IDEAS 2016: Turkey inks 52 Super Mushshak deal with Pakistan Aeronautical Complex

The Turkish Undersecretariat of Defence Industries has inked a purchase of 52 Super Mushshak screening trainers from Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC).

This sale marks PAC’s largest (in terms of volume/units) export order.

The Associated Press of Pakistan reports that PAC also signed contracts with Telec Electronics and Machinery and STI to provide engine maintenance and repair services and two simulators, respectively, for the Super Mushshak.

In 2013, PAC submitted the Super Mushshak for the Turkish Air Force (TuAF)’s requirement of a screening trainer to replace its legacy SF-260s.

In July 2016, the Pakistan Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP) announced that PAC and the Super Mushshak were selected to fulfill the TuAF’s requirement.

The Super Mushshak is PAC’s most popular product and it has seen adoption among numerous air arms in the Middle East and Africa, most recently Qatar and Nigeria, respectively.

The Super Mushshak is an upgraded and locally manufactured variant of the Saab MFI-17 Supporter, which Pakistan procured from Sweden in the 1980s. The Saab Supporter was assembled at PAC. Saab stopped manufacturing the Supporter and Safari, and in 1995, PAC began developing the Super Mushshak.

The first locally manufactured Super Mushshak rolled-off the production line in 2000 and then conducted its maiden test flight in 2001. Ever since, the Super Mushshak has been acquired by customers in Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Oman, and others.