Pakistan Aircraft Industries.

[ghazi52]

Pakistan Aircraft Industries.

The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex is one of the largest defense contractor in aerospace, military support, and national security provider to the Pakistan military.

Founded in 1971 by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), the PAC designs, develops, and builds aircraft and avionics systems for the Pakistani military— it also provides its services for civilian aircraft. In addition, the PAC performs local maintenance and works on the aircraft MLU systems of foreign-built military and civilian aircraft. It is solely owned by the Pakistan Air Force and its corporate interests and its corporate appointments are directly made by the Chief of Air Staff from the Air HQ.

Many of these products are specially suited for the Pakistan Armed Forces needs, while others are also marketed to foreign export. While it collaborated with several countries’ corporate organizations, the PAC often jointly works with the Turkish TAI and the Chinese CATIC. The PAC has larger commercial and business interests in Myanmar, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.


MFI-17 Mushshak Turkish Air force

MFI-17 Mushshak Iran Revolutionary Guard At Tehran Mehrabad Airport, Iran.

Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) Super Mushshak.

 

[ghazi52]

The PAC MFI-17 Mushshak is a license-built fixed-gear basic trainer aircraft used by the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Air Force. An improved version of the Saab Safari, the MFI-17 is manufactured in Kamra, Pakistan by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). Built to Mil-Spec and fully aerobatic, it is used for training, towing and other ground support roles. An upgraded version, the PAC Super Mushshak, has also been produced by PAC.

Development

PAC Super Mushshak at Dubai Airshow, 2017

PAC Super Mushshak cockpit at Dubai Airshow, 2017


Origins

The MFI-15 Safari and MFI-17 Supporter were created from Saab's adaptation of the MFI-9 Junior for basic training for civil and military operators. In 1968 Saab began work on its MFI-15, based on the MFI-9 but with some design changes. Foremost of the changes in the Saab built MFI-15 prototype was the 120 kW (160shp) Lycoming IO-320 piston engine. Like the MFI-9, the MFI-15 retained the unusual braced, mid-mounted and slightly forward-swept wing and rearward-hinged canopy, offering good all-around vision. The prototype made its maiden flight on June 11, 1969. Follow-up testing of the MFI-15 resulted in a more powerful IO-360 engine, while the horizontal tail was relocated to prevent it being damaged by thrown up debris. The first flight of this modified form was in February 1971.

Sold as the MFI-15 Safari, most went to civil customers, however Sierra Leone and Norway took delivery of Safaris for military pilot training. To improve the Safari's military market appeal, Saab developed the MFI-17 Supporter, fitted with six underwing hardpoints for light and practice weaponry, giving it weapons training and light COIN capabilities. First flight was on July 6, 1972. Important were Denmark and Zambia. Production ended in the late 1970s after about 250 Safaris and Supporters had been built, mostly for civil customers.

Pakistan has taken delivery of 18 Supporters, while 92 have been assembled locally by PAC from knocked down kits and a further 149 were built locally by PAC. It is named Mushshak ("Proficient") in Pakistani service. In 1981, Pakistan acquired sole manufacturing rights of the Supporter. The development of the MFI-395 in 1995 initiated by the then-managing director of AMF, Air Cdr Muhammad Younas. The aircraft was built by upgrading the MFI-17 with an advanced 260 hp engine, electrical instruments, dual flight control systems and a Bendix RSA fuel injection system.

Design



Fitted with an American 260 hp engine, cockpit air conditioning, electrical instruments, and electric/manual elevator and rudder trim, the aircraft has been developed to meet FAR part 23 certification in normal, utility and aerobatics categories. It has a spacious side-by-side cockpit allowing good contact between the pilot and the co-pilot/observer or between the student and the instructor.

Variants

Pakistan Aeronautical Complex unveiled a light attack variant of the Super Mushshak in March 2019. The aircraft is capable of launching Barq laser-guided and anti-tank missiles.[1][2][3] The Super Mushshak is in use by several countries, including the Pakistan Air Force, Azerbaijani Air Force and the Nigerian Air Force.

Operators

Military operators

Map with military Super Mushshak operators in blue

Azerbaijan

• Azerbaijani Air and Air Defence Force – 10.

Iran

• Iran Air Force – 25.

Nigeria

• Nigerian Air Force – 10 delivered as of January 2018. Nigeria temporarily operated four Pakistani Air Force Super Mushshaks for early training.

