Qatar Becomes First Arab State to Overfly Libya

DOHA - Qatari warplanes have flown over Libya, becoming the first Arab state to take part in military operations to enforce a no-fly zone under a U.N. resolution, its air force announced March 25.
The air force said an undisclosed number of planes had "overflown sister Libya as part of the international coalition" to enforce the no-fly zone imposed on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces "to protect civilians."

It did not specify a date for the start of Qatari operations nor a location for the first flights, in a brief statement carried by state news agency QNA.
But two Qatari Mirage jet fighters and a C-17 Globemaster transport plane landed on March 22 in Cyprus for refueling on their way to deployment. State television said they were headed for a U.S. air base on Crete.
The United Arab Emirates, like Qatar a key U.S. ally, said on March 24 it has committed six F-16 and six Mirage fighters to help enforce the no-fly zone over its fellow Arab country and that its flights would start "in the coming days."
The 22-member Arab League endorsed the no-fly zone before Western warplanes under Security Council Resolution 1973 launched attacks on the air defenses of Gadhafi's forces battling an armed revolt.
But with Arab states seen as slow to contribute, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said earlier this week that Washington expected "more announcements" of Arab participation in the days ahead.

Qatar Sending Fighter Jets to Help Enforce Libya No-Fly Zone

PARIS – Qatar is to send four Mirage 2000 fighter jets to contribute to operations enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya and to protect civilians, the French ministry of defense spokesman said March 20.
The Qatari military participation came amid reports of criticism by the Arab League of the British and U.S. cruise missile attacks against Libyan air defense targets March 19.

"I would like to draw your attention to an absolutely crucial point in the overall measures, in line with an announcement by the Qatari authorities: the deployment decided by Qatar of four aircraft in the zone in order to participate in the operations," Laurent Teisseire told a press conference.
"This illustrates the Arab participation in this international operation of protection of civilian population," Teisseire said.
The announcement of the Qatari deployment came on a second day of French operations over Libyan airspace, aimed at denying Tripoli the use of air superiority and armor against the resistance based in Benghazi.
Qatar operates French-built Mirage 2000 aircraft, Teisseire said. As France is a longstanding strategic defense partner of Qatar, Paris has decided to deploy on the same territory as Qatar a certain number of aircraft in order to operate jointly with the Qatari Air Force, he said.
Privately, a French defense executive guessed the Qatari Mirages would fly to France and operate out of the French air force base 126 at Solenzara, on the island of Corsica.
The French Air Force is expected to operate increasingly from Solenzara.
Asked why the American and British forces did not hit the Libyan air defenses before the French jets flew into the operational area, Teisseire said: "If the joint staffs acted in this way together, it was because they together thought it was the right way to go.
"The actions were coordinated. The French aircraft were in the zone and completed a first mission in the face of an acknowledged threat to the civilian population," he said.
"The strikes came a few hours after by our American and British partners. The results were achieved, that's what is important," he said.
The spokesman for the Joint Staff, Army Col. Thierry Burkhard said French warplanes destroyed four Libyan armored vehicles on March 19.
Some 15 French Air Force aircraft flew missions March 20 to maintain the no-fly zone and provide ground strike capabilities, Burkhard said. One of the patrols included a reconnaissance mission by two Rafales, one equipped with the Reco NG intelligence gathering pod, intended to assess the damage of the Tomahawk cruise missile strikes by the British and U.S. forces, he said.
There were no reports of the French aircraft firing on Libyan targets, which Teisseire said showed the protective measures were working.
Work, meanwhile, is going on to build an integrated command structure among the allies, who have up to now coordinated their actions but have operated on a national basis, Teisseire said.
As announced, the Charles de Gaulle carrier left Toulon March 20, and would take on board its Fleet Air Arm consisting of eight Rafales and six Super Etendard fighters, two Dauphin helicopters and two Hawkeye surveillance aircraft. For combat search and rescue, two Caracal and one Puma helicopter would also be shipped onboard.
Burkhard said the carrier and its task force had deployed as rapidly as possible, in view of the ship's return on Feb. 22 from a deployment in the Indian Ocean, providing support for the Afghan campaign.
On the cruise missile strikes, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said, "What is happening in Libya differs from the aim of imposing a no-fly zone, and what we want is the protection of civilians and not the bombardment of more civilians," the BBC reported.
Teisseire said that in accordance with the Security Council resolution 1973, the allies had to notify all military actions to the U.N. Secretary General and the Arab League.

