Written by Major (R) Haroon Rasheed is a Defense and Strategic Analyst specializing in South Asian military dynamics, deterrence strategy, and defense modernization. He is a member of the Research and Evaluation Cell for Advancing Basic Amenities and Development (REC ABAD).
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has earned a reputation that few air forces in the world enjoy: disciplined pilots, unmatched combat instincts, and a training system that consistently produces elite aviators. Across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and even within professional circles of NATO air forces, PAF pilot training is widely respected for its depth, realism, and results.
This reputation is built on a foundation laid at the Pakistan Air Force Academy Risalpur, strengthened through advanced tactical schools, and proven repeatedly during real-world operations. The PAF motto — “Second to None” — is not a slogan; it reflects decades of institutional excellence.
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Risalpur: The Birthplace of Pakistan’s Air Warriors
Every PAF fighter pilot begins at PAF Academy Risalpur, an institution known for its discipline, academic rigor, and flying excellence. The academy blends character-building, leadership training, and technical mastery, producing officers capable of handling pressure far beyond the cockpit.
Cadets undergo:
- Ground schooling and aerodynamics
- Basic flying on primary trainers
- Intensive simulator-based training
- Air discipline, leadership, and tactical judgment
Foreign cadets from the Middle East, Africa, and even parts of Asia regularly train at Risalpur — a clear acknowledgment of its international standards.
From Cadet to Combat Pilot: A Training System Built for Excellence
The strength of PAF pilots lies in a structured, layered training system designed to produce calm, analytical, and tactically sharp aviators.
1. Basic & Advanced Flying Training
Pilots learn foundational flying on aircraft such as the K-8 before moving to advanced jet training. This phase focuses on precision, formation flying, situational awareness, and aircraft handling.
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2. Fighter Conversion Units (FCUs)
After graduation, pilots enter conversion units where they learn to fly front-line fighters like the F-16, Mirage, and JF-17 Thunder. Here they train in:
- Air combat maneuvering
- Beyond-visual-range engagements
- Close air support
- Tactical weapons delivery
3. Combat Commanders School (CCS)
Often compared with the US Navy’s Top Gun, the Combat Commanders School is one of PAF’s crown jewels. Here, already skilled fighter pilots are transformed into combat leaders, tacticians, and future instructors. The school is famous for its demanding syllabus and strict standards.
Many international air forces acknowledge CCS as one of the toughest and most realistic air combat schools in the world.
4. Air Combat Employment (ACE) School
The ACE School is Pakistan’s advanced tactical center where pilots practice complex multi-aircraft engagements, electronic warfare, and modern air tactics.
During the 1980s and 1990s, American instructors openly praised Pakistan’s top-gun training, noting that its air combat realism was on par — and in some areas more adaptive — than their own.
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5. Training of Foreign Pilots
Countries including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Libya (past), Nigeria, and several Central Asian states have trained their fighter pilots under the Pakistani system.
Many of these pilots later distinguished themselves in combat theatres, indirectly demonstrating the quality of Pakistani instruction.
Global Recognition of Pakistani Pilots
Over the decades, senior commanders from the US, France, Turkey, China, and the Middle East have praised the professionalism and tactical maturity of PAF pilots.
Recently, a French Air Force senior commander commented that in the May 2025 incident, the Rafale aircraft was not at fault — rather, the Indian pilot lost situational control under pressure. This statement indirectly acknowledged the superior tactical discipline of PAF pilots, who are trained to remain composed even in high-stress aerial encounters.
American F-16 instructors have repeatedly described PAF pilots as “exceptionally calm under pressure” and “masters of energy management.”
Chinese PLAAF officials have commended their analytical flying and fast decision-making.
Arab air forces rely heavily on Pakistani-trained pilots and instructors, a relationship spanning decades.
Where Training Meets Reality: A Legacy of Performance
The strength of the PAF training system is visible in Pakistan’s combat history.
With only brief mention — without details — these moments illustrate how training translates into battlefield performance:
- 1965 War: PAF pilots stunned global observers with unmatched kill ratios.
- Operation Swift Retort (Balakot Response), 2019: Precision, discipline, and measured engagement.
- Surgical Strike in Iran, 2024: Demonstrated long-range accuracy and professional execution.
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- Strikes in Afghanistan, 2024: Controlled, intelligence-based targeting.
- Operation Sindoor: Demonstrated tactical depth.
- Operation Bunyan-e-Marsous (2025): Pakistani-trained pilots recognized for exceptional flying skills under intense conditions.
These examples are not about hardware — they reflect a training system that consistently produces world-class aviators.
Conclusion: “Second to None” — A Standard, Not a Claim
The PAF’s global respect comes from one source: its pilots.
Their training is methodical, intense, and rooted in real combat experience. From Risalpur to CCS to ACE School, the system shapes pilots who are confident, analytical, and unshakable under pressure.
Today, Pakistan’s fighter pilots stand among the finest in the world — acknowledged by friends, adversaries, and neutral observers alike.
The motto “Second to None” lives in the cockpit of every PAF aircraft and in the legacy of every mission flown by Pakistan’s air warriors.
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Major (R) Haroon Rasheed is a Defense and Strategic Analyst specializing in South Asian military dynamics, deterrence strategies, and defense modernization. He is a member of the Research and Evaluation Cell for Advancing Basic Amenities and Development (REC ABAD).
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