PAC MFI-17 Mushshak

The PAC MFI-17 Mushshak (Urdu: مشاق) (English: Proficient) is a license-built fixed-gear basic trainer aircraft manufactured by PAC. An improved version of the Saab Safari (MFI-15), the MFI-17 is manufactured in Kamra, Pakistan, by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). Built to Mil-Spec and fully aerobatic, it is used for training, towing and other ground support roles. An upgraded version, the PAC Super Mushshak, has also been produced by PAC. As of 2022, there were 477 MFI-15/17/395 in use, making it one of the most commonly used training aircraft in the world.[1]

"Mushshak" redirects here. For the village in Iran, see Mushak, Iran. For Mushak Kariz in Afghanistan, see List of places in Afghanistan.
MFI-17 Mushshak
Super Mushshak
A PAC MFI-17 Mushshak in flight
Role Basic training aircraft, Light attack aircraft
National origin Pakistan
Manufacturer Pakistan Aeronautical Complex
First flight 1981
Status In service
Primary users Pakistan Air Force
Turkish Air Force
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Royal Saudi Air Force
Produced 1981–present
Number built 468
Developed from Saab Safari

Development
PAC Super Mushshak at Dubai Airshow, 2017
PAC Super Mushshak cockpit at Dubai Airshow, 2017

The MFI-15 Safari and MFI-17 Supporter were created from Saab's adaptation of the MFI-9 Junior for basic training for civil and military operators. In 1968 Saab began work on its MFI-15, based on the MFI-9 but with some design changes. Foremost of the changes in the Saab built MFI-15 prototype was the 120 kW (160shp) Lycoming IO-320 piston engine. Like the MFI-9, the MFI-15 retained the unusual braced, mid-mounted and slightly forward-swept wing and rearward-hinged canopy, offering good all-around vision. The prototype made its maiden flight on June 11, 1969. Follow-up testing of the MFI-15 resulted in a more powerful IO-360 engine, while the horizontal tail was relocated to prevent it being damaged by thrown up debris. The first flight of this modified form was in February 1971.

Sold as the MFI-15 Safari, most went to civil customers, however Sierra Leone and Norway took delivery of Safaris for military pilot training. To improve the Safari's military market appeal, Saab developed the MFI-17 Supporter, fitted with six underwing hardpoints for light and practice weaponry, giving it weapons training and light COIN capabilities. First flight was on July 6, 1972. Important were Denmark and Zambia. Production ended in the late 1970s after about 250 Safaris and Supporters had been built, mostly for civil customers.

Pakistan has taken delivery of 18 Supporters, while 92 have been assembled locally by PAC from knocked down kits and a further 149 were built locally by PAC. It is named Mushshak ("Proficient") in Pakistani service. In 1981, Pakistan acquired sole manufacturing rights of the Supporter. The development of the MFI-395 in 1995 initiated by the then-managing director of AMF, Air Cdr Muhammad Younas. The aircraft was built by upgrading the MFI-17 with an advanced 260 hp engine, electrical instruments, dual flight control systems and a Bendix RSA fuel injection system.

As of 2022, there were 477 MFI-15/17/395 in use, making it one of the most commonly used training aircraft in the world.[1]

Design

Fitted with an American 260 hp engine, cockpit air conditioning, electrical instruments, and electric/manual elevator and rudder trim, the aircraft has been developed to meet FAR part 23 certification in normal, utility and aerobatics categories. It has a spacious side-by-side cockpit allowing good contact between the pilot and the co-pilot/observer or between the student and the instructor.

Variants
  • MFI-17 Mushshak —
  • MFI-395 Super Mushshak —

Pakistan Aeronautical Complex unveiled a light attack variant of the Super Mushshak in March 2019. The aircraft is capable of launching Barq laser-guided and anti-tank missiles.[2][3][4] The Super Mushshak is in use by several countries, including the Pakistan Air Force, Azerbaijani Air Force and the Nigerian Air Force.

Operators
Map with military Super Mushshak operators in blue
 Azerbaijan
 Iran
 Iraq
  • Iraqi Air Force - 12 MFI-395 Super Mushshak (4 delivered, 8 on order). 2nd batch of two aircraft delivered on 19 April 2023 to 202nd Training Squadron at Balad Air Base, Iraq.[8]
 Nigeria
  • Nigerian Air Force – 10 delivered as of January 2018.[9] Nigeria temporarily operated four Pakistani Air Force Super Mushshaks for early training.[10] The contract included the deployment of Pakistani pilots and technicians to assist the Nigerians.[11]
 Oman
 Pakistan
 Qatar
 Saudi Arabia
 Syria
 Turkey

