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''Sharpshooters'' Convert To Thunder Bravos Move To Bholari

Hold your horses.
Horse being held back. Took a couple days to think about it. If the PAF wants to go for the JH-7A, it might not be a bad platform to host export variants of the four pods from the J-16D as well as be an anti-ship missile truck for the PN. All stand-off roles the PAF needs a platform like this to be able to keep up, by maneuvering with the rest of the fighters, in a strike package. AI enabled EW is the future even if the plane is an old and less then desirable design, it’s the weapons and the pods on it that will matter most.

God help our logistics people and maintainers at the air bases, because odds are these platforms are gonna come as is with the Chinese version of the Sprey engines.

@bananarepublic I got my rant in early for 2022 :)
 
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That’s only 345 planes (approx. 20 squadrons). I thought the PAF had 25 active fighter squadrons or approx. 425 planes?

If we are gonna be limited to under 350 aircraft, I hope they go all the way and acquire enough J-10s to retire the last of the F-7s and Mirages; especially for the sake of pilot safety.
PAF has 20 combat squadrons (excl CCS) the rest are AEW, EW, Tanker, Transport etc. Past PAF Chief has said they would like to maintain a combat strength of 375 to 400.
The man has backed off from his jh 7a claim, saying that as it is a maintainence heavy ac with problematic engines its been put in storage :-)
Not really. Taza taza:
 
JH-7 in my opinion not happening as for J-15 rumors started by one guy we all know. Well that would depend on Indian Navy induction. If they go for F-18 then we can see J-15 if they would go for Rafale M then we would see more J-10. That is my own assessment please don't take it as some news I am sharing.

It would be a very interesting decision if the go for the F18 super hornet. Very interesting. The only thing it will offer is potentially an AIM-260D missile to offset the PL15 as the PL15 outclasses the Meteor as of now. It will however, further complicate their supply lines, bring an American veto over their airforce, and more importantly negatively affect their training pipelines and therefore overall operational effectiveness. The only real "logical" choice has to be the Rafale, given all the time and money they have already invested into it.

The Indians "now" need to commit to QUAD by developing infrastructure that can host American basing of weapons and the F18s are part of that equation now that the Indians have signed all of the foundation agreements for interoperatability of their forces with the American armed forces.

Could we eventually see USAF F18s based in Srinigar facing off against the PLAAF and PAF? I truly dont think it is as far fetched as some members here think ...
 
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The man has backed off from his jh 7a claim, saying that as it is a maintainence heavy ac with problematic engines its been put in storage :-)
The man also gave some news here which proved to be correct like the Indian moon lander crash even before any news media or even India admitted it...
 
PAF has 20 combat squadrons (excl CCS) the rest are AEW, EW, Tanker, Transport etc. Past PAF Chief has said they would like to maintain a combat strength of 375 to 400.

Not really. Taza taza:
Unfortunately people cannot differentiate between the planform of a JH-7 vs a Saudi Tornado nor fan
Made patches.
 
The man also gave some news here which proved to be correct like the Indian moon lander crash even before any news media or even India admitted it...
I am in no way dissing the person but u have to admit he has made some out landish claims one one which was the acquisition of the jh 7......n it has gone horribly sideways to say the least.
 
I am in no way dissing the person but u have to admit he has made some out landish claims one one which was the acquisition of the jh 7......n it has gone horribly sideways to say the least.
Cannot divulge more here, but every news has a background. Since you are not privy to the person you are entitled to your opinion. But InshaAllah good things will come forward.
 
Horse being held back. Took a couple days to think about it. If the PAF wants to go for the JH-7A, it might not be a bad platform to host export variants of the four pods from the J-16D as well as be an anti-ship missile truck for the PN. All stand-off roles the PAF needs a platform like this to be able to keep up, by maneuvering with the rest of the fighters, in a strike package. AI enabled EW is the future even if the plane if an old design, it’s the weapons and the pods on it that will matter most.

God help our logistics people and maintainers at the air bases, because odds are these platforms are gonna come as is with the Chinese version of the Sprey engines.

