ISLAMABAD: The air forces of the United States and Saudi Arabia are participating in a two-week drill organised by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
The commencement of Aces Meet 2021-1 — a multinational air force exercise aimed at maximising combat readiness of participating troops through air-to-air combat training — at an undisclosed operational airbase was announced earlier this week.
While the two armies are “actively participating” in the exercise, the air forces of Bahrain, Egypt and Jordan are invited as observers.
In a video, Saudi Wing Commander Hamad bin Muhammad AlHajjri said the kingdom was participating in the drill with its Panavia Tornado jets.
“The activities of ACES 2021 have kicked off at Mushaf Air Base in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, with the participation of the Saudi Royal Air Forces, the US Air Force and the Pakistan Air Forces,” AlHajjri said in a video shared on Twitter by the Saudi ministry of defence.
#فيديو_الدفاع
انطلاق مناورات #تمرین_مركز_التفوق_الجوي 2021 بمشاركة #القوات_الجوية_الملكية_السعودية في جمهورية #باكستان الإسلامية.#نتعاون_مانتهاون pic.twitter.com/TwZdYdZCTY— وزارة الدفاع 🇸🇦 (@modgovksa) March 30, 2021
“We have participated in these exercises also with a number of our Tornado aircraft. The excuses will be in several stages: including planning and executing air operations against air defense and based on different war scenarios.”
PAF Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Operations), Air Vice Marshal Waqas Ahmed Sulehri, was the chief guest at the opening ceremony held on Monday.
Addressing the exercise participants, Sulheri said the international exercises were not new but the particular cycle of ‘ACES Meet’ was unique due to the vast experience of the participants in combat operations in counterterrorism and composite flying domains.
Defence Attaches of Jordan and Saudi Arabia, and Air Attache of the United States attended the ceremony.