France Deploys About 20 Aircraft to Enforce Libya No-Fly Zone

PARIS - A French warplane has fired on a Libyan military vehicle as France deployed some 20 aircraft to protect civilians and to enforce a U.N.-backed no-fly zone over Benghazi, the French spokesman for the Joint Staff said March 19.

A French Dassault Rafale multirole combat aircraft performs during the Aero India 2011 inauguration day at the Yelhanka Air Force station in Bangalore on Feb. 9. (Dibyangshu Sarkar/ AFP via Getty Images)

"Fire was opened at 17:45 on a military vehicle which was positively identified," Army Col. Thierry Burkard told a press conference. The exact type of vehicle was undisclosed.

This was the official report of an engagement by French combat aircraft, as the planes began patrolling Libyan airspace under U.N. Resolution 1973, adopted by the Security Council March 17.
"French Air Force air operations began this afternoon," defense ministry spokesman Laurent Teisseire said.
The U.N. resolution calls for enforcing a no-fly zone against Libyan aircraft and allows coalition aircraft to attack Libyan military vehicles used against civilians, Teisseire said.
The French air deployment would allow time for other coalition countries to gather their assets and to put in place a command structure, Burkhard said.
The air operations got under way as Western and Arab leaders gathered here for a summit meeting to discuss the Libyan crisis. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States had "unique capabilities" to help enforce the no-fly zone.
"As of now, our aircraft are preventing planes from attacking the town (Benghazi)," President Nicolazs Sarkozy said after the meeting. "As of now, other French aircraft are ready to intervene against tanks, armored vehicles threatening unarmed civilians."
Some 20 aircraft including strike and multirole versions of the Mirage 2000, Rafale, C-135 tankers, Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) spy planes and Transall transports were involved in the operations, which were under way as the press conference was being held, Burkhard said.
"The operations are still going on," he said.
The French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier was due to leave Toulon naval base on March 20 and its fleet of Rafale and Super Etendard fighters and Hawkeye surveillance aircraft were expected to be operational within 48 hours, French officials said.
The task force will include the Dupleix and Aconit frigates and the Meuse fleet auxiliary tanker.
The French defense ministry emphasized its speedy response, 48 hours after adoption of the U.N. resolution and the ability to project force in a complex air operation and in such volume.
The first combat aircraft, four Rafales, took off at 11 a.m. from Saint-Dizier-Robinson Air Base to assure the interception mission over Benghazi, an area of 150 km by 100 km. They were refueled in the air and directed by the AWACS aircraft, which flew from Avord air base. Two other Rafales flew reconnaissance missions, one equipped with the Reco NG intelligence gathering pod. Six C135 inflight refueling tankers from Istres air base took part in the operations.
Two Mirage 2000D fighter-bombers took off from Nancy air base, and two Mirage 2000-5 multirole aircraft flew from Dijon to perform ground strike and escort missions.
A patrol of two Rafales from Saint Dizier was equipped with the Armement Air-Sol Modulaire (AASM) smart bomb to provide close air support and also armed for air defense.
French Navy frigates Forbin and Jean Bart are sailing off the Libyan coast, providing support.

