WARS & ENCOUNTERS COLLECTION

On the night of 4 December 1971, Indian Osa missile boats attacked the Pakistan Navy, hitting a destroyer and a minesweeper southeast of Karachi. The menace of Indian missile boats was a very serious threat not only to the Navy but also to other Pakistani ships in the Arabian Sea and in the Karachi harbour. Pakistan retaliated by causing extensive damage through a single B-57 attack on Okha naval base in India. The bombs scored direct hits on fuel dumps, ammunition dump and the missile boats jetty. The missile boat attacks on Pakistani naval installations ceased thereafter.

Arriving, as planned, 15 minutes behind the preceding B-57 over the IAF’s Ambala air base in a stream of three bombers, the Commander of No.8 Squadron releases the third of his four 1,000 pound bombs from a low level skip bombing run. The last bomb, visible in the open bomb bay, would drop a fraction of a second later. The fires started by the bombs of OC No.7 Squadron in the first B-57 light up parts of the airfield, and the third B-57 will arrive in 15 minutes. Due to their flat trajectory, each bomb would skip some distance along the ground before the 10-second delay fusing triggers its explosion. Pilot: Squadron Leader Rais A Rafi OC No.8 Squadron

The painting depicts Flying Officer M Shamsul Haq destroying one of the 4 SU-7s attacking Tejgaon airfield with his wingman Flying Officer Shamshad giving chase to a second SU-7. This is the beginning of the greatest air battle of the day – led by Flying Officer Shams with the very young but spirited Flying Officer Shamshad on his wing – immediately after they were scrambled at 0845. Just as their wheels were locking up, 2 of a flight of 4 approaching SU-7s fired their rockets at the F-86s, which were barely 200 ft above the trees. Shams broke into them and shot down one of the nearer pair of Sukhois with a Sidewinder, cheered by the squadron airmen watching from below. The remaining SU-7s turned tail but seconds later, Shams and Shamshad were directed by the Controller towards 4 approaching IAF Hunters. In the ensuing air battle, both pilots downed a Hunter each with their guns. Shamshad then returned to land but Shams spotted another Hunter over Tejgaon and fired his second Sidewinder at such close range that before its guidance system could take over, the missile streaked straight into the Hunter’s tail pipe and blew up the engine. The Indian pilot’s descent by parachute was in full view of many ground observers around the airfield. But now Shams, who had no ammunition left, was in trouble; he was suddenly surrounded by 4 Mig-21s which began to attack him in turn, driving him into a tight corner. The quick-thinking Shams immediately whipped into a max-rate steep turn at tree top height, with the Dhaka TV tower in the centre of it, jinking wildly as he turned. The Migs’ attack pattern was effectively disrupted and, short of fuel, they soon exited the scene.

On the morning of 6 September 1965, a formation of 6 F-86s of No.19 Squadron attacked the advancing columns of Indian Army at Wagah. In 20 minutes of action, the Grand Trunk Road was littered with scores of burning tanks, armoured and soft vehicles. The formation was led by Squadron Leader Sajjad Haider with Flight Lieutenants M Akbar, Dilawar Hussain, Ghani Akbar and Flying Officers Khalid Latif and Arshad Chaudhry in his formation. The vehicles of Indian armour which were advancing bumper to bumper on the G T Road had safron roundels painted on them to help their own aircraft recognize them. But things happened the other way round: the PAF fighters spotted them first. The 5" rockets, which were used for the first time in combat by the PAF, had a devastating effect on the enemy armour.

