The reference clearly makes a note of the comment being made by the AVM himself, off the record, in a “dry manner”, i.e. he was speaking sardonically.

In other words, its not hard to understand what he is getting at, that the PAF is critical to land ops & the PA regularly gets into tight spots which require the PAF to bail them out. That the latter won’t acknowledge this should be fairly obvious as well, given the PA is the dominant service in Pak. Its one thing to say the PAF helps, another thing entirely to say, regularly get into tight spots which need the PAF..

Hardly any grounds for misinterpretation or to call the AVM or the one who noted what the AVM said as “one who does not know even the basics”..

FWIW, the US appears to have taken him at his word though, given they cleared the F-16, the Sniper pod, and large quantities of both LGBs and JDAMs which would have otherwise caught US SD attention over Indian objections. So the COIN argument worked or was seen as credible by the US, adding further weight to this “leak” being grounded in fact and a faithful reproduction of what was said.

My point is that PA regularly calls on PAF to assist in FATA — they call air support when they need it — ie when they are in a ‘tight spot’ — whether this leak is suggesting that PA will deny PAF’s assistance or as you interpret it – it is suggesting that PA will deny that it calls on PAF when it is in a tight spot — both statements make no sense. Example – when do coalition forces call for air support in Afghanistan?

So even if this leak is a correct reflection of what AVM said (and there is no guarantee of that) and your interpretation is correct — how do you know it is ‘grounded in fact’ and not designed specificaly to get the US to as you yourself say clear ‘the F-16, the Sniper pod, and large quantities of both LGBs and JDAMs which would have otherwise caught US SD attention over Indian objections’. Although if Indian objections are taken so seriously – does beg the question why 100’s of AMRAAM’s were also released.

Interesting wikileaks cable from 2006 😉

Rest here

I have my doubts about the credibility of these ‘interesting’ leaks —– eg. ‘PAF aircraft are regularly called to provide air
support to military and security forces when they get into
tight spots in the FATA…dryly adding that Army brass and
the ground forces commanders would deny it. End note.’
PAF was/is openly assisting the army in these operations – there were/are regular comments from PAF and Army high ups about how closely they were/are working – not to mention media reports – even AFM has had pics of PAF aircraft taking off fully loaded to hit targets in FATA and I have not seen a single denial from Army officials refuting that Paf is helping them — total nonesense conjured up by someone who doesn’t even know the basics;)

Integration confirmed for Brazil’s MAR-1 missile
Jane’s can confirm that Pakistan has taken delivery of the Brazilian MAR-1 anti-radiation missile and is integrating the weapon on its PAC JF-17 Thunder…
05-May-2011

Defence Weekly
Robert Hewson Air-Launched Weapons Editor – London

can confirm that Pakistan has taken delivery of the Brazilian MAR-1 anti-radiation missile and is integrating the weapon on its PAC JF-17 Thunder multirole combat aircraft as well as upgraded Dassault Mirage III and V ROSE fighters.

The MAR-1 is an air-launched defence suppression weapon developed as an independent national programme by Mectron in co-operation with the Brazilian Air Force (FAB).

In 2008 a MAR-1 order from Pakistan for 100 missiles valued at EUR85 million (USD126 million) was announced by the Brazilian government, which provided export credit support for the deal. Reports from Pakistan suggested that deliveries started in 2009.

Mectron would not comment on the MAR-1 programme except to say that “we have an export client and we have delivered missiles to that client”. However, during the April 2011 Latin American Aerospace and Defence (LAAD) show in Rio de Janeiro, learnt that an active integration effort is now underway for both the ROSE Mirage and JF-17 in Pakistan Air Force (PAF) service.

This confirms statements made during the 2010 Farnborough Airshow by the PAF’s JF-17 Programme Manager, Air Vice Marshall Mohammad Arif, who identified the MAR-1 as a future JF-17 weapon.

The JF-17 is a co-development project between Pakistan and China. It is now in full production at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), Kamra, where about 30 aircraft have been assembled. In April 2011 the PAF stood up its second JF-17 unit (No 26 Squadron) and a third unit (No.4 Squadron) will follow later this year.

Integration of the MAR-1 with the JF-17 shows that Pakistan has a well-structured programme to expand the capability of the aircraft beyond its Chinese roots. The MAR-1 is the second non-Chinese weapon that the JF-17 is known to be adopting after the Hafr runway penetration bomb. Pakistan has also explored the possibility of adding French avionics (including radar) and weapons (including the Mica air-to-air missile) to the aircraft, but PAF JF-17 programme officials told that those options have been shelved in favour of “less politically complicated projects”.

