On 07 September 2020, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) commemorated the Indo-Pak Wars of 1965 and 1971. In its presentation video, the PAF showcased a number of activities it was undertaking as part of the Kamra Aviation City initiative, an effort to set-up a domestic aerospace development and manufacturing cluster.
The crown jewel of this effort is Project Azm, an initiative the PAF started in 2017 to secure its own next-generation fighter aircraft (NGFA), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and new munitions. In its event video, the PAF briefly showed glimpses of each of these projects.
However, though the commemoration event was recent, the video clips in question may not reflect the actual work PAC is currently undertaking for Project Azm. Nonetheless, the clips could offer an insight of the general direction of the NGFA’s main operational outcomes in terms of size, capability, and priorities.
Next Generation Fighter Aircraft
Interestingly, the video clips had showcased studies referencing the ill-fated YF-23 demonstrator. The YF-23 was Northrop’s proposal for the U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program. USAF ultimately selected Lockheed Martin’s submission, the YF-22 (i.e., the F-22 Raptor).
Quwa Plus
Go Beyond the Headlines on Pakistan’s Defence and Security.
Quwa Plus gives you deeper reporting, briefings, and analysis on Pakistan’s defence programs, foreign policy, national security, and regional strategy. Follow the developments that matter to professionals, analysts, and serious readers tracking Pakistan’s security landscape.
Join ($29.99/Year) Already a subscriber?Sign in