On 26 February 2019 Indian Air Force fighter jets violated territorial borders of Pakistan and committed an unprovoked assault in Balakot area, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Indian violation resulted in no casualties but damaged a few trees. Adhering to its tradition of baseless accusations and non-professional approach, Indian Military establishment made false claims of destroying so-called terrorist camp at Balakot. However, Indian claims were fabricated with nothing to do with reality on ground. Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan,directed Pakistan Air Force for an effective and fast response to Indian aggression through “Operation Swift Retort”. PAF pilots proved equal to the task and made the nation feel proud of its Air Warriors. Unlike Indian Air Force, a video evidence of target engagement was also released after successful conduct of the operation which speaks volumes about competence and professional excellence of Pakistan Air Force. This painting is inspired by video evidence of national response by the PAF Pilots. The two separate panels demonstrate major moves of the strike package. The upper panel shows three pairs of Mirage fighter-bombers moments before separating for the stand-of weapon delivery profile (the rearmost third pair is acting as backup). In the lower panel, viewers can see explosion by 01 H-4 TV guided bomb (2600 lbs), impacting with a precisely calculated offset distance of just 100 yards from a sensitive support depot at Narian in Naushera Sector. It is obvious in the painting and also in video proof that Indian forward support depot was so close to destruction that was deliberately avoided. It is pertinent to mention here that Wing Commander Faheem Ahmed Khan (Mission Leader) and Squadron Leader Faisal Hassan were the Control Pilots (with Squadron Leader Junaid Sarwar as Reserve), while Squadron Leader Waqar Saleem and Squadron Leader Fahad Babar were flying the two H-4 Bombs launching single seat Mirages (with Flight Lieutenant Osama Sajjad as reserve). First H-4 controlled by Wing Commander Faheem Ahmed Khan, successfully hit the target in Rajauri Sector, whereas the second H-4 controlled by Squadron Leader Faisal Hassan successfully hit target in Naushera Sector wherein the enemy’s forward support depot was about to be destroyed as portrayed in this painting. The H-4 TV guided bomb is a very long range high-precision bomb that flies to impact exactly on its target, while transmitting to its control aircraft clearly visible video images for precision guidance, control and subsequent bomb damage assessment (BDA). Following are the details of officers whose gallantry ensured success of “Operation Swift Retort”, [1] Mirage IIIDA - Flying Officer Awais Rauf/Wing Commander Faheem Ahmed Khan - Leader Mirage 5PA - Squadron Leader Waqar Saleem - No.2 [2] Mirage IIIDA - Wing Commander Rashid Sulehri / Squadron Leader Faisal Hassan - No 3 Mirage 5PA - Squadron Leader Fahad Babar - No.4 [3] Mirage III DA - Flight Lieutenant Imran Haider and Squadron Leader Junaid Sarwar - Reserve Mirage 5PA - Flight Lieutenant Osama Sajjad - Reserve

On the bright winter morning of the third day of war in the west, Wing Commander Saad Hatmi led a pair of F-6s from No.25 Squadron that was scrambled on an air defence mission. Vectored onto two intruders from Pathankot Air Base, Hatmi and Flight Lieutenant Shahid Raza intercepted the Hunters in the Soan valley near the Sakesar hills. In the low level high ‘g’ combat, the Sidewinders fitted to the F-6s would have been useless, and Hatmi and Raza, using their 30 millimetre cannons instead, shot down the two Hunters. None of the two Hunter pilots, Flight Lieutenants G. S. Rai and K. L. Malkani survived. Both belonged to No.27 Squadron of the IAF. This aerial encounter was conducted from Kalar Kahar radar by Flight Lieutenant Zarrar Shafique Sheikh.

On the opening night of the 1971 War in the west, a B-57 of No.7 Squadron lines up on its bombing run against India's main bomber air base at Agra. The squadron commander and his navigator spare a moment's distraction to take in an aerial view that few could forget: the Taj bathed by a full moon against the dark starlit sky. To their surprise, they find the Agra runway lights still turned on, and it is only after their bombs start exploding on the target that the anti-aircraft guns begin to fire. It was a long reach from Pakistan for the medium-ranged B-57, and its arrival had obviously taken the IAF by surprise. Bomber Leader : Wing Commander Mohammad Yunis, Navigator : Squadron Leader William D Harney

PAF’s northern Sector Operations Centre - located atop the scenic 5,000 - foot summit among the Salt Range hills - fully expected to be targeted by the IAF during the 1971 War. Several types of fighter and bomber planes attempted to attack the vital air defence terminal but all were forced to leave it unharmed. Among these was a rocket attack by an IAF Hunter that wildly splintered into a parked car quite far from the SOC. Artist Hussaini has chosen to show the end of that intruder in this painting. In the foreground, Flight Lieutenant Safdar Mahmood observes his wingman, Flying Officer Sohail Hameed, draw first blood with a Sidewinder. Thirty seconds earlier, Safdar had mortally crippled the departing Hunter with bursts from his 30mm guns. As the target, smoking profusely, headed for the ground both pilots could see that it was a “kill” beyond any doubt. Safdar was sorely tempted to roll in for a re-attack, just to get a more spectacular gun camera shot. But the PAF Combat Commanders’ Creed dictated exactly what Safdar recalled he did next. He ordered Sohail, reporting a good tone, to “have a go” and finish the job more quickly. The two Mirages from No.5 Squadron had been scrambled earlier from Mianwali AFB. The pilot of the Hunter (tail No. A 1014) – Squadron Leader Jal Mistry of No. 20 Squadron - had apparently ejected too late and did not survive the engagement. Flight Lieutenant Safdar Mahmood – Leader Flying Officer Sohail Hameed – Wingman Flight Lieutenant Shaukat Jamil Rana – Controller

