PAF completes non-stop flight to Azerbaijan and conducts precise in-flight refueling operations
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) contingent consisting of advanced JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighter aircraft along with trained air and ground personnel arrived in Azerbaijan to participate in the bilateral air combat exercise Indus Shield Alpha.
The PAF aircraft completed a non-stop flight from Pakistan to Azerbaijan, performing precise in-flight refueling operations. The complex mid-air refueling, carried out by the PAF’s own IL-78 tanker, “reaffirmed the long-range capability of the PAF fighter aircraft” and underlined “the professional excellence and readiness of the PAF aircrew” for extended international missions, according to a statement issued by the ISPR.
According to the Air Force, Exercise Indus Shield Alpha aims to enhance mutual understanding, tactical coordination and interoperability between the two “sister Air Forces.” The exercises will focus on modern air warfare tactics, joint mission planning and operational execution in an environment determined by rapid technological change and evolving air power dynamics.
The PAF said the exercise will also serve as “a vital platform to exchange operational knowledge and strengthen collaborative responses to emerging air defense challenges.”
Participation in Indus Shield Alpha, the PAF added, reflects its “enduring commitment to regional stability and global military cooperation” as well as its determination to “continuously evolve and adapt to the demands of contemporary warfare” while maintaining a tradition of excellence in all domains of air operations.
