The Frist Encounter

Pilots Flt Lt Anwar Hussain (leader)
Flt Off Amjad Bashir (no.2)
Controller Flt Lt Zahid Bangash
Date 11 February 1986
Area Parachinar

A formation of two F-6s took-off for a CAP mission, and once over the station, started to hold at 15,000 ft. Withen afew minutes the controller saw two blips on the radarscope almost touching the border from the northeast of Parachinar. He immediately vectored the CAP towards the targets. The leader called 'tally' (visual contact) and manoeuvred to engage. Two more aircraft appeared on the radarscope. The leader was informed immediately, and again he called tally. The bogeys had already violated the border and were now turning back. The CAP aircraft were happily placed behind them at 3 NM. The bogeys were maintaining speed close to Mach 1 and soon re-entered their own territory. The controller, therefore, asked the leader to turn back. The leader said that he could get them and he was going for them. Saying this, he crossed the Pak-Afghan border. The controller kept urging him to disengage but the leader did not reply. Suddenly, four more aircraft appeared on his radar scope heading towards the F-6s. The controller passed their position to the leader who called tally with four Mig-23s. Now there were eight enemy aircraft against two F-6s. The leader now realized that he was heavily outnumbered; he turned about, hit the deck, and returned to the Base.