The PAF lacked the capability to reach Kolkota and Assam. Theoratically Bharat (aka India) could have hidden some of their assets in the Northeast where they would not be very vulnerable. The Bharati assets would not be totally safe, because the Pakistanis (like the Israelis) had modified their planes with “Extra fuel tanks”. The fuel tanks were placed with or instead of a missile and it would take them to all corner’s of South Asia. Now the PAF can directly fly the planes, and the fuel tankers would supply them with the necessary juice. The Fuel Tankers would also keep the AWACs afloat longer.
Of course Pakistani defense is based on nuclear missile defense and mutually assured destruction. The misisles can reach all of Bharat. So the tankers provide the
icing on the cake.
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) — The first Air-to-Air Refueller aircraft of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has arrived on an operational Air Base, the PAF said Saturday.
The delivery of remaining three is planned to complete by mid 2010, a PAF statement said.
Pakistan reportedly signed a contract with the Ukraine for four aircraft with Russian-designed UPAZ refueling pods, with the possibility of additional third-country equipment.
“By virtue of its capability to refuel Air Defense aircraft in air, PAF’s overall capability in terms of its effectiveness to defend the airspace of Pakistan would be significantly enhanced,” the statement said.
Terming midair refueling capability “extremely significant”, PAF chief Air Chief Marshal Qamar Suleman recently told Jane’s Defense Weekly: “This is an absolutely new capability we are getting, which we are inducting. We never had this capability in the Pakistan Air Force.”
The IL-78 Midas is the aerial refueling variant of the IL-76 strategic transport. Standard IL-78s use hose-and-drogue refueling, reports said. Pakistan Air Force gets 1st midair refueller aircraft www.chinaview.cn 2009-12-19 19:26:14 Print
