SA Air Chief Meets PAF Chief, Discuss Defence Cooperation

Lieutenant General Wiseman Simo Mbambo, Chief of the South African (SA) Air Force, called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force at Air Headquarters, Islamabad.

Upon his arrival, a smartly turned-out contingent of Pakistan Air Force presented Guard of Honour to Lieutenant General Wiseman Simo Mbambo.

During the meeting, Chief of the Air Staff emphasized the shared values and aspirations that form the foundation of the deep-rooted friendship between Pakistan and South Africa. The Air Chief reiterated PAF’s commitment to bolster aerial combat capabilities of the South African Air Force through tailored training and capacity-building initiatives.

Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo lauded PAF’s robust operational readiness, its multi-domain warfare capabilities and its success in maintaining a credible deterrence posture.

Recognizing the shared values and interests between the two Air Forces, the South African Air Chief articulated a strong desire to further strengthen and institutionalize the formal relationship between South African Air Force and PAF.

One of the central themes of the discussions was the revamping of South African Air Force’s training regime. In this context, Lieutenant General Mbambo sought Pakistan Air Force’s support in developing a modern and comprehensive training framework, commencing at the academy level.

The visiting dignitary also expressed his earnest desire of participation of South African Air Force officers as observers in PAF’s major operational exercises.

Acknowledging the technical excellence and cost-effective maintenance capabilities offered by PAF’s engineering infrastructure, he also conveyed the intent of South African Air Force to undertake the inspection and maintenance of its C-130 fleet in Pakistan.