Pakistan armed forces begin war exercises

Pakistan Air Force on Sunday began a month-long war exercise, the first such big peace-time drill in 10 years, to field test its 'general and precise' weaponry, fleet of aircraft and war doctrines.

Codenamed Highmark-2005, the war games will hold offensive and defensive manoeuvres at high altitudes, medium and low altitudes, deserts and at sea, PAF sources said.

The PAF will employ the concept of future warfare in the three-stage exercise from the Himalayas to the Arabian Sea using 'strategic and conventional warfare strategies' and live ammunition.

The exercise will see delivery of weapons in various places and involve the army and navy units to provide realistic operational scenarios, PAF spokesman Air Commodore Sarfaraz Khan said.

The objective of the drill is to review the state of preparedness of the air force and verify its strategic plans, PAF Chief Air Marshal Kaleem Sadat said.

"The purpose of holding large exercises like this is to see the war preparedness of PAF. One of the purposes of the exercises is to see whether the war plans that were prepared in the scenario in which we live in and the threat we face, will be effective in thwarting the aggression against us," he told state-run Pakistan Television.

He said the outcome of the games will be analysed to see whether there are any weak areas and gaps in the capability of the PAF.

The PAF will deploy F-16s, Mirages, A-5, F-7Ps and other aircraft in 8,200 sorties and 4,500 officers, 40,000 other ranks supported by 26,000 civilian personnel in the exercise, which will be 'harmonised' with land and naval operations.

All types of weapons, both 'general and precise', will be used, official sources said hinting that the PAF will also test its offensive and defensive tactics in a nuclear war.

It is expected to field test some computer-simulated joint exercises being conducted for several months by the Pakistan army, navy and air force.