I was purposefully dragging his conversation to bring it to this point but you did it directly
AWACS are the most crucial assets of PAF, we must consider upsizing our AWACS fleet by inducting at least 3 more.
Oh and do consider giving this a read.
Is Boeing E-3 AWACS too old or is it good enough to serve in PAF ?
Check this link
https://www.key.aero/article/uk-sentry-fleet-halved-less-12-months
@Signalian
If the current AWACS (Erieye and ZDK-03) are getting the job done and they can be upgraded in future, then trying out E-3 doesnt make sense.
I do pray you are right, as well as our Brother Khafee.
Do you think we will go above 50 for Block 3? Further Blocks have been hinted again and again by different personnel indirectly during interviews as well. If Block 3 induction or Block 4 stretches till 2026-27, we might actually say good bye to any new platform or Greet J-31 in our colors but limited numbers, To replace mirages as well as complement Block 3.
JF-17 has eloquently replaced A-5 and F-7P (a few P/PG Sqds still remain). JF-17 is also slated to replace Mirage-III/V, which should occur at some stage, otherwise a new aircraft type would be desirable.
A research Question for members here who like to compare aircrafts.
How is JF-17 capable enough to replace Mirage-III and Mirage-V in strike role while being aptly able of carrying all SOW and proving its range, payload, delivery altitude and other features are better than Mirage-III/V in every aspect?
1. How has PAF addressed the needs in JF-17 Block III to fully replace Mirage-III/V, while also considering the replacement of Mirage-V ROSE II, ROSE-III squadrons ?
2. How can future blocks of JF-17 (e.g. IV) come on par with F-16 Block 52+ in range and payload, and if the new JF-17 block can also compete with F-16 Block 70 in all avionics features?
3. How can a future block (Or Block III) JF-17 match the EW/Radar/Avionics/ECM suite of Rafale in Air to Air and Air to Ground roles, even if it cannot match range and payload ?
There should be a topic on this actually. This will narrow down a lot of issues.
Don't you think we would need to know and be aware that a threat is approaching first? That is, when and at which direction should we start jamming? In my opinion, that will be done by the combo of AWACS and ground based radars. First we need to detect them and then we decide what to do ... i.e. jam them or something else.
So the question of replacing the AWACS with SOJs don't arise, as they are not mutually exclusive, in my humble opinion.
Since you are talking about detection and radars.
If AWACS detects a certain IAF flight formation vectoring towards some location inside Pakistan, would you rather have JF-17 scrambled as ADF or F-16 or both ?
Secondly, if there is a strike mission, will JF-17 Block-II be more suitable with its PD Radar or F-16 or JF-17 Block-III with its AESA entering IAF skies? or would you use a combination of all these aicrafts to compliment each other and why ?
Replace AWACS with Stand Off Jammers.
Stand Off Jamming can be achieved by dedicated EW pod, e.g. ALQ-99 or equivalent Russian/Chinese etc variant, on a fighter aircraft.
Its best to have a dedicated variant of JF-17 as EW aircraft so it has same or better range than the contemporary JF-17 which will be used for carrying out strikes, the EW JF-17 can escort them in enemy skies and perform jamming activities. Otherwise increase the number of DA-20.
Replacing AWACS with SOJ came in ur mind through utilization of EB-52H perhaps. PAF also converted a C-130 for such a role in WOT.