HOW CHINA KEPT PAF FLYING PART-1

During the Cold War era, formidable air forces were cut to size after fighting major
wars. With the fall of Soviet Union many were deprived off from a reliable source
and never rose again. The rest were plagued by US sanctions. The once mighty Iraqi
Airforce never rose after the Desert Storm Campaign by the US led Coalition Forces.
The Argentinean military which fought a major war with the UK over Falklands also
was reduced to size and at present cannot stand up to any invasion. The Syrian
Airforce which was considered a major threat in the 1960s and 1970s was reduced
to a formality force in the latter decades. The Libyan Airforce which stood up to the
US in the 1980s could also not maintain its prowess and never resisted to the NATO
invasion in 2011.
Pakistan Airforce also was involved in various conflicts and military standoffs. In the
1960s when US aid was in full flow, PAF was slated to receive new equipment which
included:

F-5A Freedom Fighters were to replace the F-86F Sabers.

F-4B/E Phantoms were to supplement the B-57.
More F-104A/B Starfighters were slated to enter PAF service.
More C-130B/Es were slated to enter PAF service.

With this sort of equipment PAF could easily stand out against the less sophisticated
Hunters, Gnats, and MiG-21s. But after its war against India in September 1965, US
were surprised by the PAF pilots which handled the vastly superior IAF with
obsolescent Sabres and made good use of its small but effective B-57 and F-104
fleet. Thus a ten year arms embargo was placed on Pakistan, thrashing its effort to
modernize according to the aerial arena of the second generation.
It was this time that China stood forward and offered Pakistan its domestic J-6
Fighter (Chinese version of the Soviet MiG-19S fighter). PAF gladly accepted this
request and 73 MiG-19S fighters were transferred to Pakistan, the delivery starting
from 31st December 1965. A number of modifications were required to make it an
effective interceptor and a close support aircraft. Though equipped with outdated
equipment, PAF engineers worked day and night on this aircraft to make it a
formidable fighting machine. The task was achieved with innovative approach and
the F-6 underwent around 140 modifications. Some of the major upgradations
included the increase its airframe life, as well as by giving it an American AIM-9B
Sidewinder and French SNEB Rocket capability. PAF also increased its endurance by
manufacturing indigenous designed internal and external fuel tanks. French
electronic counter measures were also incorporated. A time came when despite
being the oldest weapon system, the F-6 achieved the best operational and safety
record. Since the MiG-19 had excellent agility, and good low and high speed

characteristics, with these changes the MiG (known as F-6 in PAF service) was to
form the backbone of the PAF.
Out of its crippling economy, PAF was able to get clearance from the government to
purchase 24 high performance Mirage-IIIEP fighters though the MiG-19s helped in
numbers. At this time Soviet Union also intervened and offered help and assistance
to Islamabad and offered MiG-19 and MiG-21 aircraft. But upon the reluctance of the
Pakistani Government and strong Indian opposition, USSR backed out at the final
minute but after supplying some Il-28 Beagles, Mil Mi-6 helicopters, and P-35
Radars. While the Mi-6 and P-35 radars were pressed into service the Il-28 Beagles
were never used.
After the 1971 war, China sent more F-6 fighters to Pakistan as attrition and war
replacement for the Sabres, the F-6 took on from the F-86E/F Sabres to be the
backbone of the PAF. China also provided PAF with the facility to overhaul this jet as
well as manufacture its parts locally. This facility is known as F-6 Repair Factory and
is located at Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra. F-6 Rebuild Factory made major
contributions towards its remarkable maintenance records by repairing 133 and
overhauling 223 F-6 aircraft. This not only gave the aircraft a new lease of life but
also made it possible for the PAF to train over 1,000 fighter pilots and fly over
400,000 sorties on this aircraft.
It may be noted that PAF also took the delivery of another squadron of Mirage-V
aircraft from France after the war. Thus French aircraft comprised of high tech and
replaced the PAF F-104 and B-57 aircraft, while the F-6s replaced the F-86E/F Sabres
completely. PAF managed its numbers and enhanced its striking and hard hitting
capability. While Mirages added its qualitative punch of high tech aircraft of the
time, the F-6 helped in manage numbers and was titled as the new Workhorse of
the force after F-86 Saber.
In the early 1980s, China offered PAF a modified version of their F-6 that was their
A-5C ground attack fighter. At that time A-5C was an ideal platform in delivering
nuclear weapons and was a welcomed addition alongside F-16A/Bs and new MirageV fighters. However, PAF was not impressed by the fighter, as it was rapidly getting
obsolete against the likes of the new fighters entering in the aerial arena of the third
generation.
Thus China offered PAF their J-7M fighter. After a series of negotiations, tests and
studies, PAF decided to develop the F-7M Airguard into Saber-II aircraft as a counter
to the large number of MiG-21 and MiG-23/27 in the Indian Airforce. Project Saber II
was an attempt to develop a low-cost multi-role combat aircraft based on an
existing design, the Chengdu F-7M. The project was initiated by the Pakistan Air
Force (PAF) and the Grumman Aerospace Corporation was contracted to work with
specialists from the PAF and China to define and develop the concept. PAF initially
purchased a squadron of 20 F-7Ms in 1986 and put them to some acid tests by the

