Qatar’s Ministry of Defense’s Moral Guidance Directorate announced the arrival of the first batch of the Pakistani primary trainer aircraft (Super Mushshak) in Doha, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.
On this occasion, Qatar Armed Forces held a launch event in Al Zaeem Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al Atiyyah Air College under the patronage of Chief-of-Staff Major General (Pilot) Ghanim bin Shaheen Al Ghanim, Major General (Pilot) Ahmed bin Ibrahim al Malki, Deputy Commander of the Emiri Air Force and a high-level delegation from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan which included Officers from the Pakistan Air Force, several members of the Embassy and the Pakistani Military Attaché.
During the event, they reviewed the college’s training stages and its future plans.
Brigadier (Pilot) Salem Hamad Aqeel Al Nabit, Commander of Al Zaeem Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al Atiyyah Air College, expressed his pride with Wednesday's launch event for the arrival of the first batch of Super Mushshak which is considered a unique and quality addition to the training aircraft fleet in the college.
He added the development plans pursued by the college are proceeding according to plan in line with the development in all sectors of the other armed forces sectors.
Al Nabit said the college’s development wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the direct support it receives from Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Minister of State for Defense Affairs Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah and the Chief-of-Staff Major General (Pilot) Ghanim bin Shaheen Al Ghanim.
The Pakistani Super Mushshak aircrafts will provide training support to the pilot candidates of the college as these turbofan engine aircrafts are used in primary and fundamental military air training, in addition to parades and night flying.
The MFI-17 Mushshak is produced by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and consists of two or three seats, with a wingspan of 8.85 meters, length 7.15 meters and a maximum speed of 268 kilometers per hour.
After exchanging souvenirs between both sides, the delegation toured the facilities of the college, training rooms, simulation systems and airfields.
The aircrafts which are used for vertical training will improve the college’s pilot candidates training and will substitute the Gazelle aircrafts used currently. The purchase agreement was signed in June 2016.
Al Zaeem Mohamed Bin Abdullah Al Atiyyah Air College is the first military college in the region to receive ISO 9001 quality system certification. The college recently graduated the fourth batch of combat pilots.
