ISLAMABAD, May 22: Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu held high-level meetings with Turkiye’s defence, air force and aerospace leadership during an official visit, the Pakistan Air Force said on Friday.
The visit focused on strengthening Pakistan-Turkiye defence cooperation, including air force collaboration, training, joint exercises, aerospace innovation, unmanned aerial systems and emerging technologies.
During the visit, the PAF chief met General Ziya Cemal Kadioglu, Commander of the Turkish Air Force, at Turkish Air Force Headquarters, where he was presented a guard of honour by a Turkish Air Force contingent.
According to the PAF, both air chiefs discussed matters of mutual interest and ways to further strengthen ties between the Pakistan Air Force and the Turkish Air Force. They also reviewed opportunities for bilateral military exercises, professional exchanges and advanced training programmes to improve interoperability and operational coordination.
The Turkish air chief appreciated the PAF’s support in the training of Turkish pilots, describing it as an important initiative for professional development and operational understanding between the two air forces.
Defence and technology cooperation discussed
Air Chief Marshal Sidhu also called on Turkiye’s Minister of National Defence Yasar Guler. The meeting covered bilateral defence collaboration, air force-to-air force cooperation and capacity-building initiatives.
The PAF chief highlighted the historical, cultural and strategic ties between Pakistan and Turkiye, while the Turkish defence minister appreciated the professionalism and modernization efforts of the Pakistan Air Force, according to the PAF statement.
In a separate meeting, the air chief met Selcuk Bayraktar, Chief Technology Officer of Baykar Technologies. The discussion focused on aerospace innovation, unmanned aerial systems and emerging defence technologies.
The PAF said the visit reflected both countries’ commitment to expanding cooperation in defence, aerospace and advanced technology sectors.
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