Oman

• Royal Air Force of Oman – 8

Pakistan

• Approximately 337 operational with the Pakistan Armed Forces[11] - 217 with Pakistan Army, 120 Super Mushshak with Pakistan Air Force (4 Super Mushshak were loaned temporarily to Nigeria)

Qatar

• Qatar Air Force - 8 on order, first batch of 4 delivered in July 2017

Saudi Arabia

• Royal Saudi Air Force - 20

Turkey

• Turkish Air Force – 52

Specifications (MFI-17 Mushshak)
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988–89,[18] Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94,[19] Pakistan Aeronautical Complex,[20] Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004

General characteristics

• Crew: 2-3
• Length: 7 m (23 ft 0 in)
• Wingspan: 8.85 m (29 ft 0 in)
• Height: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 11.9 m2 (128 sq ft)
• Airfoil: NACA 23012 mod[22]
• Empty weight: 646 kg (1,424 lb) equipped
• Max takeoff weight: 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) normal

1,125 kg (2,480 lb) utility900 kg (1,984 lb) aerobatic

• Powerplant: 1 × Textron Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 4-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 149 kW (200 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell HC-C2YK-4F/FC7666A-2, 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) diameter constant-speed metal propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 236 km/h (147 mph, 127 kn) at sea level and 1,125 kg (2,480 lb)
• Cruise speed: 210 km/h (130 mph, 110 kn)
• Stall speed: 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn)
• Never exceed speed: 365 km/h (227 mph, 197 kn) at 1,125 kg (2,480 lb)
• Endurance: 5 hours 10 minutes at 65% power, at sea level, with 10% fuel reserve
• Service ceiling: 4,100 m (13,500 ft)
• g limits: +4.4 -1.76 (utility MTOW)+6 -2 (aerobatic MTOW)
• Rate of climb: 5.2 m/s (1,020 ft/min)
• Time to altitude: 1,830 m (6,004 ft) in 9 minutes 18 seconds

Armament

• Hardpoints: 6× under-wing, maximum external load 300 kg (660 lb) total
• Possible loads:
  • 2× 7.62 mm machine gun pods
  • 2× 75 mm unguided rocket pod (7 rounds)
  • 4× 68 mm unguided rocket pod (7 rounds)
  • 6× wire-guided anti-tank missiles (ATGMs)
  • Barq

 

[ghazi52]

Cockpit

• Spacious side by side cockpit giving contact between the pilot and the co-pilot / observer or between the student and the instructor for effective "watch me" instruction
• Adjustable seats fitted with straps incorporating auto lock inertia reels
• Typical avionics equipment configuration includes UHF/VHF radio, GPS, VOR, Transponder, ADF etc
• Third crew member can be accommodated in the rear cabin

 

[Moon]

Wish we had civil aircraft manufacturers as well, Embraer is a Brazilian success story. If only we'd not scared away entrepreneurs during the 70s and 90s...
We can start small and build something like a Cessna or a Piper Cub for anti-locust missions. In the early 20th century, aircrafts were dubbed an essential for any developing nation. Heck Soviets owed their ability to run logistics across the country to the An-2. If we can build something like that, we can use them for things like spraying crops and running logistics. The government could use its pesticides subsidy and coordinate with farmers to spray large swaths of land, in turn for them planting crops of governments choice (to maximize exports and revenue). We could have same day deliveries of life saving medications, cargo and even evacuate patients from the most remote of areas.

 

[Falcon26]

Apart from the nuclear program, the PPP has been an unmitigated disaster for Pakistan. Their nationalization drive in the 1970s destroyed many thriving private companies and sent Pakistan down the path it currently is. The Zia administration, his protege Nawaz Sharif, & Musharraf and the military deep state did the rest.

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

Apart from the nuclear program, the PPP has been an unmitigated disaster for Pakistan. Their nationalization drive in the 1970s destroyed many thriving private companies and sent Pakistan down the path it currently is. The Zia administration, his protege Nawaz Sharif, & Musharraf and the military deep state did the rest.

tbh I'd only credit the PPP for not interfering in PAEC.

When reading 'Eating Grass' I get the sense that 60% of our nuclear program was actually complete before Smiling Bhudda. We built the R&D capacity, expertise, and infrastructure all before kicking the nuclear program off. I bet this was the reason why the US was against us pursuing it in the first place -- it was a realistic goal.

Let me frame it this way. If Pakistan had a similarly capable aerospace industry in the 1970s, the US may have put pressure on us not to develop our own fighter aircraft (like it had on Canada and Japan).

If we had the skills and capacity, and then said, "we are making Pak-Fighter 1", the next day LM would've set-up shop in Kamra for the purpose of building F-16s in Pakistan.

When the threat is real, the carrots and sticks come out.

I'd be worried if the US didn't consider AZM a serious issue (which, for now, seems to be the case).

 

[Falcon26]

tbh I'd only credit the PPP for not interfering in PAEC.

When reading 'Eating Grass' I get the sense that 60% of our nuclear program was actually complete before Smiling Bhudda. We built the R&D capacity, expertise, and infrastructure all before kicking the nuclear program off. I bet this was the reason why the US was against us pursuing it in the first place -- it was a realistic goal.

