On 23 October 1973, PAF pilot Flt. Lt. M. Hatif on deputation to Egyptian Air Force (EAF) was flying a EAF MiG-21 in a defensive combat air patrol (CAP) over Egypt when he was vectored towards an intruding Israeli Air Force (IDF/AF) F-4 Phantom. In the ensuing dogfight, Flt. Lt. M. Hatif shot down the Israeli Phantom.
The Aerial fight over Golan
On 26 April 1974, PAF fighter pilot
Flight Lieutenant Sattar Alvi on deputation to No. 67A Squadron,
Syrian Air Force (SAF) was flying a SAF
MiG-21F-13 (Serial No. 1863) out of Dumayr Air Base, Syria in an eight-ship formation with a fellow PAF pilot and the Flight Leader,
Squadron Leader Arif Manzoor.
[4]
Alvi came to a worldwide international notice when he had shot down the
IAF's
Mirage IIICJ flown by
Captain M. Lutz. On 26 April 1974, while on an aerial patrol, the PAF fighter pilots team including,
Flight Lieutenant Captain Sattar Alvi,
Squadron Leader Major Saleem Metla and the formation's leader S
quadron Leader Major Arif Manzoor. The Shahbaz faced an encounter over Golan Heights between a
Mig-21 of the
Syrian Air Force and two Israeli Mirages.
[5]
While leading a Mig-21 patrol along the border, Squadron Leader Arif Manzoor apprised of the presence of two
Israeli Phantom aircraft and was cautioned that these could be decoys while two other fast tracks approaching from the opposite direction might be the real threat. The latter turned out to be Mirages and a moment later Alvi, in Arif's formation saw the No 2 Mirage breaking towards him.
[6] All this time, heavy radio jamming by Israeli ground stations was making things difficult but the Pakistani pilots were used to such tactics. Sattar forced the Israeli pair into close combat, firing his
K-13 missile at the first opportunity. The Israeli wingman's Mirage exploded into a ball of fire, while the leader quickly disengaged.
Honours
After the engagements, Flight Lieutenant Captain Sattar Alvi and Shahbaz formation leader Squadron Leader Major Arif Manzoor were awarded two of Syria's highest decorations for gallantry, the Wisaam Faris and Wisaam Shuja'at in 1973 by the
President of
Syria Hafez al-Assad in a public ceremony. The
government of Pakistan also awarded the PAF fight pilot Sitara-e-Jur'at each. The prime minister
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto personally met each of them and awarded the gallantry awards in a public ceremonies.
A/C Sattar Alvi, shows off the Capt M Lutz - IAF Mirage IIICJ Pilot's coveralls, whom the former PAF pilot shot down in combat.
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