ISLAMABAD, March 11: Pakistan Air Force would phase out its fleet of 30-year-old front line fighter aircraft — F6 on March 27, PAF spokesman said here on Monday.

Air Commodore Qadeer Ahmed Hashmi told APP that the phasing out of F6 in other terms would be the induction of multi-role F7PG aircraft which are being procured from our most reliable friend China.

Major chunk out of the lot of total 40 aircraft have already been received by Pakistan.

The phasing out ceremony of the old front-line fighter aircraft would be held in Quetta.

The PAF Base Samungalli at Quetta will accommodate the First Baloch Squadron (No 23 Air Superiority Squadron). The selection of this base as venue for phasing out and induction ceremonies was due to the fact that it had been keeping F6s since these were inducted in the PAF fleet. These aircraft were the front line fighter planes against enemy during the 1971 war.

The F6 aircraft and its weapon system remained original and was fitted by the manufacturer in China. Most of the other aircraft in PAF’s inventory were later upgraded locally by modern avionics and weapon system. Air Commodore Qadeer Ahmed Hashmi recalled that during the 1971 war it was the aircraft with which Pakistan had shot down an Indian SU7 modern aircraft.—APP