Advanced avionics helping Pakistan to break militants
According to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) it has flown more than 5,500 strike sorties over the country’s troubled tribal regions since May 2008.
Air Chief Marshall Rao Qamar Suleiman has revealed details of a major air campaign conducted by the Pakistan Air Force against terrorists in the tribal areas (Photo: Chris Pocock)
Air Chief Marshall Rao Qamar Suleiman has revealed details of a major air campaign conducted by the Pakistan Air Force against terrorists in the tribal areas (Photo: Chris Pocock)

According to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) it has flown more than 5,500 strike sorties over the country’s troubled tribal regions since May 2008. In a rare glimpse into Pakistan’s attempt to counter domestic terrorism from the air, the commander of the PAF described some lessons learned to the Air Chiefs Conference here in Dubai on Saturday.

The need for good airborne reconnaissance was paramount, said Air Chief Marshall Rao Qamar Suleiman. When the Pakistan army launched large-scale operations in the remote Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in August 2008, the PAF had to rely on Google Earth imagery when planning air support missions, Suleiman admitted.