First PAF IL-78 mid-air refueller aircraft arrives in Pakistan

[TaimiKhan]

Il-78 Tankers Arrive in Pakistan
By USMAN ANSARI
Published: 4 Dec 17:15 EST (22:15 GMT)

ISLAMABAD - Two Il-78MP Midas tanker aircraft have arrived in Pakistan, apparently the first of four purchased from the Ukraine.

Though the Pakistan Air Force declined to comment, the two aircraft landed at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on Dec. 2, and were clearly visible from the observation lounge in their low-observation-gray PAF livery.

Though it was unusual that the two military aircraft did not land at the nearby Masroor or Faisal air bases, their presence validates November reports in local media about their impending arrival.

But reports that Cobham was to equip Pakistan's Il-78s with refueling pods were incorrect. A Cobham official said at last week's biannual Pakistani defense exhibition, IDEAS2008, that the pods were still the Soviet-designed UPAZs, and that the refueling kits on receiving aircraft, such as the newly upgraded Mirage-IIIs, were likely to be South African in origin.

The Il-78s will give the PAF its first airborne refueling capability. They will help train Pakistani crews in mid-air refueling techniques, and once operational will be used to refuel the Mirage-III and eventually JF-17 Thunder.

Air Force officials did confirm the $108 million order of 100 MAR-1 anti-radiation missiles from the Brazilian company Mectron, a deal signed in April but only now revealed. Few details are known about the MAR-1, and for many years its existence was denied. With confirmation of the deal, Pakistan appears to be the first export customer for the missile, which is also in service with the Brazilian air force.

Il-78 Tankers Arrive in Pakistan - Defense News

This is last year's report, and having seen no IL-78 through out 2009 means we did not received any such aircraft then.

This one seems credible news as recently we had seen the IL-78 pics going through testing in Ukraine.

 

[TaimiKhan]

This one? I know its Russian but will Ukrainian IL-78 be of this type?

KIT Out

This one below is the real PAF one.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_htvjsmtPr...iUokfQzAZBM/s1600-h/Pakistan_-_Air_Force2.jpg

 

[Kompromat]

Here we get our " Feed Birds" Congrats and too many good news coming from PAF which is really great!! Thunder / SAAB / Aerial refuler , which one we should wait for next?

 

[Adios Amigo]

congrats to all pakistanis. 2009 brought alot of goodies interms of military hardware, hope 2010 brings even more(Amin).















adios

 

[air marshal]

PAF gets force-multiplier capability
December 19, 2009

ISLAMABAD: The first Air-to-Air Refueler aircraft of Pakistan Air Force out of total four has arrived on an operational Air Base of the country, a spokesman of PAF here Saturday said. In a press statement the spokesman said, the delivery of remaining three Refueler aircraft is planned to complete by mid-2010.

By virtue of its capability to refuel Air Defence aircraft in air, PAF’s overall potential in terms of its effectiveness to defend the airspace of Pakistan would be significantly enhanced, he added.

After attaining the facility, Pakistan Air Force has formally joined the rank of those developed air forces which have already the air refilling system.

An expert of the aviation industry welcomed this induction in PAF saying this is a force-multiplier ability as the strength of the existing number of fighter jets would atleast be doubled, straightaway.

- Associated Press of Pakistan

 

[New Shivaji]

IL-78, its a multi platform, can be changed into a refueling tanker or can be used as a transporter too. So we are getting 2 capabilities in 1 platform.

I believe i read somewhere it is changed in around 2-3hrs time to the role in which you want.

My friend you are wrong, The Il-78M is a dedicated tanker and cannot be converted back to the transport role easily.

Congrats on getting a fuel tanker

 

[BlackenTheSky]

good news .congratulations to all

 

[Windjammer]

The news item along with an image appeared in the current issue of AFM




http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt269/TheHoustonRocket/4-FirstPakBuiltThunder.jpg

 

[Windjammer]

My friend you are wrong, The Il-78M is a dedicated tanker and cannot be converted back to the transport role easily.

Congrats on getting a fuel tanker

There are also other platforms which can be converted to dual Transport/Tanker roles . It's an ideal choice for airforces with limited budget, hence it was an ideal choice for the PAF.

 

[abbasniazi]

First or third doesn't matter, all that matters is that we have this capability in our airforce, power multipliers play a very important role in both peace and war time.

It'd be nice if PAF raises a seperate squadern for these force multipliers.

 

[Imran Khan]

 

[kashith]

such force multipliers will greatly improve PAF's capabilities.

 

[Barrett]

 

[Barrett]

My friend you are wrong, The Il-78M is a dedicated tanker and cannot be converted back to the transport role easily.

Congrats on getting a fuel tanker

We never got IL-78M, the ones Pakistan is inducting in its inventory is customized variant of the Il-78M, fitted with PS-90 engines and UPAZ refuelling pods for Pakistan Air Force. It's IL-78MP, Tanker/transport as opposed to tanker only version, thus fulfilling the requirements of Pakistan Air Force for both transport and air refueling.

Always a step ahead

 

[Barrett]

This is last year's report, and having seen no IL-78 through out 2009 means we did not received any such aircraft then.

This one seems credible news as recently we had seen the IL-78 pics going through testing in Ukraine.

If we got the tanker yesterday then how could have the admin of the following website uploaded pics on 9th Dec, you can clearly see the aircraft at one of the Airports in Pakistan, most probably khi.

Pakistan Air Force gets Ilyushin IL-78 MIDAS aerial refueling tanker | Pakistan News With Pakistan Ideology