Pak. Air Force to induct multi-role aircraft

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, OCT. 2 The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is expected to induct 150 to 200 S-7 multi-role combat aircraft some time in the year 2003, The News, has reported.

The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex is scheduled to begin full- fledge serial production of the aircraft in 2002, the daily said. The multi-role and multi-mission combat aircraft is supposed to meet the requirements of PAF till 2020.

The S-7 aircraft is expected to replace large number of in service F-6s, A-5s and F-7s.

Quoting Government sources, the report said that ``the S-7s will be more capable than aircraft currently in service with the PAF. The aircraft is intended to be a true multi-role, multi- mission all weather day and night combats machine.

The S-7 incorporates fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control systems, look-down- shoot-down targeting capability, night combat capability, track- while-scan, beyond visual range, air-to-air combat capability and electronic jamming capability''.

It would be a generation ahead of the PAF's F-7, two generations ahead of A-5Cs and three generations ahead of the F- 6. The S-7 project commenced in 1991 and was originally being developed solely for the PAF, the daily said.

However China has evinced interest in the aircraft and has promised orders.

The report said the first prototype of the Super-7 fighter is being manufactured jointly by Pakistan and China.

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