Muhammad Khattak
Martin B-57 Canberra With Pakistan.
Since the partition of British India in 1947 into the two separate and independent states of Pakistan and India, Pakistan has been closely aligned with the United States, relying primarily on American-supplied weapons to meet its military needs.
During a visit to Karachi, Pakistan, President Dwight Eisenhower promised to provide the government of Pakistan with modern jet bombers. In 1959, 24 B-57Bs and two B-57Cs from the inactivated 345th Tactical Bomber Group at Langley AFB in Virginia were ferried to Mauripur Air Base in Karachi, Pakistan to form the 7th and 8th Bomber Squadrons of the 31st Bomber Wing of the Pakistan Air Force.
At first, these planes were not equipped with an all-weather bombing system as had been originally promised. From 1963, all of the Pakistani B-57Bs were retrofitted with the RB-1A all-weather bombing system which gave them a somewhat longer nose shape than that of standard USAF B-57Bs. Some of the B-57s were also fitted with underwing points for the carriage of four extra fuel tanks, which gave them sufficient range to reach targets well inside India.
In addition, two RB-57F high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft were also supplied to Pakistan in the early 1960s.
The surviving PAF B-57Bs continued to serve until 1985, when they were finally Grounded.
cuac!