Let me frame it this way. If Pakistan had a similarly capable aerospace industry in the 1970s, the US may have put pressure on us not to develop our own fighter aircraft (like it had on Canada and Japan).

If we had the skills and capacity, and then said, "we are making Pak-Fighter 1", the next day LM would've set-up shop in Kamra for the purpose of building F-16s in Pakistan.

When the threat is real, the carrots and sticks come out.

I'd be worried if the US didn't consider AZM a serious issue (which, for now, seems to be the case).

You don’t credit ZAB for kickstarting Pakistan’s nuclear program? The Military, especially Ayub Khan and Yahya Khan were opposed to it for various reasons.

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

You don’t credit ZAB for kickstarting Pakistan’s nuclear program? The Military, especially Ayub Khan and Yahya Khan were opposed to it for various reasons.

The nuclear weapons program started after Smiling Buddha (1974), and with 1971 being a fresh memory. IMHO, nukes were going to happen with or without ZAB. The security decision makers around that time concluded (1) alliances and international institutions were useless and (2) India having nukes was an existential threat to us.

Ayub Khan was against nuclear weapons because, pre-1965, we benefitted from US aid, technical support, and trade support. We had no reason to upset the US because, at that time, it seemed the US had our back.

Not only that, but the US let us in the Atoms for Peace initiative because we (from the onset) promised not to develop nukes. It was India that had reneged on that commitment. But the big differentiator pre-1965 was that we thought the US had our back.

 

[Trango Towers]

The PAC MFI-17 Mushshak is a license-built fixed-gear basic trainer aircraft used by the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Air Force. An improved version of the Saab Safari, the MFI-17 is manufactured in Kamra, Pakistan by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). Built to Mil-Spec and fully aerobatic, it is used for training, towing and other ground support roles. An upgraded version, the PAC Super Mushshak, has also been produced by PAC.

Development

PAC Super Mushshak at Dubai Airshow, 2017

PAC Super Mushshak cockpit at Dubai Airshow, 2017


Origins

The MFI-15 Safari and MFI-17 Supporter were created from Saab's adaptation of the MFI-9 Junior for basic training for civil and military operators. In 1968 Saab began work on its MFI-15, based on the MFI-9 but with some design changes. Foremost of the changes in the Saab built MFI-15 prototype was the 120 kW (160shp) Lycoming IO-320 piston engine. Like the MFI-9, the MFI-15 retained the unusual braced, mid-mounted and slightly forward-swept wing and rearward-hinged canopy, offering good all-around vision. The prototype made its maiden flight on June 11, 1969. Follow-up testing of the MFI-15 resulted in a more powerful IO-360 engine, while the horizontal tail was relocated to prevent it being damaged by thrown up debris. The first flight of this modified form was in February 1971.

Sold as the MFI-15 Safari, most went to civil customers, however Sierra Leone and Norway took delivery of Safaris for military pilot training. To improve the Safari's military market appeal, Saab developed the MFI-17 Supporter, fitted with six underwing hardpoints for light and practice weaponry, giving it weapons training and light COIN capabilities. First flight was on July 6, 1972. Important were Denmark and Zambia. Production ended in the late 1970s after about 250 Safaris and Supporters had been built, mostly for civil customers.

Pakistan has taken delivery of 18 Supporters, while 92 have been assembled locally by PAC from knocked down kits and a further 149 were built locally by PAC. It is named Mushshak ("Proficient") in Pakistani service. In 1981, Pakistan acquired sole manufacturing rights of the Supporter. The development of the MFI-395 in 1995 initiated by the then-managing director of AMF, Air Cdr Muhammad Younas. The aircraft was built by upgrading the MFI-17 with an advanced 260 hp engine, electrical instruments, dual flight control systems and a Bendix RSA fuel injection system.

Design



Fitted with an American 260 hp engine, cockpit air conditioning, electrical instruments, and electric/manual elevator and rudder trim, the aircraft has been developed to meet FAR part 23 certification in normal, utility and aerobatics categories. It has a spacious side-by-side cockpit allowing good contact between the pilot and the co-pilot/observer or between the student and the instructor.

Variants

Pakistan Aeronautical Complex unveiled a light attack variant of the Super Mushshak in March 2019. The aircraft is capable of launching Barq laser-guided and anti-tank missiles.[1][2][3] The Super Mushshak is in use by several countries, including the Pakistan Air Force, Azerbaijani Air Force and the Nigerian Air Force.

Operators

Military operators

Map with military Super Mushshak operators in blue

Azerbaijan

• Azerbaijani Air and Air Defence Force – 10.

Iran

• Iran Air Force – 25.

Nigeria

• Nigerian Air Force – 10 delivered as of January 2018. Nigeria temporarily operated four Pakistani Air Force Super Mushshaks for early training.

