PAF gets its first air-to-air refuelling aircraft - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

In a significant move which has put the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on the list of some of the world’s most advanced air forces, the PAF had inducted the first air-to-air refuelling aircraft into its fleet. “By virtue of its capability to refuel air defence aircraft midair, the PAF’s overall capability in terms of its effectiveness to defend the Pakistani airspace will be significantly enhanced,” a statement issued by the PAF said. Pakistan would be acquiring three more midair refuelling aircrafts by the next year (2010), The Daily Times reports. Pakistan has been adding to its air power considerably over the past year and half. In October this year, the first of the 18 F-16D fighter jets for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) rolled out from the Lockheed Martin ’s aeronautic (LM Aero) facility at Fort Worth in Dallas , Texas . All the 18 aircrafts are scheduled to arrive in Pakistan by December 2010. It may be noted that Pakistan had inked a deal with the then US government in 2006 to acquire 18 Block-52 F-16 C/D combat aircrafts.