Surgical strike inside Pakistan and IAF Mirage health

[HAIDER]

KOCHI: A surgical strike inside Pakistan may still be an option but the operability of the IAF’s Mirage fleet, considered the best platform to effect a surprise, remains a moot point as India is yet to renew an agreement with France to ensure timely servicing of these aircraft.

And for the IAF top brass the situation is a rewind to pre-Kargil days when the Mirage fleet was in a bind for want of spares till the French government rushed urgent supplies to ensure the aircraft were airborne in time. This time around no SOS has gone out from Delhi to Dassault, the makers of Mirage. And both countries are nowhere near an agreement though a broad outline has been sketched through recent discussions.

Three of the 55 Mirages are already out of service.

And a good number of the remaining ones are not in the pink of mechanical health.

“Their fleet serviceability is low. That doesn’t mean that they won’t fly. Certain types of service and replacement of spares are not being done, but a stock of spare parts for emergencies is being maintained in field depots,” top sources told to The New Indian Express.

India and France first entered into an agreement in 1987 for the purchase of 45 Mirages. Another pact, signed in 2003, saw another 10 aircraft being bought.

“But the first agreement has expired and needs to be renewed to ensure a constant supply of service parts from Dassault. The Ministry of Defence has stretched the talks out far too long. As a result we have neither the pact nor the spares,” sources said. Learned sources told Express that a cost escalation clause had been included in the first agreement.

“The percentage of cost escalation is an accepted norm in any deal. But the MoD has wasted time and now signs of tension are quite visible as the possibility of a strike is being seriously discussed,” sources said.

Though Jaguars are the perfect weapon for inflicting deep strikes, they are more reliable on the plains. “We presume that the targets will be in the hilly terrain of ***. The performance of Jaguars in hilly theatres, especially when they have to do steep climbs, does not come up to that of a Mirage,” sources said.

Shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles are a problem for Jaguars as the opponent fires from a height of 7,000 to 10,000 ft and the missiles have a range of 8,000 to 10,000 ft.

“This means the aircraft have to maintain a safe height of 24,000 feet to escape the missiles and an accurate deep strike from that height is a risk. Mirages can duck enemy fire faster in the hills and can even kill targets hidden in valleys,” sources said adding that the best option would be to mount a combined strike using Mirages and MiGs.
IAFs Mirage not in best of health

IAF detected ‘corrosion’ on components of MIG-29s

Indian Air Force has detected corrosion on some parts of its MIG‑29 fleet deployed on Pakistani border. Media reports quoting Air Marshal Gautam Nayyar, Air Officer Commanding‑in‑Chief, Maintenance command in Chandigarh said “corrosion is seen” on some parts of the MIG 29 fighter aircraft which will be tested now. Russia has grounded some 100 MIG‑29s after detecting defects. Nayyar said the IAF will conduct ultra sound examination of certain components of the MIG 29 at 11 Base Repair Depot (BRD) of the force. Nayyar who was on his farewell visit to the 3 BRD in Chandigarh said the IAF will acquire fully assembled 80 medium helicopters ‘MI 17 V5’ from Russia in June 2010.

 

[Super Falcon]

dont worry our ASPADA and RBS 70 are ready too to kick the ***** of ur mirages which we did in past

 

[Munir]

The Indians have no longer the power to strike at their will. Even if they do they will have the face consequences and knowing what is up there in the North I think they rather stay faking encounters to make their pride bigger while terrorizing Kashmiri.

 

[zombie:-)]

The Indians have no longer the power to strike at their will. Even if they do they will have the face consequences and knowing what is up there in the North I think they rather stay faking encounters to make their pride bigger while terrorizing Kashmiri.

stop derailing the thread if you cant contribute to it in a constructive way

 

[Super Falcon]

so ur contributing constructing way but the fact remains the fact u cannot encounter pakistan armed forces even if u want u saw it in past several times ur fighter jets get in pak space and ran away can u describe it constructively

 

[Lockheed F-16]

Well, situation has changed now after the attacks. Short after the Mumbai attacks, it would have been the best chance for India but now, there is not that big attention to this matter like before so chance of surgical strikes is less. It was low anyway because of our defence but I only wanted to mention that now, it would be a very bad moment to commit surgical strikes.

 

[Hasnain2009]

stop derailing the thread if you cant contribute to it in a constructive way

U r right!!
This discussioon have no result!! We people will keep fighting till the war come, whoch will prove who is better!!

 

[Super Falcon]

hasnain 2009 thats why we r here to put in front of our rival what we think and what they think thats why we r all here and u as well if this fighting not been done than all the forums around will dont have any new members

 

[zavis2003]

Dont arguz with INDIANS they always match there BISONs with RAPTORs

 

[omerhhh]

Even if they did try it would be hard to get a succesful strike and even if they did the pilots of the airplanes would have to accept the fact that they will not come back home alive.

 

[omerhhh]

And then obviously they would have to deal with the paf's retalliation efforts.

