PAF acquires Mirage planes, spare parts

fieldmarshal

New Member
PAF acquires Mirage planes, spare parts
By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has purchased fifty Mirage, 150 sealed pack engines of the Mirage planes and huge quantity of its spare parts on cash payment for Pakistan Air Force (PAF) from Libya that will cater needs of spares for the planes already Pakistan has, for another seven to ten years.

Highly governmental sources told The News on condition of anonymity that the supply of the planes’ engines and spare parts has begun and wide body transport planes are unloading the material arriving from Tripoli on the PAF bases. The supply is supposed to continue till some time and some supply will be reaching the destination through ships.


Mirage-three and five are already flying with the PAF while the Mirages purchased from Libya are also in both the variations. The Mirages and other stuff purchased from Libya are in excellent condition but the Libyan Air Force was dormant for quiet some time due to sanctions imposed on that country the Air Force was not flying the planes regularly.



It grounded most of its planes and now the United States and other Western countries are lifting the sanctions. It is expected that Libyan Air Force would be reinvigorated through new type of most sophisticated multi-role planes very soon. The PAF will examine the used planes purchased by Libya in first place and decide about their use.



The sources said that most of the planes would be scrapped to use their spare parts for the planes already flying for the PAF. The PAF badly needs the spares for its planes including the Mirages since they are very expensive.



Pakistan has planned to upgrade and refurbish its old Mirages and new radars, avionics and weapon systems are being acquired for the fleet. This will be done in phases, the sources added.



With the induction of Mirages obtained from Libya Pakistan would become the country that will be having the highest number of the Mirage planes with its Air Force even larger than the manufacturer of this type of planes, France, the sources said.



Pakistan first purchased the Mirages in 70s from France and then 40 old Mirages were purchased from Australia in 90s. These planes were upgraded by SAGEM and converted their utility in many fold. The fresh deal will help enabling the PAF to bring a numerical balance in South Asian airs, the sources opined.
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
now, who was it that said that this wasn't going to happen? ;)

it now will be interesting to see how much money Musharaff has left and whether anything swedish will be bought.

50 Mirages puts a hole in the purchasing model for Chinese aircraft - or is this being Saudi funded??
 
A

Aussie Digger

Guest
I wonder how much in the way of spare parts they could have acquired, if the PAF is intending to use the majority of the airframes for spare parts?
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Aussie Digger said:
I wonder how much in the way of spare parts they could have acquired, if the PAF is intending to use the majority of the airframes for spare parts?
It's a huge jump in committment. I'm wondering whether the 50 are going to be used to replace the long lifers.

I'd tend to think that these 50 mirages are short term stand ins while the Grips are arranged (and that assumes that the Grips can be slotted in over a 5-8 year time frame)

The ROSE Mirages must be at a questionable stage with their centre barrels. The RAAF mirages were worked quite a bit, even with zero framing for the ROSE upgrade they would be reaching the bumpy end of the curve for usability.

I'm guessing that the Libyans are fillers for the Grips and then become the replacements for the ROSE units as each Grip comes on line.

This also assumes that the Grips are a goer.
 

P.A.F

New Member
i agree :) . however i also think that the PAF should keep the current mirages as long as possible and shift there role to marines. i will enhance our navy.
 

fieldmarshal

New Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6
ISLAMABAD, July 5: Pakistan has purchased a fleet of Mirage fighter jets and spare parts from Libya, says an air force spokesman.

"Libya had a Mirage fleet that was grounded for over a decade. We have purchased that fleet at a very reasonable price," Air Commodore Sarfraz Khan said on Monday.

"The deal has been finalised, the shipment has started." Air Commodore Khan did not specify the price or the number of aircraft in the fleet, but press reports suggested the purchase included 50 jets and 150 engines.

All the jets will be scrapped for spare parts to maintain the country's existing Mirage fleet. "The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is going to reduce the Mirages to spares and use them in maintaining our already existing fleet." -AFP

So all of em are gonna be used for spares.

http://www.dawn.com/2004/07/06/top12.htm
 

Oqaab

New Member
P.A.F said:
i agree :) . however i also think that the PAF should keep the current mirages as long as possible and shift there role to marines. i will enhance our navy.
Mirage III/V will serve in the PAF untill PAF has enough JF-17s to replace them. That is, till 2012 atleast.

The 150 sealed pack engines might increase their service life and lower the mirage crash rate.
 

mysterious

New Member
Are you going to tell Dassault to start manufacturing Mirage III/V spare parts or new ACs so that Pakistan does not buy such stuff?? You have to look at the finer details. Pakistan is trying to keep the Mirages in the air for just enough years till the Jf-17s start entering the PAF's service in greater numbers. Jf-17 will eventually replace all of Mirages, Fantans, F-7P/PGs currently in service with the PAF. :smokingc:
 

ashoaib

New Member
Iam not telling anything to anyone I am just telling my views. If this meterial is to keep Mirage III running then its good other wise not.
 

manna

New Member
Any one with the idea about the price of this so called scrap,?
I know that this wont remain scrap anymore as pakistan air force has the overhaul facility of mirages, so so many of them will be flying in air,
Some talked about the accident rate of mirages that the new engine will reduce it , for your information i must share it with u tat accident rate of these ac is already too less, yes we can say that the arrival of these new engines will increase the efficiency of some old inventory listers, :smokingc:
 

mysterious

New Member
Almost 'none' of the Mirages (bought from Libya and Lebanon) would be flying because almost 'all' of them would be taken apart for spares to keep the 'existing' fleets of Mirages in the air. End of story! :smokingc:
 

Salman78

New Member
These Mirages and spares will go a long way in keeping the PAF strike element in place. I wonder if PAF will use the ROSE or newer upgrade on some of them.
 
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