AFM News for the month of May-09:
Pakistan Takes Delivery of its First Phenom 100
Embraer formally habded-over the first Phenom 100 business jet to the PAF at the manufacturer's headquarters in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, on March 24. The eight-seat a/c is one of four ordered by the Pakistan Government for the transport of officials around the country. PAF officials had revealed plans to acquire the a/c last year and a formal contract was concluded during the fourth quarter, but had not previously been announced by the manufacturer. Note that original reports had suggested that the order would be for the larger Phenom 300, but it was the Phenom 100 that was settled on.
The a/c will be operated by 35 Wing/41 Sqdn at Chaklala AB for both VIP transport and general communications flights. They will replace two much smaller Cessna 172P Skyhawks currently operated by the squadron. The Phenom 100 is the first Embraer a/c to be delivered to a customer in Pakistan and the first of the type to be delivered to a government operator.
New J-10B Variant Destined to be Pakistan's FC-20?
Images that surfaced on Chinese internet sites on March 16 show what appears to be a new single-seat variant of China's Chengdu A/C Corporation J-10B, which is thought likely to be used as the basis for development of the FC-20 for the PAF. it is variously reported to have made its first flight either in December 2008 or February 2009.
New features appear to include a re-designed, divertor-less supersonic intake, infra-red search and track sensor, extra under-wing hardpoint, wide-angle halographic HUD, modified nose section (for a phased array radar?) and enlarged tail-fin (with tip mounted electronic warfare sensor)
A great article on F-16 Flight. of interest to forum members would be the following:
Air to Air Kills
According to its manufacturer Lockheed Martin, the F-16 has been responsible for shotting down 71 aircraft, 44 of which were Syrian Air Force a/c destroyed by Israeli F-16As during the 1982 Lenanon war.
However, despite Lockheed Martin claiming that no F-16s have been shot down, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) records say that on April 29, 1987 Wg Cdr Amjad Javed, CO of 14 Sqdn, accidently shot down his wingman, Flt Lt Shahid Sikandar, while they were both chasing two Afghan fighters. Fortunately Flt Lt Shahid was picked up shortly afterwards and by nightfall was back with his CO, much to his relief.
PAF F-16s have been responsible for shooting down eight Afghan Air Force a/c and an Indian Air Force Searcher UAV.
Hawkeye Soldiers On
International Hawkeye Operators
Besides Egypt, France, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States, Pakistan is the latest country to operate the Hawkeye.
PAKISTAN - PAKISTAN AIR FORCE
Though not strictly an E-2C operator, Pakistan plans to fly the Hawkeye 2000 radar on the Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion. In December 2006, it ordered three re-furbished P-3s with Hawkeye 2000 radars for its Navy. Delivery will take place in 2009-10.