@bananarepublic I got my rant in early for 2022 :)
Let me get my rant out as well
Jh-7s are possible
1. India via Russia might be pressuring china to not sell and flankers to Pakistan which have the russian engines.
2. Jh-7 gives us a twofold leap in capabilities compared to our baba mirages. It might not be bleeding edge, but it's good enough as a stopgap.
3. PAF might not be found of having the same planes on both sides of the border, especially with our neighbor having 20+ years of experience on them.
4. Sprey engines is not something that the PAF engineers and Karma might find something hard to tackle. What of (this is my prediction) Chinese are sweetening the deal by offsetting the sales with infrastructure to maintain and upgrade it in Pakistan. Jh-7 are on the way out in PLAAF so the infrastructure is either being shelved/repurposed.
In essence, my rant copies Mastankhan and his ramblings arw making more and more sense. :woot:
 
Let me get my rant out as well
Jh-7s are possible
1. India via Russia might be pressuring china to not sell and flankers to Pakistan which have the russian engines.
2. Jh-7 gives us a twofold leap in capabilities compared to our baba mirages. It might not be bleeding edge, but it's good enough as a stopgap.
3. PAF might not be found of having the same planes on both sides of the border, especially with our neighbor having 20+ years of experience on them.
4. Sprey engines is not something that the PAF engineers and Karma might find something hard to tackle. What of (this is my prediction) Chinese are sweetening the deal by offsetting the sales with infrastructure to maintain and upgrade it in Pakistan. Jh-7 are on the way out in PLAAF so the infrastructure is either being shelved/repurposed.
In essence, my rant copies Mastankhan and his ramblings arw making more and more sense. :woot:

It’s a better stop gap then the mirages, and they free up the J-10s for the Air superiority role. They could be a good place holder for the navy and EW roles. they presumably have the range for long range standoff strikes as well as filling the Growler role. It may take 15 years or so before Project AZM’s fighter can replace them. I agree, we might as well induct 24-36 or so; split evenly between the navy and EW squadrons of the Air Force. It will need a considerable upgrade of its Radar and other sensors and avionics if it is to be able to operate effectively in heavy EW clutter; but it seems like it’s engines are powerful enough that a large modern GaN AESA could really be used effectively to counter it, while it is engaged in the strike Role, especially for the Navy.
 
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PAF has 20 combat squadrons (excl CCS) the rest are AEW, EW, Tanker, Transport etc. Past PAF Chief has said they would like to maintain a combat strength of 375 to 400.

A little correction. I hope this will help.

Total Operational Squadrons (Excluding UAVs) = 43
Total Helicopter Squadrons (Combat Support) = 8
Total Special Mission Squadrons = Special Mission + Gunship + Tanker + Transport = 4 + 1 + 1 + 4 = 10
Total Frontline Squadrons = 25

7 x Thunder + 5 x Falcon + 1 x Dragon (expected soon)
4 x Mirage ROSE + 3 x Fishcan + 3 x Mirage.
1 x K-8P + Sherdils + Brave Hearts.
 
Total Frontline Squadrons = 25

7 x Thunder + 5 x Falcon + 1 x Dragon (expected soon)
4 x Mirage ROSE + 3 x Fishcan + 3 x Mirage.
1 x K-8P + Sherdils + Brave Hearts.
Lets break it down, not counting CSS:

6 x Thunder according to my count (inorder of induction date) - No.s 26, 16, 2, 14, 28, 18

5 x Falcons - Yes agreed (nos. 5, 9, 11, 19 and 29)

0 x Dragon - This is in future, we want to see current strength

3 x Mirage Rose + 3 x Mirage - Rose-I is no.7 , Rose-II is no. 25, Rose-III is no. 27, the remaining Mirages in no. 8, 15 (or 50 but that news is not confirmed), and 22

3 x PGs. (nos. 17, 20, 23)

Total: 20 sqds

No need to count CSS and K-8 sherdils since the first are not full sqds and the second are not really combat planes. Finally, what is Brave Hearts?
 
Mirage 3/5s will not be retired until the end of the 20's. Squadrons may be reduced.

JF-17 Block IIIs will replace all F-7P/PGs in all 4 squadrons. Total Squadrons may number upto 9 including 5 existing Blocks I&II.

Falcons will remain in 5 squadrons.

J-10CPs will add more squadrons.

Bholari needs to be backed by another new MOB west of Dadu.
 

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