Once operational, the MAR-1 will be the PAF’s only modern anti-radiation weapon and a significant boost to its combat capabilities. The missile has several operational modes, but is typically used in a pre-programmed attack against known emitting targets in a lock-on-after-launch engagement. Mectron has developed a dedicated mission planning system for such operations.

The MAR-1 is likely to operate, at least initially, with a ‘missile-as-sensor’ function, meaning that the weapon’s own wideband radio frequency seeker is the primary sensor for emitter location and targeting. The JF-17’s Chinese developers certainly have the expertise to produce a more capable emitter location system in the future. The MAR-1 can also use supplementary targeting information from the JF-17’s radar warning receivers.

Pakistan has a growing number of electronic intelligence (ELINT) systems with which it can build an electronic order of battle of hostile emitters to support MAR-1 targeting. This includes the highly capable HES-21 ELINT system carried by the PAF’s recently delivered Erieye airborne early warning and control aircraft.

The MAR-1 is fully MIL-STD-1553 and -1760 databus compatible. For non databus-equipped aircraft a standalone integration using a dedicated fire-control unit and display can be fitted in the cockpit. That is the approach adopted for Brazil’s non-upgraded Embraer AMX (A-1) attack aircraft. The MAR-1 has yet to enter formal FAB service, but understands that qualification flight testing in Brazil will conclude by the end of 2011.

A full-scale model of Mectron’s MAR-1 anti-radiation missile, which will add a significant new capability to Pakistan’s JF-17 fighters.

I think the J-10B will be the most likely response. PAF is on record as saying that they are waiting for an ‘improved’ ‘upgraded’ version of the J10 to complete testing before placing orders – specifying AESA as a key requirement (probably because they knew that whatever won the IAF competition would be AESA equiped). They have even given the type a local designation — FC-20.

All there has been is a very vague report that Pakistan will get a J10 variant, which they will call the FC20.

There has never been any details given afaik as to what model this J10 will be. It just seems most Pakistanis automatically assume its going to be the J10B because it is the newest version.

Considering how far along the J20 is, the J10B may well be on the cards, but that is still far from a certainty at this point.

I don’t think it is just a case of ‘automatically’ assuming –There has been quite a few articles and publications saying that J10B=FC20….heres one example…..

Chinese Chengdu J-10 Emerges
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gener…J-10%20Emerges
Jan 14, 2010

By Richard D. Fisher, Jr.
Washington

Wrapped in secrecy for most of the decade following its 1998 test flight, Chengdu Aircraft Corp.’s J-10 multirole fighter is set to enter the global market. Following a development history that extends to the 1960s, and five years in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), the J-10 may emerge in the market soon after 2010, offering capabilities approaching Lockheed Martin’s F-16C Block 60, at half the price.

Mod Edit: You’ve provided a link, so there’s no need for the lengthy cut and paste from a copyright article.

Saudi Arabia. See WikiLeaks. Israel and the Saudis are de facto allies.

Saudi may well turn a blind eye to the odd overflight – ‘protesting’ afterwoods but to think they would allow isreali planes to operate from their soil is outside the realms of reality. The potential fallout for the Saudi elite would an unbearable risk.
The simple facts are that the one nation capable of pulling this off – the U.S. – has already exhausted itself in Iraq and Afganistan — both of which remain unstable and both of which border Iran. Even if there was the stomach (and cash) to open a third front – the risks of turning 2 existing messes into one huge mess may be too great – at least for the forseeable future.
Isreal certainly has the will – but there would be a hell of a risk of not being able to stop what they start – with debateable potential for what they acheive.

😀 they are still making two seater Q-5s. that’s an ” overwieght, underpowered and technologicaly obsolete fighters”, not everything in china is shiny.
There are still alot of legacy programs that they will keep in pipeline for nothing if just to keep the manufactures alive.

but have no doubt they are making a big pushing. order of technical competence in tactical platforms: CF-SF-XF-Nanchang-Guiyang.
with the last two holding on to older programs/derivatives. but have their sights on UAVs.

SF is executing the J-15, XF is … well. 😎

I was not saying they had stopped production of all old designs — my point was that you can count on new variants to be as you put it ‘shiny’.

Congrats to the Chinese – the pace at which they are catching upto cutting edge military tech is astounding. Chengdu has gone from J7’s to JF-17/J10 to J20 in amazingly short timeframe. There lack of interest in the Russian 5th gen project was always a strong indicator of their confidence in homegrown option. Damn thing looks vicious!!