Pakistan Air Force

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) (Urdu: پاک فِضائیہ‎—Pāk Fizāʾiyah, reporting name: PAF), is the aerial warfare branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces, primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport and logistics capability to Pakistan. The PAF employs approximately ~65,000 full-time personnel (including approximately 3,000 pilots) and currently operates 1032 aircraft.

Its primary mandate and mission is "to provide, in synergy with other inter-services, the most efficient, assured and cost effective aerial Defence of Pakistan." Since its establishment in 1947, the PAF has been involved in various combat operations, providing aerial support to Inter–Services's operations and relief efforts. Under the Article 243, the Constitution of Pakistan appoints the President of Pakistan as the civilian Commander-in-Chief. The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), by statute a four-star air chief marshal, is appointed by the President with the consultation and confirmation needed from the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The Pakistan Air Force is currently commanded by Air Chief Marshal Suhail Aman.

Aircraft Inventory

Fighters

• Dassault Mirage III x 80 (Fighter-Bomber, Reconnaissance)
• Dassault Mirage 5 x 85 (Attack)
• Chengu J-7 x 193 (Interceptor)
• General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon x 84 (Multirole Fighter)
• CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder x 110 (Multirole Fighter)

ELINT

• Saab 2000 Erieye Horizon x 4 (AEW&C Aircraft)
• Shaanxi ZDK-03 Y-8F600 x 4 (AEW&C Aircraft)
• Dassault Falcon DA-20 x 3 (ECM/ESM Aircraft)

Transport Aircraft

• Airbus A310-300 x 1 (VIP Transport)
• Antonov An-26 x 1 (Transport)
• Beechcraft C-12 Huron x 1 (Utility Transport)
• Boeing 707-320 x 3 (VIP Transport)
• CASA CN-235-220 x 4 (Tactical Transport, VIP Transport)
• Cessna Citation V x 1 (VIP Transport)
• Embraer Phenom Phenom 100 x 4 (VIP Transport)
• Gulfstream IV x 4 (Executive Transport)
• Harbin Y-12II x 2 (Utility Tansport)
• Ilyushin Il-78MK x 4 (Transport, Aerial Tanker)
• Lockheed C-130 Hercules x 18 (Tactical Transport)

Training Aircraft

• Hongdu K-8 Karakorum x 60 (Jet Trainer)
• PAC MFI-17 Mushshak x 151 (Trainer)
• Cessna T-37B/C Tweet x 39 (Trainer)

Helicopters

• Aérospatiale Alouette III x 110 (Utility/SAR Helicopter)
• Mil Mi-171 x 45 (SAR/Transport Helicopter)

UAVs

• AAI RQ-7 Shadow x 12 (Reconnaissance)
• Burraq x 12 (Reconnaissance/Strike)
• CASC CH-4 x 4 (Reconnaissance/Strike)
• GIDS Shahpar x 5 (Reconnaissance/Surveillance)
• SATUMA Jasoos II x 45 (Reconnaissance/Training)
• SATUMA Mukhbar x ? (Reconnaissance)
• SELEX Galileo Falco x 25 (Surveillance)