There was also a PR pic posted by the manufactuer showing a CSAR fitted MI-17 with PAF markings

PAF never showed this off

Sure, a photo that I found via ITAR-TASS. Have any actually been delivered to the PAF?

I heard rumours of a MI-35 deal and now saw the reports in flight, so I am pretty sure this deal went through

Which is exactly how stories, rumours and speculation become established as “facts”.

Rosoboronexport never miss an opportunity to market their products: there have been endless press reports and statements made as a result of the Indo-Defense Expo in Jakarta last week, with even earnings from selling spares over the next few years being made public. Are you suggesting that Rosoboronexport chose to “forget” about the Mi-35s in Pakistan’s case?

You’ll also not find any mention of them whatsoever on the UN register, for either Pakistan or the Russian Federation declarations. Paksitan list imports of F-7PG, A-5 etc. from the PRC so why “hide” Mi-35s? Russia lists their combat helicopter exports to everybody else, so why make a sole exception for Pakistan and omit theirs?

I guess it’s all down to personal judgement: you saw a couple of postings on PakDef about Mi-35s being inducted just the same as I did. The poster of that message stated that the transport aircraft were delivering them from Ukraine, IIRC. :diablo:

You want to believe what you’re reading, that’s the crucial difference.

Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News

I will cover your ASS 😉 😉 Anna 😀 😀 Crazy :diablo: :diablo: 😉

I think that’s COVET, Anna :diablo:

Presuming he’s your neighbour, natch.

As I said in the other thread that Arthur locked on Friday, I really wouldn’t take those figures as being “gospel” whatsoever.

I didn’t have much time over the weekend to go through it country-by-country but, because I’m working on something related, I happpened to look at a couple:

The French Army are listed as having:

64 x AS532M Cougar
25 x AS532UL Cougar

The grand total for both of these types in French Army use is 22!

They also list 10 x EC725 Cougar Mk.II as being in service: none of these have been delivered yet. Much the same for the Tigre: 8 are shown as being in service.

With figures as inaccurate as this for France, how can you possibly accept those for other countries without further research and cross-reference? For example, how can FI possibly state that there are 195 airworthy Mirage III/V? Has Pakistan really taken delivery of Mi-35 Hinds? This was vigorously denied on at least one Pakistani forum recently.

Best regards

Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News

They aren’t “squadrons” in the true sense of the word:

CNO direction was issued in March 1983 to establish VF-1486 as a SAU for support of Naval Atlantic Fleet F-14 fighter squadrons. Since establishment on 1 October 1983, the command mission was to provide ground, simulator and flight training for Reserve aircrews and maintenance training to Reserve enlisted personnel in order to provide combat-ready personnel to augment fleet squadrons during mobilization. VF-1486 used assets provided by VF-101, the East Coast Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), as well as those of the fleet squadrons.

SAU = Squadron Augment Unit

I had squadron visits with VF-301 and 302 at NAS Miramar in 1990 and again in 1993 (some of you will have seen a few of the photos I took on this forum) and it was explained how this arrangement for reservists worked in practice.

Have a look at VFA-125’s SAU page for a pretty comprehensive idea of the concept behind training naval reservist aviators:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/vfa-125-sau.htm

Best regards

Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News

Edited (addition): this also explains things a little more:

VF-1485 was a squadron augment unit at NAS Miramar that came under the control of Naval Air Reserve Detachment (NARDet) Miramar in the 1980s (and possibly into the early ’90s). The “squadron” consisted of pilots, NFOs and possible some maintenance troops that provided support to VF-124 on one weekend a month, plus the aircrew were obligated to fly at least 48 other four-hour periods (called “drills”) during the year. This, plus a two-week active duty stint each year.

The squadron had no aircraft, but flew VF-124’s aircraft. They were interchangable with VF-124’s staff, and they provided instructor support for the training squadron.

As a matter of interest, up until 1984, there was also a VF-1285 at Miramar that flew with VF-301 and VF-302 in those squadrons’ F-4s, but was disbanded when the Reserves transitioned to the Tomcat in 1984.

From: http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-squadron-vf1485.htm

I took some time to have a look around their site.

Looks about as objective as Jihad Unspun does :rolleyes:

I looked at the latest FI and did not see any article that said the above . I’m a subscriber to the online version as well and could not find the segment which said the above.

Can someone please post the title of the article? If not kindly stop posting nonsense attributed to defence magazines.

PS – Here are the titles of the defence related articles in the latest Flight International. (Nov 16)

It’s all there, I think maybe you need to look closer, GA. It’s in the “World Air Forces Directory, 2004” that runs from pages 41 to 100: it’s too big for anyone to miss!

As to the accuracy however :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I won’t pick holes in too much, as I only read it quickly on the train a couple of hours ago, but…..

Poland: 51 x MiG-21bis/UM still listed as active with the Air Force

Czech Republic: 20 x Su-7 Fitters still in store!!
33 x Mi-2 Hoplites in service!
23 x L-29 Delfins in store

Slovakia: 12 x Su-25 still listed as being in store.

Greece: 12 x UH-60 with the Army 😮

Funniest one is Polish Navy TS-11 Iskras listed under UAVs being on order!

The two Pakistan Navy P-3C Orions are also shown as being in active service, which we know from recent news they aren’t.

Steve ~ Touchdown-News

If my life, or the life of my family is even potentially at risk, I’m going to eliminate that risk. Someone breaks into my hose, and doesn’t run/drop/surrender when I tell them too, I’m killing them, without hesitation. Maybe they were going to try to steal a bit of jewels to pay for a can of baby formula, maybe they were going to rape and murder my wife. I’m not taking that chance.

And if that happened to be a foreign soldier who invaded your country then I guess that would make you a terrorist too.