Specifications (MFI-17 Mushshak)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988–89,[21] Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94,[22] Pakistan Aeronautical Complex,[23] Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004[24]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2-3
  • Length: 7 m (23 ft 0 in)
  • Wingspan: 8.85 m (29 ft 0 in)
  • Height: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
  • Wing area: 11.9 m2 (128 sq ft)
  • Airfoil: NACA 23012 mod[25]
  • Empty weight: 646 kg (1,424 lb) equipped
  • Max takeoff weight: 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) normal
1,125 kg (2,480 lb) utility
900 kg (1,984 lb) aerobatic
  • Powerplant: 1 × Textron Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 4-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 149 kW (200 hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell HC-C2YK-4F/FC7666A-2, 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) diameter constant-speed metal propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 236 km/h (147 mph, 127 kn) at sea level and 1,125 kg (2,480 lb)
  • Cruise speed: 210 km/h (130 mph, 110 kn)
  • Stall speed: 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn)
  • Never exceed speed: 365 km/h (227 mph, 197 kn) at 1,125 kg (2,480 lb)
  • Endurance: 5 hours 10 minutes at 65% power, at sea level, with 10% fuel reserve
  • Service ceiling: 4,100 m (13,500 ft)
  • g limits:
+4.4 -1.76 (utility MTOW)
+6 -2 (aerobatic MTOW)
  • Rate of climb: 5.2 m/s (1,020 ft/min)
  • Time to altitude: 1,830 m (6,004 ft) in 9 minutes 18 seconds

Armament

  • Hardpoints: 6× under-wing, maximum external load 300 kg (660 lb) total
  • Possible loads:
    • 2× 7.62 mm machine gun pods
    • 2× 75 mm unguided rocket pod (7 rounds)
    • 4× 68 mm unguided rocket pod (7 rounds)
    • 6× wire-guided anti-tank missiles (ATGMs)
    • Barq Air To Ground Guided Missiles

See also

Related development

References
  1. "2022 World Air forces". p. 11. Flight International ranked it as the 6th most commonly used after the T-6, F-16, Hawk, T-38 and L-39.
  2. "Pakistan develops super Mushak combat aircraft". Pakistan Today. Islamabad. 19 March 2019. Archived from the original on 19 March 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  3. "Pakistan develops version of trainer aircraft that can fire missiles". The Week. 19 March 2019. Archived from the original on 19 March 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  4. "Pakistan Unveils Light Attack Super Mushak Turboprop Aircraft". Defense World. 19 March 2019. Archived from the original on 19 March 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  5. "Azerbaijan to buy 10 Super Mushshak aircraft from Pakistan". The News International. Islamabad. 27 July 2017. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  6. Khan, Bilal (27 July 2017). "Azerbaijan orders 10 Super Mushshak trainers from Pakistan". Quwa Defence News & Analysis Group. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  7. International Institute for Strategic Studies (15 February 2020). The Military Balance 2020. London, England: Routledge. p. 351. ISBN 9780367466398.
  8. "First batch of Iraqi Air Force Super Mushshak delivered".
  9. Cherisey, Erwan de (9 December 2016). "Nigerian Air Force commissions first Super Mushshak trainers". Paris: IHS Jane's. Archived from the original on 10 December 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  10. Warnes, Alan (5 December 2016). "Nigeria receives first Super Mushshak". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  11. "Nigeria To Acquire Super Mushshak Aircraft From Pakistan". July 2016.
  12. International Institute for Strategic Studies (25 February 2021). The Military Balance 2021. London, England: Routledge. p. 359. ISBN 9781032012278.
  13. "Mushshak Trainer Aircraft". Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  14. "Qatar buys Super Mushshak trainers from Pakistan". Dawn News. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  15. "Qatar Signs Contract to Purchase "Super Mushshak" Trainer Aircraft from Pakistan". Qatar News Agency. 25 June 2016. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  16. Binnie (20 July 2017). "Qatar receives first Super Mushshak trainers". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 26 July 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  17. "MFI-395 Super Mushshak Trainer Aircraft". Air Force Technology. Archived from the original on 19 March 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  18. "World Air Forces 2023". Flightglobal Insight. 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  19. "Pakistan to supply 52 Super Mushshak jets to Turkey - Pakistan - Dunya News".
  20. Khan, Bilal (23 November 2016). "Ideas 2016: Turkey Inks 52 Super Mushshak Deal with Pakistan Aeronautical Complex". Quwa Defence News & Analysis Group. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  21. Taylor, John W.R., ed. (1988). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988–89 (79th ed.). London: Jane's Information Group. p. 180. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.
  22. Taylor, Michael J.H.; Lambert, Mark; Munson, Kenneth, eds. (1993). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1993–94 (84th ed.). Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group. pp. 225–226. ISBN 978-0710610669.
  23. "Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Kamra - mushshak.html".
  24. Jackson, Paul, ed. (2003). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2003–04 (94th ed.). Coulsdon, Surrey, United Kingdom: Jane's Information Group. pp. 325–326. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.
  25. Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
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