The F-16 pair’s presence is precisely timed with the PAF’s Mirages and JF-17 Thunders now delivering reprisals on three Indian Army targets in the occupied Kashmir. They are part of the PAF’s “Operation Swift Retort", a carefully calibrated retribution against India’s attempted bombing 36 hours earlier, that might have killed 200 sleeping children in the Pakistani seminary at Jabba. Even though no one was killed or injured and nothing damaged - because of the unprofessional execution of their task by the IAF Mirages - India’s leaders lied to the public about the IAF’s embarrassing failure of the Jabba bombing later confirmed by Jabba visitors and multiple internationally respected specialists. The PAF has now filled the relevant sky segments with combat air patrols, sweeps and feints, backed up by an array of support assets from near and outside the combat zone. Wing Commander Nauman Ali Khan (OC 29 Squadron) and his wingman are combing through the blip-filled air to pick out the most suitable targets. In the busy cockpit, Nauman now picks out an IAF Mig-21 from Srinagar and finds it odd that the plane has entered the Pakistani airspace without a wingman. Nauman’s target is flying twelve thousand feet below him, and he takes just a few more seconds to complete his pre-launch drills and double-checks. That done, he fires his BVR (beyond-visual-range) missile (AIM-120C-5) and thirty seconds later the Bison, piloted by IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman bursts into fire and smoke, disintegrating as it arcs down. The Mig-21 crashes, without Abhinandan in it, but still carrying all his unused missiles. The event turns out to be a one-sided contest between two wing commanders, but that morning over Kashmir, “Nandu” is happy enough that his ejection seat works as designed - and is even happier on becoming a POW after being saved by Pakistani soldiers from angry Kashmiri villagers as he parachutes down. In a typical gesture from Islamabad that seems calculated again to exhort India to honour its pledge to the Kashmiris and the United Nations, Wing Commander Abhinandan is returned to his country a few days later. Wing Commander Nauman Ali Khan O.C. No. 29 ‘Aggressor’ Squadron — Alpha One - Left pane, with the victim Mig-21 in the right pane. The painting depicts the destruction taking place about 18 miles from the F-16A. F-16A Wing Commander Tariq Waheed Air Warfare School — Alpha Two — F-16A - Tactically deployed nearby, the F-16A wingman is not visible in the painting

When the airspeed dials are clocking between 550 and 650 knots at low level, shooting is not easy and the terrain rolls past very quickly. In this painting Hussaini captures the high-speed engagement between two dissimilar pairs of supersonic fighters. Flight Lieutenant Salimuddin Awan in the foreground has just launched a pair of Sidewinders while leading a pair of Mirages from Sargodha. Minutes earlier, his combat air patrol has been rushed to the Chamb ground battle zone where the PAF pilots immediately engage the two pictured SU-7s (of 101 Squadron), but their targets are now hurriedly exiting eastward. Each Mirage has quickly lined up behind an SU-7 as the exciting afterburner chase develops. Seconds before, the wingman, Flight Lieutenant Riazuddin Sheikh too has fired a missile, having achieved the launch preconditions before his leader, but to his dismay, the Sidewinder swiftly nose-dives, its seeker obviously distracted by some greater heat or noise. Salimuddin’s Sidewinder salvo maintains lock and destroys the wingman’s SU-7 in which Flight Lieutenant Vijay Wahi would be fatally injured. Switching to gun attack, Salimuddin will soon fire on the leader’s SU-7 but Squadron Leader Ashok Shinde would survive to fly again, landing his bullet-holed fighter at Adampur. Still heading east at near sonic speeds, the 5 Squadron pilots are momentarily surprised at how far they have come into enemy territory. Passing on their left the Madhopur Barrage north of Pathankot refocuses their attention to the cockpit fuel gauges. Twenty minutes later, their wheels touch down at Sargodha. Flight Lieutenant Salimuddin Awan – Leader – Later Air Vice Marshal Flight Lieutenant Riazuddin Sheikh – Wingman – Later Air Marshal