Pakistan Air Force - Yesterday and Today

By Wing Commander Saqib Shafi
At the time of its inception, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) constituted a group of little more than 2,000 men of strong mettle flying a fleet of 16 TEMPEST II piston-engine fighter/bombers, two C-47 DAKOTA transports, twelve T-6G HARWARDs and seven TIGER MOTH biplanes.
This "force" had hardly a credible air defence element; whatever equipment reached Pakistan was not serviceable, and moreover maintenance facilities were virtually lacking. Although Pakistan, by dint of its geographical location, inherited seven operational air fields, some of these even lacked the barest minimum facilities of an operational base. Thus, the start was modest in its literal sense but high ambitions blended with staunch resolution of those pioneering air warriors were unfettered, unlimited and un-abounded. Despite all these odds and infirmities, the PAF has developed into a invincible might over a period of 54 years.
The Beginning
From 1947 to 1965, the PAF was the Royal Pakistan Air Force and was commanded by four British C-in-Cs in a row. During this period the Flying Training School at Risalpur evolved into a model unit of the RPAF. The other two flying elements (the fighter force and the transport squadron) did not develop as well; however when put to test the operational tasks of valley supply drops by DAKOTAs and HELIFAXs as part of the Kashmir War, and the spasmodic "watch-and-ward" affrays by fighter aircraft over Waziristan, were executed successfully. 1957 was a momentous year for the Pakistan Air Force, with the induction of 100 F-86 SABREs jet fighters under the US aid programme. A wave of professional enthusiasm surged through the ranks of the PAF, as squadron after squadron of fighter pilots said farewell to their FURYs or ATTACKERs and joined the queue to fly the SABRE, "the SPITFIRE of jet fighters". The new C-in-C of PAF, Asghar Khan established a Fighter Leader's School aimed at producing a class of air warriors. The arrival of the SABREs was followed by the procurement of B-57 light bombers and eventually F-104 STARFIGHTERS Mach 2 fighters. These inductions necessitated sweeping changes in many spheres of professional activity. Engineering and logistics made a wholesale and somewhat painful switch over to American systems. As combat training programmes became more realistic and dynamic, they gave birth to a new breed of professional flyers who strove to excel in the "hard-core" skills of their trade rather than in showy dangerous manoeuvres.
War Experience
By the end of August 1965, the war between India and Pakistan loomed inevitable. On 1 September, the PAF was placed on a high state of alert, and combat air patrols (CAPs) were being flown by PAF aircraft 10 miles inside their border. The first encounter took place when a CAP of two F-86s intercepted four intruding IAF VAMPIREs. Sqn Ldr Rafiqui and his wingman, Flt Lt Bhatti shot down two VAMPIREs each. The IAF did not use its VAMPIREs again in that war.
On 6 September 1965, when the Indian Army invaded West Pakistan, the IAF did not strike PAF bases. The opportunity was, thus, exploited by the PAF which attacked IAF bases to reduce the threat posed by Indian aircraft. These strikes were not much of a success, except for Pathan Kot where PAF forces destroyed at least ten IAF aircraft on the ground without losses on their own. On 7 September, it was the IAF's turn; as expected, the main thrust of IAF's strikes was Sargodha, the hub of PAF's operational activity. The early morning strike by six IAF MYSTEREs was a failure, as they missed six gleaming fighters parked on the ORP. One of these lucky pilots was Sqn Ldr Alam, who a few minutes after this raid took to the skies and established a combat record which has few equals in the history of jet warfare; Alam claimed shooting down up to five enemy aircraft within a few minutes, including three within 30-40 seconds.
7 September was the first and last attempt by the IAF to reduce the effectiveness of the Pakistan Air Force by daylight attacks against Sargodha. IAF pilots also showed a growing reluctance to engage in aerial combat, leaving the PAF in virtual control of the skies over the battle areas. The PAF was thus, able to render increased assistance to the land forces throughout the war.
In response to the US aid embargo of 1965, the PAF had to look for alternatives solution to continue on the re-equipment programme of its combat fleet. As a first step, the Chinese F-6 entered the PAF inventory in early 1966; the arrival of the MIRAGEs in mid-'67 represented a new but quantitatively limited addition to the service's counter-air and air defence capabilities. Despite these new acquisitions, at the eve of the 1971 war the odds were set heavily against the PAF. The service, however, had retained its distinct qualitative edge, and despite the overnight loss of a third of its East Pakistani manpower, it fought the unevenly matched duel fiercely, and successfully contained an adversary four times its size.
Fleet Renewal
After the 1971 war, the PAF launched a programme to revitalise its structure and assets. New operational bases were built; the obsolete T-33 jet trainer was replaced by the Chinese FT-5; MIRAGE and F-6 re-build factories were established, along with a factory for production of the MFI-17 trainer. Moreover, the air defence network was modernised through the introduction of state-of-the art radars interfaced with computerised data processing and display equipment. In 1980, A-5 ground attack aircraft were bought from China, and finally the F-16 FIGHTING FALCON entered the PAF inventory in 1982. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was yet another challenge for the PAF, which gave a good account of itself. Between May 1986 and November 1988, PAF aircraft shot down nine intruders within Pakistan's airspace, including three Su-22s, two MiG-23s, one An-12 and one Su-25.
The PAF had originally planned its force structure to include more than a hundred F-16s by the end of the century, but these plans could not be implemented because of the US embargo. The service is, thus, currently in the process of evaluating other high-tech fighter aircraft for procurement. In the meantime, the PAF has strengthened its MIRAGE fleet through the purchase of ex-Australian MIRAGE IIIs, which have been retrofitted with a state-of-the-art avionics package. Furthermore, Chinese F-7s (an upgraded version of the MiG-21) have already entered service to replace the vintage F-6s. Deliveries of 40 ex-French refurbished MIRAGE III E/5Fs started in early 1998 and are almost complete.
The PAF today remains a force to be reckoned with. It force structure presents a good mix of technology; the F-16s at the upper end give it the flexibility to cope with any offensive or defensive missions, while Chinese systems such as the F-7s provides the staying power to absorb losses and to take punishment in the face of a much bigger adversary. Planned upgrades to equip these less capable fighters with modern radars, better missiles and ECM equipment will help enhance the PAF's combat capability.
Beyond equipment issues, however, perhaps the strongest point of the PAF remains, as ever before, its high professionalism. PAF's aircrew today are as well trained as they were at any time in the past, and the depth of experience of PAF's fighter pilots is highly encouraging. Their overall awareness, seriousness on the job and flying skills remain unmatched.
In 54 years, PAF's evolution has taken it from TEMPEST to F-16s, from MOUs to Doppler radars, from laborious hand writing of air defence data to fully automated real-time displays, from WW II "ack ack" to sophisticated SAMs, from a single small air headquarters to four autonomous air commands - the myriad facets of transformation go on endlessly. The PAF of today has come a long way since 1947. The history of the service is a story of dedication, motivated by the will to be the best and "second to none".

