Advanced Jet Training Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | Since 1994 (30 years, 11 months) |
Country | ![]() |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch | GD(P)/Flying |
Type | Squadron |
Role | Trainer |
Airbase | PAF Base Risalpur |
Nickname(s) | AJTS |
Motto(s) | دے ولولہ شوق جسے لزت پرواز (Urdu for 'Bestowing motivation to the one who enjoys flying') |
Aircraft flown | |
Trainer | Karakorum-8 |
The Advanced Jet Training Squadron (AJTS) of the Pakistan Air Force is a training unit of the Flying Training Wing at PAF Academy in Risalpur. [1] [2] [3]
Following the induction of the first batch of K-8 jets in the PAF, K-8 evaluation flight was established at PAF Academy in 1994 which later transformed into the Advanced Jet Training Squadron. It started undertaking training of student pilots in 1994 with an initial batch of 8 trainees. Due to the good performance of the K-8, it initiated Fighter Conversion Courses in 2002 till the No. 1 FCU took over this role. Owing to operational needs, the fleet of the squadron was expanded in 2003 with 6 more K-8s followed by the inductions of 16 improved K-8P variants in 2007 and 2009 respectively. By then the AJT Squadron comprised 28 K-8 jets. Later in January 2012, 11 K-8Ps were transferred to the No. 1 FCU following the retirement of FT-5s in PAF. Since then the AJTS has been running with 17 aircraft (12 K-8s & 5 K-8Ps). [1] [2] In 2009, the squadron was handed over the responsibility of running the Sherdils aerobatics display team which was previously managed by the Flying Instructor's School. [4]
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Soviet MiG-15 in high-speed dogfights in the skies of the Korean War (1950–1953), fighting some of the earliest jet-to-jet battles in history. Considered one of the best and most important fighter aircraft in that war, the F-86 is also rated highly in comparison with fighters of other eras. Although it was developed in the late 1940s and was outdated by the end of the 1950s, the Sabre proved versatile and adaptable and continued as a front-line fighter in numerous air forces.
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is the aerial warfare branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces, tasked primarily with the aerial defence of Pakistan, with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Navy when required, and a tertiary role of providing strategic airlift capability to Pakistan. As of 2024, as per the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the PAF has more than 70,000 active-duty personnel. PAF stands as the eight largest Air Force in the world. PAF is the largest Air Force of the Muslim world in terms of aircraft fleet. 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 the operations and relief efforts of the Pakistani military. Under Article 243, the Constitution of Pakistan appoints the President of Pakistan as the civilian Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), by statute a four-star air officer, is appointed by the President with the consultation and confirmation needed from the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The Hongdu JL-8, also known as the Karakorum-8 or K-8 for short, is a two-seat intermediate jet trainer and light attack aircraft designed by China Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex. The primary contractor is the Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire which honoured India's aviation service during World War II with the prefix Royal. After India gained independence from United Kingdom in 1947, the name Royal Indian Air Force was kept and served in the name of the Dominion of India. With the transition to a republic in 1950, the prefix Royal was removed.
The CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder, or FC-1 Xiaolong, is a lightweight, single-engine, multirole combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China. It was designed and developed as a replacement for the A-5C, F-7P/PG, Mirage III, and Mirage V combat aircraft in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The JF-17 can be used for multiple roles, including interception, ground attack, anti-ship, and aerial reconnaissance. The Pakistani designation "JF-17" stands for "Joint Fighter-17", with the "Joint Fighter" denoting the joint Pakistani-Chinese development of the aircraft and the "-17" denoting that, in the PAF's vision, it is the successor to the F-16. The Chinese designation "FC-1" stands for "Fighter China-1".
The Pakistan Air Force Academy Asghar Khan is an accredited four-year military academy which provides undergraduate education to officer candidates for the Pakistan Air Force.
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) is a major defense contractor and an aerospace manufacturer that is headquartered in Kamra, Punjab, Pakistan.
Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz is a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) base and airport, which the PAF and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) operate jointly. It is located in the town of Jacobabad at the northern part of Sindh province. The base is named after the Shahbaz bird from Persian mythology.
Pakistan Air Force Base, M.M. Alam is a Pakistan Air Force airbase located at Mianwali, in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The base is named after Muhammad Mahmood Alam. Earlier it was called PAF Base Mianwali, its name was changed in 2014.
The Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932 independently of the army and navy and in a similar format to the British Royal Air Force. It had been a recommendation of the Skeen Committee, which had been tasked to look into demands for the Indianisation of the Indian army. Its first squadron was raised on 1 April 1933.
Tanvir Mahmood AhmedNI(M) HI(M) SI(M) SBt is a retired air chief of the Pakistan Air Force who was the Chief of the Air Staff from 2006 to 2009. He was succeeded by Rao Qamar Suleman on 18 March 2009.
Sherdils is the formation aerobatics display team of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The team is based at the Pakistan Air Force Academy Asghar Khan, Risalpur, Pakistan. At present, it consists of nine Karakoram K-8P aircraft.
The history of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) began when it was established in 1947 following the independence of Pakistan.
The No. 26 Squadron, nicknamed the Black Spiders, is a multi-role squadron of the Pakistan Air Force's Northern Air Command. It is currently based at Peshawar Airbase and operates the PAC JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter jets.
No. 16 Squadron, nicknamed the Black Panthers, is a multi-role squadron of the Pakistan Air Force's Northern Air Command. It is currently based at Minhas Airbase and operates the PAC JF-17 Thunder multi-role jets.
Tahir Rafique Butt, is a retired air officer who was the 13th Chief of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force serving from 19 March 2012 to 19 March 2015. He was replaced by Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman.
Women in the Pakistan Armed Forces are the female officers who serve in the Pakistan Armed Forces. In 2006, the first women fighter pilot batch joined the combat aerial mission command of PAF. The Pakistan Navy prohibits women from serving in the combat branch. Rather, they are appointed and serve in operations involving military logistics, staff and senior administrative offices, particularly in the regional and central headquarters. There was a rise in the number of women applying for the combat branch of PAF in 2013.
Air Chief Marshal Sudarshana Karagoda Pathirana WWV, RSP & four Bars, VSV, USP is a former senior Sri Lanka Air Force officer, who had served as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The No. 1 Fighter Conversion Unit (FCU) nicknamed Rahbars is a training unit of the Pakistan Air Force stationed at PAF Base MM Alam in Mianwali. It carries out Fighter Jet Conversion on newly qualified pilots of Basic Flying Training (BFT) and Advanced Jet Training (AJT) Wings from PAF Academy with Karakorum-8 advanced trainers.