah; Kfir 60 is new build from scratch.
It is a decision they need to take; they keep scavenging parts to keep the airframes going but they will give up eventually; the need to have a newer zero airframe is there; they are not getting it. They have entire drawings etc. and with newer alloys new airframe can easily be built. I cannot see any reason why it cannot be done inhouse. Similarly they got zero hour wings from Atlas; we still have entire facilities still available if needed to assist with airframe as well.
You have all M3/M5; just bring them into a common designator - call it Shaheen I (with high reverence and respect to Honourable M.Iqbal).
Given that the pollination with our consortiums will continue albeit under the covers in other areas (H2/4/Raad/SOMs/rek + all the new systems which are coming online for various clients like UAE/KSA), Shaheen I designation will see to it that it will be around for even 2035 onwards; who else is better suited to collaborate.
If there was a project within the new Aviation Centre, this would be it; let post grad students put their heads together and come up with what is required to move M3/5 to Shaheen I. The future is bright provided we dont have morons on the take (leadership who are clueless and having no self confidence in internal capabilities).
My 2 cents for all to comment.

This photo was on one of my notebooks back then.
I love it. that Mig19 is something of a beauty.
 
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Similar to Cheetah; Kfir 60 is new build from scratch.
It is a decision they need to take; they keep scavenging parts to keep the airframes going but they will give up eventually; the need to have a newer zero airframe is there; they are not getting it. They have entire drawings etc. and with newer alloys new airframe can easily be built. I cannot see any reason why it cannot be done inhouse. Similarly they got zero hour wings from Atlas; we still have entire facilities still available if needed to assist with airframe as well.
You have all M3/M5; just bring them into a common designator - call it Shaheen I (with high reverence and respect to Honourable M.Iqbal).
Given that the pollination with our consortiums will continue albeit under the covers in other areas (H2/4/Raad/SOMs/rek + all the new systems which are coming online for various clients like UAE/KSA), Shaheen I designation will see to it that it will be around for even 2035 onwards; who else is better suited to collaborate.
If there was a project within the new Aviation Centre, this would be it; let post grad students put their heads together and come up with what is required to move M3/5 to Shaheen I. The future is bright provided we dont have morons on the take (leadership who are clueless and having no self confidence in internal capabilities).
My 2 cents for all to comment.


I love it. that Mig19 is something of a beauty.

By now our rebuid and new construction facilities are so extensive that I cannot understand why we cannot build new frames and major parts ourselves. It should be entirely within our abilities to have a 'cheetah' style project. Sure, it won't be a 5th generation aircraft, and you may not get many internationa buyers, but the payback for what would be a minor investment would be significant.
 
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