finest pilots of the PAF. These aircraft were tested up to their optimum limits and
were evaluated very minutely. In September 1987 it was reported that a 5 month
feasibility study had been completed by Grumman, working in cooperation with
CAC, CATIC and the PAF, in which the Chengdu F-7M was radically upgraded. Known
as Saber II, the upgrade involved fitting the F-7M with modern Western radar,
avionics, engine and a re-designed forward fuselage. It was stated that Saber II
would replace 150 Shenyang F-6 in PAF service. The nose intake was replaced by a
solid nose radome to house the avionics from the F-20 Tigershark. The Chinese WP7 turbojet engine was planned to be replaced with a modern turbofan engine, either
the GE F404 or PW1120, to improve performance. The resulting aircraft, designated
F-7M Saber-II, would have looked much like the Guizhou JL-9 (or FTC-2000) jet
trainer / fighter aircraft.
The Pratt & Whitney PW1216, an afterburning derivative of the J52-P-409 turbojet
producing 16,000 pounds-forces (71 kN) of thrust, was also proposed for installation
on the Saber II. The engine's afterburner was designed in China. Fitting the APG-66
radar was also planned.
Project Saber II was terminated in 1989, due to the breaking of relations between
the United States and China after the Tiananmen Square protest and the
subsequent US-imposed sanctions that prevented access to any US technology in
the project. Sanctions for Pakistan followed soon after, with Pakistan's on-going
nuclear program, about which the US had known for some years, cited as the
reason. The Nuclear Program had an overarching effect on the Super-7 project.
While the US exhibited little tolerance with Pakistan's emerging nuclear aspirations
after India's low-yield nuclear test in 1974, it tolerated the its nuclear program
during the 80's due to the US desire for Pakistani cooperation, in order to defeat the
Soviets in the Afghan Soviet war. Once the Soviet forces retreated, Pakistani
cooperation was no longer required and military and economic sanctions were
imposed under the Pressler amendment in 1990. This prevented the delivery of F-16
aircraft already paid for by the PAF during the Afghan war, and efforts by the PAF to
find a replacement The PAF decided on a much less expensive solution for
replacement of the F-6, the Chengdu F-7P Skybolt, an upgraded version of the F-7M
Airguard. The F-7P fleet was to be supported by a fleet of over 40 advanced F-16
Fighting Falcons from the United States.
After nearly two years use of the F-7M, Pakistani Air Force (PAF) returned the 20 F7M aircraft to China in the late 1980s with recommendations for 24 upgrades,
including replacing the original GEC-Marconi Type 226 Skyranger radar with the
Italian FIAR Grifo-7 radar, and AIM-9 Sidewinder capability. The Italian radar weighs
55 kg, had a slot antenna planar array, and had a range greater than 50 km, while
the British radar only weighs 42 kg, with a parabolic antenna, but only had range of
15 km. Both radars have a mean time between failure rates of 200 hours. F-7MP
was the design specially tailored to Pakistani requirements. These twenty aircraft re-

entered PAF in 1989, and were again tested extensively. This time with a powerful
multimode radar and avionics, and the capability to fire AIM-9L/Magic-II missiles,
these aircraft become a potent weapon system. With a unit cost of USD 1 Million,
and performance better than the MiG-21 BiS, PAF could manage large numbers of
these new fighters. Thus PAF was satisfied with these aircraft and ordered a large
number of these fighters to replace the ageing F-6. A total of 60 more were built.
And in a ceremony in 1990, No.20 Squadron was re-equipped with F-7MPs. PAF
received 80 F-7MPs and 20 FT-7s, trainer version of the F-7MP and F-7P. Unlike most
Chinese built JJ-7 trainers which lack radars, the FT-7P was armed with the same
radar on the single seat version and thus fully capable for combat. These aircraft
were termed better than the MiG-21bis, MiG-23MF and all the modern attack aircraft
with Indian Airforce (except MiG-29 and Mirage-2000H) at that time i.e. 1990-2000.
PAF received more aircraft in 1994, and by 1995 it had completely taken the burden
of the F-6s as the mainstay of the Pakistan Airforce. DACT with US F-14s and F-18s
proved their worth.