Pakistani general: “JF-17 fighters will strengthen the strike power of Azerbaijan”

Pakistani Lieutenant General Tariq Khan gave an interview to Vzglyad.Az

Lieutenant General Tariq Khan, HI(M) was a Pakistan Army general officer who was the Commander of I Strike Corps at Mangla.[1] A war hero, he has been the Inspector General of the Frontier Corps from September 2008 till October 2010. He has also commanded the 1st Armoured Division in Multan from 2006 to 2007 and then the 14th Infantry Division in South Waziristan till 2008. Khan gained fame when he led the Frontier Corps to victory against the Taliban in the Battle of Bajaur in 2009. Tariq Khan belongs to the Tank area of Pakistan. He was commissioned in the Armoured Corps in the 55th PMA Long Course on 16 April 1977 and was awarded the Sword of Honour from the Pakistan Military Academy. He has participated in the First Gulf War of 1991, and contributed towards the international effort in the War on Terrorism as Pakistan's Senior representative at CENTCOM, Tampa, Florida from 2004 to 2005. Khan was then promoted to major general in 2006 and commanded an armoured division in Multan and later an infantry division in South Waziristan leading Operation Zalzala against the militants.[5] On 1 October 2010 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed Corps Commander Mangla. The officer has been successful in turning the Frontier Corps around from a force in great difficulty into a highly professional one which has seen great successes in its recent operations against the militants in Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. On 9 December 2007, Tariq Khan received United States Legion of Merit for meritorious services as a liaison officer at CENTCOM during Operation Enduring Freedom.

- This year JF-17 Thunder fighter jets are expected to be delivered to Azerbaijan. How effective are they during military operations?

- The contract is good and mutually beneficial. This will strengthen the strike power of Azerbaijan, as well as the potential of air defense. No one doubts that these military aircraft will display high efficiency during military operations. The use of these aircraft will ensure the superiority of Azerbaijan over the enemy force.

- What about their effectiveness in mountainous areas?

- JF-17 Thunder is a multi-purpose aircraft that can attack, defend, provide close support on the ground, provide combat air patrol and intercept. Thus, he is able to work in the mountains because of his traction, as well as the low stall speed.

- Please tell us about the technical parameters of the JF-17 Thunder.

- JF-17 Thunder - advanced, lightweight, all-weather, multipurpose fighter. The first flight of this aircraft made August 25, 2003. The crew - 1 person, the length of the aircraft - 14.93 m, height - 4.72 m, wingspan - 9.48 m, wing area - 24.43 m2; empty aircraft weight - 6586 kg, payload weight - 4325 kg, normal take-off weight - 12383 kg, maximum speed - 1910 km / h.

- To which countries does Pakistan export these planes?

- Pakistan exports them to Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Myanmar. Every year the interest of countries to the JF-17 Thunder aircraft continues to grow.

- What kind of military equipment can Pakistan offer Azerbaijan?

- Pakistan can offer all types of small arms, heavy weapons, tanks, drones and ammunition. The Pakistani army is equipped with Al Khalid tanks (jointly developed by the Sino-Pakistani main battle tank of the second generation). The tank has a modern fire control system, in many respects similar to the similar system of the French tank Leclerc. These tanks are equipped with thermal imaging manufactured by the French company Thales.

We can also offer the Azerbaijani side a G3 rifle, a MG1A3 machine gun, an MP5 carbine, and also a POF Eye weapon. It is intended for special forces units, especially in the fight against terrorism and hostage rescue operations. This allows its operator to both see and attack an armed target without exposing the operator to a counter attack.

Seymur Mammadov