Source:
Pakistan Air Force officials outline Erieye AEW&C recovery process:
In an interview with the state-owned television broadcaster
PTV, several of the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) leading engineering officers outlined the process the PAF undertook to
repair two damaged Saab 2000-based Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.
In August 2012, nine Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) assailants had infiltrated and attacked PAF Minhas in Kamra with the apparent aim of attacking the Erieye AEW&C.
The result of the attack left one Erieye as a complete write-off and
two others damaged. The fourth Erieye AEW&C was not present at the base. In effect, the attack had left the PAF with only one of its four originally ordered Erieye AEW&C aircraft.
Recalling the condition of the two damaged Erieye AEW&C, Air Commodore Riaz stated,
“The aircraft were very badly damaged. There was fire damage to the top of the aircraft, there were bullet holes.” Riaz added,
“When we first looked at the aircraft, they looked like complete write-offs, as the company [Saab] said.”
Upon completion of the repair work, the PAF CAS Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Sohail Aman flew on the very first test-sortie of the newly repaired aircraft.
The first aircraft was repaired in two years, while the second was completed in one year following the first. Air Commodore Safdar stated that the
cost of repairing the two aircraft was 5% of the original value, echoing an earlier statement by ACM Sohail Aman (when he said the cost of repairing the aircraft was
$25 million U.S.) Safdar reiterated that Saab’s endorsement was a significant step, stating, “…the execution, if that is not done right, the aircraft flight safety and aircraft life is in serious jeopardy.” Safdar lauded Wing Commander Rafiq’s role in this regard.
Article was edited..., because it was...(well) too long.
Credit:
@Bilal Khan (Quwa)