PAF fighter jets shine at Royal International Air Show in UK

Fighter jets of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) won top awards in two categories at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2025 in Britain, state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) reported on Sunday.

- Tariq Butt

RIAT, which runs from July 18 to 20, is one of the world's largest military airshows, has been running for over 50 years and powers the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, according to its website.

On Thursday, a PAF contingent comprising "state-of-the-art JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighter aircraft and the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, landed at the Royal Air Force Base Fairford in the UK to participate in the prestigious" RIAT 2025, a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The JF-17 Block-III was awarded the "Spirit of the Meet Trophy" for its striking livery and the incredible journey from Pakistan with nonstop air-to-air refuelling, PTV said.

The ISPR had said that the JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighters executed successful Air-to-Air Refueling operations en route to the UK with the support of a PAF IL-78 aerial refueling tanker.