France Offers To Sell Iraq Mirage Fighter Jets

BAGHDAD - France has proposed to sell 18 Mirage fighters to Iraq, which is already negotiating a deal for U.S. F-16s to protect its skies after American forces pull out at the end of this year, the French ambassador said.

France has proposed selling 18 Mirage fighter jets to Iraq. Above, a Mirage 2000 jet fighter takes off from Nancy-Ochey, France. (File photo / Agence France-Presse)

"France has proposed to sell 18 Mirage F1 retrofitted aircraft that can be delivered from late 2011 and immediately operational because many Iraqi pilots were trained in the past on this type of plane," Boris Boillon told Agence France-Presse on Jan. 27.

He said France was offering the multi-role planes for $1 billion (733 million euros).
Baghdad has been negotiating to buy 18 U.S.-made F-16s, and the cabinet on Jan. 26 authorized Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to negotiate the terms of the first payment on the contract, a statement said.
Boillon said that, because of the price tag, the Mirage offer would not affect the F-16 deal.
"This [Mirage] sale is in the context of a proposal on a comprehensive military air program that France has submitted to this country," Boillon said.
Iraq's government spokesman said that Baghdad welcomed any offer.
"Iraq needs to build up its Air Force and that needs tens of fighters to protect its sovereignty," Ali-al Dabbagh said.
"Any origin of high quality with good offer will be welcomed taking in consideration that we need to unify the source of arming if they fulfill Iraq's requirements," he said, without disclosing the cost of the F-16 deal.
The Iraqi government "has submitted a letter of request for 18 F-16s and packages composed of spare parts, support equipment, weapons, logistics support and training," said U.S. Army Capt. Dan Churchill, a U.S. military spokesman in Iraq.
"The delivery and cost of the aircraft will be dependent upon a finalized purchase, which has not yet happened."
In early September, U.S. Army Gen. Michael Barbero, then deputy commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, said the absence of a multi-role fighter limited Iraq's air capabilities.
"They will not have the capability to provide air sovereignty, to fully protect the skies over Iraq, because they will lack a multi-role fighter," he said.
Iraq's air force was destroyed during and after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.