 

[pakpower]

well to be honest in my opinion indians only can talk of huge achievements and about their arsenal but they certainly can't act in that way so we shouldn't take that matter seriously about their so called surgical attacks my Foot they can't do any thing except bark like ......................... you guys knows better.

 

[Hasnain2009]

'PAF was on red alert to counter any surgical strikes by IAF'

Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Mar 29 (PTI) Pakistan had put its air force on "red alert" and devised an "air strategy plan" to launch "offensive operations" to counter any possible surgical strikes by India during the heightened Indo-Pak tensions in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, a top military officer said.

The new chief of Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman who assumed charge last week, said he had drawn up the "air strategy plan" when the threat of possible surgical strikes was "about to cross the threshold".

In the space of hours, the PAF was on red alert and capable of launching offensive operations, he said.

"When the surgical strikes' threat was about to cross the threshold, I devised an air strategy plan and unfolded it to the then (PAF chief Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed) and within four-five hours, the whole PAF was on red alert status and present everywhere to defend and launch offensive operations," a statement issued by PAF quoted Suleman as saying.

Addressing PAF personnel at an airbase at Sargodha in Punjab province, Suleman said the PAF "played a vital role in averting an imminent war" in the aftermath of the 26/11 attacks. PTI

 

[Hasnain2009]

PAF averted imminent war in aftermath of 26/11: ACM Rao | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

Published: March 29, 2009
LAHORE (Agencies) - Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman on Saturday paid inaugural visit to PAF Base, Mushaf (Sargodha), after assuming the command of Pakistan Air Force.
On his arrival at the Base, he was presented with a guard of honour by smartly turned out contingent of Pakistan Air Force.
The New Air Chief will undertake series of visits to various PAF Bases and would unfold his vision for preparing PAF to meet the challenges of 21st century Air Operations. While referring to the incidence of 26/11, the Air Chief lauded the performance of PAF Airmen, who played a vital role in averting an imminent war.
He said, “when the Surgical Strikes threat was about to cross the threshold, I devised an air strategy plan and unfolded it to the then CAS and within 4 - 5 hours the whole PAF was on Red Alert Status and present everywhere to defend and launch offensive operations.” While talking to the pilots, the Air Chief said, “you are cutting edge of PAF and nation pins high hopes on you to defend, deliver and sacrifice and keep up the glorious traditions of PAF air warriors.”
He emphasized upon them to maintain the highest level of standards pertaining to various aspects of Air Operations.
Addressing a joint session of Airmen, the Air Chief said, “The cardinal points of my vision are Integrity, Professional Excellence and Teamwork.
The top most priority will remain operational preparedness of PAF. Today, the PAF is passing through transit phase, we will be handling and operating old and new weapon systems of various capabilities, you are required to maintain these assets for their optimum performance. The induction of new systems programme is on track.
These systems will be requiring knowledge-based training, thus my focus will be on modern training techniques and on flight safety. All measures and quality assurance procedures must be adopted for preserving the assets of PAF.”
Earlier, on his arrival at the Base, the Air Chief was received by Air
Vice Marshal Attique Rafique, Air Officer Commanding, Central Air Command, Pakistan Air Force and Air Commodore M Ashfaque Arain, Base Commander PAF Base, Mushaf.

 

[Hasnain2009]

PAF Was on Red Alert to Counter Any IAF Strikes

29 March

Islamabad: Pakistan had put its air force on “red alert” and devised an “air strategy plan” to launch “offensive operations” to counter any possible surgical strikes by India during the heightened Indo-Pak tensions in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, a top military officer said.

The new chief of Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman who assumed charge last week, said he had drawn up the “air strategy plan” when the threat of possible surgical strikes was “about to cross the threshold”.

In the space of hours, the PAF was on red alert and capable of launching offensive operations, he said.

“When the surgical strikes’ threat was about to cross the threshold, I devised an air strategy plan and unfolded it to the then (PAF chief Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed) and within four-five hours, the whole PAF was on red alert status and present everywhere to defend and launch offensive operations,” a statement issued by PAF quoted Suleman as saying.

Addressing PAF personnel at an airbase at Sargodha in Punjab province, Suleman said the PAF “played a vital role in averting an imminent war” in the aftermath of the 26/11 attacks.

The new Air Force chief was on an inaugural visit to the airbase in Sargodha after assuming his post.

Suleman told pilots to maintain the highest level of standards for various aspects of air operations. He said the top-most priority of his vision for the force “will remain operational preparedness of the PAF”.

“Today, the PAF is passing through a transit phase. We will be handling and operating old and new weapon systems of various capabilities (and) you are required to maintain these assets for their optimum performance,” he said.

The programme for induction of new systems is on track and there will be focus on modern training techniques and flight safety, he said.

Meanwhile, Air Marshal Hifazat Ullah Khan has been appointed vice chief of the PAF. Commissioned as a pilot in October 1974, he has served in various squadrons. Khan has also served as air attache in Saudi Arabia.