AIR CHIEF CALLS ON TURKISH PRESIDENT AND MILITARY LEADERSHIP DURING HIS VISIT TO TURKIYE

08 September, 2024: During a recent visit to Turkiye, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Upon his arrival, the Air Chief was received by the Turkish President at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. The meeting underscored a mutual commitment to enhance defence collaboration between the two nations.

During the meeting, Chief of the Air Staff emphasized the shared values and aspirations that form the foundation of the deep-rooted brotherhood between Pakistan and Turkiye. He also expressed his unwavering commitment to enhance the existing bilateral ties in Military-to-Military and Air Force-to-Air Force cooperation with Turkiye, especially in the field of defence production and joint development of Next Generation Aerospace technology. The Air Chief reiterated his resolve to further deepen the strong bond of brotherhood that unites the two nations in the face of shared challenges and expressed his desire to explore future avenues of collaboration in the defence and aviation sectors.

President Erdogan praised Pakistan Air Force’s progress in niche technologies such as Cyber, Space, Artificial Intelligence and Electronic Warfare, which aligns with the current PAF leadership’s focus on development of Multi-Domain Capabilities. President Erdogan acknowledged the strides attained by Pakistan’s Aerospace industry in the domains of design, research and software development capabilities over the past couple of years and urged for a more significant workshare in the software integration, design and development of Next Generation Fighter program codenamed KAAN.
He emphasized the importance of sharing niche & disruptive technologies developed in Pakistan in order to bolster multi-domain capabilities of both countries. The Turkish President also expressed his desire that the existing Joint Working Group for Aerospace industry collaboration transitions from quarterly to monthly follow-ups, with a revitalized National Level Framework set to be signed soon.

Earlier, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu also held separate meetings with Turkish Air Force Commander General Ziya Cemal Kadioglu, Chief of Turkish General Staff General Metin Gurak and Minister of National Defence of Turkiye General Yasar Guler, further solidifying the defence ties between the two nations.

The historic visit of Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force to Turkiye not only strengthens the existing ties between the two brotherly countries but also signifies the enduring commitment of both nations to work collaboratively towards a more secure and prosperous region.

*PAF SPOKESPERSON*