PAC MFI-17 Mushshak

The MFI-17 Mushshak is a fixed-gear, piston-engined basic trainer built at Kamra by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex. It is the Pakistani production version of the Saab MFI-17 Supporter, itself the military derivative of Saab's civil MFI-15 Safari, which grew from the earlier MFI-9 Junior. The Supporter added six underwing hardpoints for practice weapons, rocket pods and light attack work, and Pakistan took delivery of 18 Saab-built examples before assembling 92 more from kits and building a further 149 itself. In 1981 Pakistan acquired sole manufacturing rights to the type, and the local name Mushshak means proficient. It has a braced mid-mounted wing, a side-by-side cabin for instructor and student, and a 200 horsepower Lycoming IO-360 engine driving a two-bladed propeller. It serves the Pakistani armed forces and has also flown with Iran, Oman and Syria.