No doubt about that fact...However that is what is troubling me the most...You are hedging your bets on China and India equation...What if they did not partcipate in the manner you want them to????
The participation will be in the form of providing PAF with the supplies it needs on emergency basis. PAF is not basing its hedge on a PLAAF-IAF confrontation but any able analyst will be able to tell you that IAF like any other professional airforce will preserve strength on its Chinese border to protect its flank.
Anyhow these squadrons will not participate as long as we are able to achieve our objective which is controlling Pak Air-space...I don't see any logic of not using them even at the cost of loosing the objective...Keep in mind that we used our reserves for China way back in 71 war to achieve our objectives in East Bangladesh...
In 1971 China was getting ready to get annihilated by the Soviet 58th Army, they were convinced that they will attack and were coming up with a strategy to halt Soviet Armoured Columns which looked impossible at the time, thus India was free to move her forces as she pleased. This time the PLAAF is a totally different breed with much longer legged and able fighter aircrafts, the IAF commanders will off course have contingency plans in effect to try and tame the PLAAF at border if the latter decides to enter the war.
A good commander always bases his opinion on not what the enemy will do, but what the enemy can do. As a professional unit, i have no doubt that IAF implements the latter and will have contingency plans in effect to deal with this threat. A good example would be WW2, while the Red Army was getting slaughtered on the Eastern front she still kept 40 divisions intact on its Siberian front to protect her flank from Japan even though she never faced a threat from Japan.
Aren't you going to do the same??? Today multi-role is the mantra...
Air Defence, CAS and Limited Air Superiority will allow PAF to use its numbers more effectively while the IAF will have to come up with a solution to assign what fighters for what role depending on the circumstances but you can be sure that it will take a bite out of IAF's offensive air superiority punch.
Well we need to bench mark something to compate...If IAF cannot achieve 100% operational rate then how come PAF can??? In short the number game is still going to be the same...no????
PAF has a serviceability ratio of around 85-90%, this was verified by Air Cmdr Muradk. Part of the reason why IAF's serviceability ratio is lower compared to PAF because the main IAF offensive punch consists of MIG29's and SU30MKI's which require lots of maintenance compared to PAF's fighter fleet which compromises of aircraft with very high serviceability ratio.
MKI is not a maintenance nightmare.....Anyhow we always had Russian Aircrafts...
Sir it is, i have been following the developments of MKI for a very long time and the technicians have complained a lot about its maintenance. Its not only prerequisite to the MKI but to the SU30 design overall, its a huge beast which requires lots of fuel and lots of maintenance work.
Just look at the number of sorties we performed in 71...but then if you can tame the MKI's with right tactics and necessary force multipliers then why are you ignoring the same for IAF???
Off course; at the end of the day the side which is better prepared, executes its tactics better and has a lot of luck on its side will win the day.
I mean with right tactics and necessary force multiplier our so called 3 generation planes can also tame your F-16's and what not, no???
Off course, PAF's F7PG pilots zap our F16's on many occasions due to superior tactics. IAF's Mig21 Bisons scored hits against USAF F15's. Your 3rd Generation aircrafts will be more active in AD role rather than AS due to their short legs, IAF will likely use aircrafts that have longer legs and can carry sustained long missions.
Isn't the same true for IAF???
Huge difference whether you are on offensive or defensive posture, the defensive side will always have the advantage with a BVR weapon.
However how many planes do you have which can participate in BVR??? Anyways first of all with nukes in picture i doubt that IAF and PAF will have a full go at each other....So in that context i think PAF is well convered but in pure conventional terms i have my doubts....
In pure conventional terms, at the present i am pretty confident in PAF's abilities to defend the skies. There is a numerical disparity but there is not overwhelming conventional disparity on IAF's side and neither does the IAF possess an F22 in its arsenal that is a game changer. Anything that PAF can see on its radars is a fair game and will be targeted.
)It's all a matter of trust and cooperation.
