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PAF, USAF conduct joint Air Refuelling Exercise

US-Pak air forces conduct joint refuelling operation

* American pilots, crew from 22nd Expeditionary Air Refuelling Squadron participate in the exercise

ISLAMABAD: The US and Pakistan air force’s conducted a joint air re-fuelling exchange operation on Wednesday at the PAF Base Chaklala.

According to a US Embassy statement, the operation was conducted to enhance defence cooperation and to develop air-refuelling capabilities of both countries. US Air Force pilots and crew from the 22nd Expeditionary Air Refuelling Squadron, deployed at the Transit Centre at Manas, Kyrgyzstan arrived at PAF Chaklala to conduct the operation with the PAF and invited PAF pilots and crew aboard their KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft to familiarise them with US Air Force air refuelling equipment and procedures. “Events like these promote understanding and enhance our military-to-military relationships and also boost the capability and expertise of both air forces,” said US Navy Vice Admiral LeFever. “In addition, the planned arrival of more F-16s to Pakistan later this year, developing PAF’s air refuelling expertise and increasing its airborne endurance and ability is our objective to help it counter the terrorist threat in Pakistan” he said. Over the last three years, US civilian and security assistance to Pakistan totalled more than $4 billion which includes support for medical aid, school refurbishment, bridge reconstruction, food distribution, agricultural and educational projects, 14 F-16 fighter aircrafts, five fast patrol boats, 115 self-propelled Howitzer field artillery cannons, more than 450 vehicles for Pakistan’s Frontier Corps, hundreds of night vision goggles, day/night scopes, radios and thousands of protective vests and first-aid items for Pakistan’s security forces. staff report/app

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
 
PAF, USAF conduct joint Air Refuelling Exercise - Pakistan's First Il-78 Midas breaks cover

Those ROSE Mirage IIIs are so darn good looking! Even now, decades after they came into service, they look like they're going to give the other guy a really hard time!
 
The refuelling exercise would give PAF some great experience of using this great plane. It adds a great deal of power and endurance to the air force. Great strategic asset for PAF. Congrats.
 
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If the Americans are giving our boys some sort of training in this field in the plane which refuels the F-16 is this the sign for the times to come, in the future does USA will allow Pakistan to buy the air refuler for F-16s.
 
Those ROSE Mirage IIIs are so darn good looking! Even now, decades after they came into service, they look like they're going to give the other guy a really hard time!

The clip is not accurate at all which is compiled of different exercise most probably French-US one. That is not PAF Mirage-III equipped with refueling prob which is on top of right air intake.
 
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PAF Base Chaklala, Rawalpindi - Officers of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and United States Air Force (USAF) inside the cockpit of a USAF Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker at PAF Base Chaklala, Rawalpindi - Picture source: The Nation
 
What do you think guys any sign of KC 135 in PAF coming ?
 
What do you think guys any sign of KC 135 in PAF coming ?

It is now guaranteed what the U.S. intentions are (sell us more F-16 and accessories). Only real question now is do we need KC-135? I don't think expensive refueler is necessary for less than 50 aircraft.
 
we have nothing to refulel F16s.
news above mentioned that "USAF Personals gives PAF officers a tour of Kc-135"
that means they are trying to offer a platform for F16 refueling.

besides
there are only two ways to refuel f16s

1-PAF get refueling boom kits and system and install it on Il-78
(which is quite difficult but not impossible)
or
2-Pakistan could get 2-3 USAF refueling aircrafts for 60-f16s.
(not sure about kc-135 but they can get a low cost re-fueler too)
 
we have nothing to refulel F16s.
news above mentioned that "USAF Personals gives PAF officers a tour of Kc-135"
that means they are trying to offer a platform for F16 refueling.

besides
there are only two ways to refuel f16s

1-PAF get refueling boom kits and system and install it on Il-78
(which is quite difficult but not impossible)
or
2-Pakistan could get 2-3 USAF refueling aircrafts for 60-f16s.
(not sure about kc-135 but they can get a low cost re-fueler too)

I would agree that the second option is much better. I am not sure about the availability though! The USAF being the expeditionary force that it is, the different commands are known to have a tough time allocating these refuellers. They may be able to get some surplus!

How about retrofitting the current F-16's with probes (for probe & drogue refuelling)? According to the latest reports, F-16IN has been certified for the same and I am sure that it could be integrated for PAF F-16's more so since they are set to go through MLU's.
 
I would agree that the second option is much better. I am not sure about the availability though! The USAF being the expeditionary force that it is, the different commands are known to have a tough time allocating these refuellers. They may be able to get some surplus!

How about retrofitting the current F-16's with probes (for probe & drogue refuelling)? According to the latest reports, F-16IN has been certified for the same and I am sure that it could be integrated for PAF F-16's more so since they are set to go through MLU's.

refueling boom delivers more fuel in certain period of time as compare to refueling probe.its better to use installed facility of f16 rather then installing new and inferior.well PAF already have practiced f16 refueling through USAF refueling platform about a couple year ago.
 
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