Turkey to Gift 34 Cessna T-37 Tweet Jet Trainers to Pakistan

[Abbas Ali]

Turkish Air Force T-38M Talon 23718 by Dirk Jan de Ridder, on Flickr

According to a local newspaper report, Turkey is going to gift 34 Northrop T-38M Talon two-seater, twin-engine supersonic jet trainer aircraft of Turkish Air Force (Türk Hava Kuvvetleri) to Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

T-38Ms is modernised T-38A with full glass cockpit and avionics, upgraded by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) (https://www.tai.com.tr/en/project/t38-a ... ernization) under the project codename "ARI" (Ari means "Bee" in Turkish).

Abbas

[Dr747]

Most probably not true. 34 is half of what they've got. Also it will need US approval for further sales/transfer to Pakistan.

[faiq]

Might be correct but I think Pakistan neither require them that much. K8 and K8P are well suited for the job.

[TAILWIND]

Might be correct but I think Pakistan neither require them that much. K8 and K8P are well suited for the job.

Agree.Dont think PAF needs these trainers. Unless they have some new plans for fighter pilot training.

[Guru]

PAF needs them badly. These T-38s could be a good replacement for the 1960s vintage T-37s that form the backbone of flying training at Risalpur. The T-37s have outlived their lifespan and utility.
K-8s can't be spared since bulk of them have moved to Mianwali to replace the FT-5s which were phased out in Jan 2012.

[TAILWIND]

T-38 are not basic trainers to replace T-37. If at all these could be more useful at minawali than risalpur.

[Guru]

Most modern day jet/turboprop trainers are designed to fulfill both the roles of basic as well as advanced trainer/lead-in fighter. K-8 is fully capable of doing justice to both the roles and has been doing so aptly since 1994. These days most modern air forces prefer using a single jet/turbo prop trainer between screening/primary training till the operational conversion course on one of the front line fighters as it is cost effective. Single trainer reduces the need for setting up multiple maintenance facilities and saves time and effort by eliminating the need for multiple conversion trainings for pilots/maintenance crew. Some examples of modern trainers doing both the basic as well as advanced trainer/lead-in fighter roles are KAI T-50, Aermacchi M-346 and Pilatus PC-21.
PAF can keep both the K-8s and the T-38s; the former as lead in for the Chinese origin fighters and the later for the Western origin fighters. This is a concept that the PAF has followed in yesteryears; for a very long time, after the academy, the pilots were divided into two streams- one went, T-33-----F-86 while the other went FT-5-----F-6.

[TAILWIND]

That seems logical, thank you Guru

[Vaqar Khan]

According to a news report in Daily Jang dated 21 August, Pakistan has expressed in acquiring Yak 130 trainers from Russia!

[Abbas Ali]

Agreement between Pakistan and Turkey signed on October 28 in Ankara. Under the agreement thirty-four aircraft will be gifted to Pakistan by Turkey.

I think due to some mistake in press release, news reports are saying that Turkey is going to gift thirty-four T-37 aircraft to Pakistan.

http://www.dawn.com/news/1215960



Abbas

[ammad]

http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/pakist ... -aircraft/

It's real. it's a gift. but you will see TK expanding more aggressively into PK

[TAILWIND]

I think due to some mistake in press release, news reports are saying that Turkey is going to gift thirty-four T-37 aircraft to Pakistan.Abbas

I think this makes sense. It must be T-37 and the mistake was in the initial news reports about T-34 Talons.

[Abbas Ali]

^ Right. I've changed topic title now.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Three of T-37 aircraft gifted by Turkey to Pakistan Air Force (PAF) took part in March 23 Pakistan Day celebrations in Islamabad.

Abbas

[Pakistan-1]

Why does the PAF still operate this ancient aircraft ?