Scramble Magazine — August 2017

Mi-17-1V
RAN-36 to RA-25549 524M01
RAN-37 w/o 05apr06 524M02
NA-038 524M03
NA-042 95716 22jun17
NA-043 95737 22jun17

Mi-17V-5
NA-044 524M04 22jun17
NA-053 524M06
NA-056 524M08
NA-057 524M09

On 22 June the Army put out an invitation for bids for the sale

of above helicopters, most of which were identified as not

operational. Interested parties are invited to attend a close

inspection. Mi-17 NA-043 has never been noted. Winners for

the bids were announced on 13 July and they should collect

their new belongings within 90 days.

Pakistan

Pakistan Fiza’ya (AF)

Currently, three JF-17B are under construction at CAC in

Chengdu. First appearance in Pakistan will be soon as two of

these are slated to go to PAC Kamra this year with the third,

and probably the prototype too, remaining in Chengdu for

further testing. The first noted dates in March below come

courtesy of the Pakistan Day parade and rehearsals for that.

FT-5
55-2216 pres D.I. Khan ex 1(FCU)sq, l/n nov04 apr16

Another one that went from the Mianwali storage to a new

home, at Dera Ismail Khan this time. It was installed April

last year at Kacheri road, South of the city centre, 31.821447°,

70.908717°.

F-7PG
01 -815 23sq f/n, FY needs confirmation mar17

FT-7PG
02 -682 23sq f/n, FY needs confirmation photo

F-16A MLU
84711 9sq ex F-16A-15-CF, f/n 5G-11 mar17

Obviously a well-known airframe, just never reported!

JF-17
‘16-208’ 16sq f/n ops, should read 15-208 mar17
16-218 16sq f/n ops mar17
16-226 16sq f/n ops mar17
(16-234) PAC Kamra f/n, primer 2P34 jul17

Aircraft 208 was maybe painted with a FY16 serial to denote

an out-of-sequence delivery or just to mimic the supposed

number of sixteen aircraft produced in that year.

MFI-395 Super Mushshak 78-6056 PAF Academy ex MFI-17 78-5056 15.056 mar16 Mirage 5EF ROSE 3 96-711 25sq f/n mar17 96-736 25sq f/n mar17

Both were last noted with Dassault in May 2000.

Saab 2000 J-029 nn ex VP-BPL 2000-029 apr17

It was first noted as being used by the Pakistan Air Force still

in white/blue Polet Air colours in April 2016. Recently it was

reported again, still in those colours but with serial J-029

superimposed in black on its tail.

Pakistan Fauj (AR)

BEC = Wichita-Beech Factory, KS Beech 350i ... BEC as N1084 FL-1084 jun17

It was tracked flying to Europe and then to Al Ain and onward

to Islamabad on 18 June before it ‘disappeared’ from the

radar, literally.

SA330J 1531/UN-809 MONUSCO w/o 12apr17

The other two MONUSCO Pumas deployed are coded UN-810

and UN-811. Tie-ups to the Army serials for those are

unknown yet. The aviation contingent is present in the Dem-

ocratic Republic of Congo since 2012. After two three-year

stints, the UN has now issued a tender for the next three year

period.

Balochistan Province [GV]

The first Mi-171E that was ordered January 2017, see Scram-

ble 456 - Page 79, has been delivered mid-July from Russian

Helicopter’s Ulan Ude plant. Unfortunately, we do not have

its identity yet.

Punjab Province [GV]

Last April, the Province of Punjab also received their convert-

ible Mi-171E helicopter (cargo transport, personnel, VIP). See

Scramble 456 - Page 79.

Thailand

Royal Thai Army (AR)

Saab 340B .../70205 ex N452XJ 452 jun17 .../70206 ex N439XJ 439 jun17

Both aircraft were noted at Bangor, Maine, with 70205 seen

on May already, both being readied for delivery to 702sq. On

19 July 2017 70205 left Bangor on delivery.

Black Hawk

On 29 June it was announced that the Army is in the process of

obtaining four additional Black Hawk helicopters. The army

currently operates twelve Black Hawks, the initial nine being

UH-60L and the remaining UH-60M versions. In between,

during the military boycott by the Obama administration

Thailand obtained a couple Mi-17’s from Russia.

T-50 Golden Eagle

If all has gone well then on 29 July the government approved

the purchase of eight additional KAI T-50 fighter/trainers.

The order is an follow-on order to the order for four aircraft

announced September 2015 (Scramble 437) and the aircraft

are intended to replace L-39 trainers currently flying with

401sq and 411sq. It is expected that at least four additional

T-50s will be ordered in order to replace one squadron Alba-

trosses. Aircraft from the first order are expected to arrive

early 2018.

Royal Thai Police (PO)

Bell 412EPi 2610 ex N549HA 37007 2jul17