Oman

• Royal Air Force of Oman – 8

Pakistan

• Approximately 337 operational with the Pakistan Armed Forces[11] - 217 with Pakistan Army, 120 Super Mushshak with Pakistan Air Force (4 Super Mushshak were loaned temporarily to Nigeria)

Qatar

• Qatar Air Force - 8 on order, first batch of 4 delivered in July 2017

Saudi Arabia

• Royal Saudi Air Force - 20

Turkey

• Turkish Air Force – 52

Specifications (MFI-17 Mushshak)
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988–89,[18] Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94,[19] Pakistan Aeronautical Complex,[20] Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004

General characteristics

• Crew: 2-3
• Length: 7 m (23 ft 0 in)
• Wingspan: 8.85 m (29 ft 0 in)
• Height: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 11.9 m2 (128 sq ft)
• Airfoil: NACA 23012 mod[22]
• Empty weight: 646 kg (1,424 lb) equipped
• Max takeoff weight: 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) normal

1,125 kg (2,480 lb) utility900 kg (1,984 lb) aerobatic

• Powerplant: 1 × Textron Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 4-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 149 kW (200 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell HC-C2YK-4F/FC7666A-2, 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) diameter constant-speed metal propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 236 km/h (147 mph, 127 kn) at sea level and 1,125 kg (2,480 lb)
• Cruise speed: 210 km/h (130 mph, 110 kn)
• Stall speed: 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn)
• Never exceed speed: 365 km/h (227 mph, 197 kn) at 1,125 kg (2,480 lb)
• Endurance: 5 hours 10 minutes at 65% power, at sea level, with 10% fuel reserve
• Service ceiling: 4,100 m (13,500 ft)
• g limits: +4.4 -1.76 (utility MTOW)+6 -2 (aerobatic MTOW)
• Rate of climb: 5.2 m/s (1,020 ft/min)
• Time to altitude: 1,830 m (6,004 ft) in 9 minutes 18 seconds

Armament

• Hardpoints: 6× under-wing, maximum external load 300 kg (660 lb) total
• Possible loads:
  • 2× 7.62 mm machine gun pods
  • 2× 75 mm unguided rocket pod (7 rounds)
  • 4× 68 mm unguided rocket pod (7 rounds)
  • 6× wire-guided anti-tank missiles (ATGMs)
  • Barq

View attachment 755333

Why is there not a civilian version?

 

[ghazi52]

Mushshak in South Africa...

 

[ghazi52]

Nigeria Takes Delivery of Pakistani-made Super Mushshak Trainer Aircraft

By: Oscar Nkala  
December 7, 2016

GABORONE — The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has taken delivery of the first four out of 10 MFI-17 Super Mushshak primary trainer aircraft ordered from the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), five months after the two parties signed a supply and delivery agreement.

The light trainer aircraft were handed over to NAF Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar by PAC chairman Arshad Malik and Pakistani Air Force (PAF) Chief of Air Staff Air Marshall Sohail Aman on Monday in a ceremony that was held at the Kaduna Air Force base on Monday.

They were commissioned into service four days after delivery to Kaduna on Dec. 1. According to the supply contract signed in June this year, the PAC would also provide technical training to the NAF teams charged with operating and maintaining the aircraft.

"We are very happy with this deal and we are hopeful that it will help us to open up new markets elsewhere. This contract includes the provision (to Nigeria) of operational training and technical support by the Pakistani Air Force," Malik said.

Flight training and aircraft maintenance crews from the PAF are expected to set up relevant facilities in Abuja shortly. The four are part of a batch of eight that will be loaned to Nigeria until the delivery of its aircraft order.

 

[monitor]

Super mushak aircraft manufactured for Turkey during test flight in Pakistan.

 

[ghazi52]

The total order is of 52 aircrafts to Turkey.

 

[ghazi52]

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Nadeem Raza has expressed willingness of the Government of Pakistan to deepen its technical .& defence cooperation with Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in view of current & emerging security challenges.

CAS of NAF Air Marshal Amao described the long-standing and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship between Pakistan and Nigeria as heart-warming and better exemplified by the symbiotic partnership between the NAF and PAF.

Air Marshal Amao disclosed that the acquisition of the 10 Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, along with the training of NAF instructor pilots and ground crew has helped in boosting the operational capacities of the NAF.

CAS also acknowledged Pakistan's efforts in the areas of technical and operational support for the maintenance of NAF F-7Ni fleet and the local conduct of Periodic Depot Maintenance for the NAF C-130 Hercules aircraft. He noted recent acquisition of 3 JF-17 Thunder

 

[Moon]

I think as drones are becoming more and more common, we should focus on building cheap and simple aero-engines, the older variants of the CH-4 use piston engines making 100 hp. Something like that can be made in the country by private vendors, such as Millat or even HIT/PAC.
Or we could use the Lycoming off of the Super Mushak, reverse engineer it and voila. (It's a very simple engine, air cooled, no complex alloys etc...)