A very interesting read.
Here some additional 'bits and pieces' that might be useful to enhance Mr. Hussain's write-up. It's based on interviews with several Jordanian, Egyptian, and one of Bangladeshi (ex-Pakistani) pilots that served during those fateful times (entire story can be found in books Arab MiGs, Volume 3, and Arab MiGs, Volume 4):
- Pakistani Air Force was posting two of its pilots to the RJAF already since early 1960s. One of them, Hamid Anwar, barely survived a crash with a two-seat Hunter flown by RJAF pilot 1st Lt Amer Zaza, in 1964 (Anwar ejected on time, Zaza too late: he descended with the parachute right into the burning wrecakge of their aircraft...).
- Two PAF officers served with No. 1 Squadron RJAF (flying Hunters), during the June 1967 Arab Israeli War, and were granted permission to fly combat sorties over Jordan. Flt Lt Saif-ul-Azam flew two sorties on 6 June 1967, then evacuated to Iraq with rest of RJAF fighter-pilots, and flew another sortie with Iraqi Hunters over H-3 airfield, two days later. He was credited with three confirmed kills and highly decorated (by Jordanians, Iraqis, and Pakistanis), before quitting the PAF and joining the newly-established Bangladesh Air Force, following the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. Flt Lt Sarwar Shad fell ill and was hospitalized, on 5 June 1967, and did not fly during that war.
- After the June 1967 War, Azam and Shad were replaced by two unknown pilots. For most of the next two years, they served with the RJAF contingent in Iraq (based there because nearly all of Jordanian Hunters were destroyed and airfields had to be repaired). In March 1969, these were replaced by Flt Lts Noor Khan (future Air Marshal) and Akmal: immediately on arrival in Amman, Noor Khan and Akmal were sent to Dmeyr AB in Syria, where they joined the rest of reorganized No.1 Squadron RJAF. Within few weeks, they were reinforced by a bigger group of advisers, including Muhammad Mahmood Alam (probably the most famous PAF pilot of the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War), Arif Manzoor, Atique Sufi, Shahid Foozi and Sarafaz.... (there would be a lot to say about what kind of training they run in Syria, but that's 'a different story'...).
- As soon as Mafraq AB was completely rebuilt and extended, they moved back to Jordan and then the RJAF began receiving F-104 Starfighters from the USA. During the summer 1969, Pakistanis assisted in conversion of about 15 Jordanian pilots to that type...
...that said, it seems at least a few Pakistanis did remain in Syria until at least 1972, when they were met there by the CO of an Egyptian MiG-17-squadron deployed in that country...
A big delegation from Pakistani Army visited Jordan immediately after the June 1967 War. I don't know much about it though. Jordanians only told me that the Pakistanis were instrumental for reorganization of the Jordanian Army and introduction of divisional structure.
- In regards of Saudi Arabia... it was around the same time - i.e. between 1967 and 1970 - that another group of PAF pilots was seconded to the RSAF. They flew six Hunters acquired to support introduction to service of Lightning interceptors purchased by Saudi Arabia from the UK, and did so together with a small group of contracted British personnel. It was them that saw the 'standoff' with Egyptian forces involved in Yemen War ofthe 1960s, mentioned by Mr. Hussein. I do not know any of their names, though...
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Originally Posted by davidbfpo
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