Inter Squadron Armament Competition
{{Short description|Military sports event in Pakistan}}
{{Infobox recurring event
|name = Inter Squadron Armament Competition
|native_name = انٹر سکواڈرن ہتھیاری مقابلہ
|native_name_lang = ur
|nickname = ISAC
|logo =
|logo_alt =
|logo_caption =
|logo_size =
|image = File:PAF Dassault Mirage-IIIEP ISAC-1974.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|alt =
|caption = Mirage-IIIEP drops M117 dumb bombs over Thal firing ranges during ISAC-1974.
|status =
|genre = Military sport
Live fire exercise
|date =
|begins =
|ends =
|frequency = Random
|venue = Sonmiani Flight Test Range
Jamrud Firing Ranges (formerly)
Thal desert
|location =
|coordinates =
|country = {{PAK}}
|years_active =
|first = 1949
|founder_name =
|last = 2019
|prev = 2015
|next = Unknown
|participants =
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|leader_name =
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|organised = {{air force|PAK}}
|filing =
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|website = {{URL|www.paf.gov.pk}}
|current =
|footnotes =
}}
The Inter-Squadron Armament Competition (ISAC) is a military sports event hosted by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). It is an event designed to assess and celebrate the skill and operational readiness of its squadrons. This competition evaluates the training of aircrews and ground teams, focusing on their ability to perform under warlike conditions>{{Cite web |title=PAF Demonstrates Firepower Capability at Sonmiani Firing Range |url=https://hilal.gov.pk/view-article.php?i=3901 |date=2019-12-01 |website=Hilal English}}{{Cite web |title=PAF stands ever ready for aerial defence: Air Chief |url=https://www.radio.gov.pk/30-10-2019/paf-stands-ever-ready-for-aerial-defence-air-chief |date=2019-10-30 |website=Radio Pakistan}}{{Cite web |title=PAF pilots demonstrate fighting prowess in the sky |url=https://www.arabnews.pk/node/1580116/pakistan |date=2019-11-06 |website=Arab News}}{{Cite web |title=PAF conducts live-fire demo at Sonmiani |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2094763/paf-showcases-strength-capability-sonmiani-firing-range |date=2019-11-06 |website=ETribune}}{{Cite web |title=Regional environment demands vigilant PAF role: Air Chief |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1223481 |date=2015-12-01 |website=Dawn}}{{Cite web |title=PAF’s No 11 Multirole Squadron wins Inter Squadron Armament Competition |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/548406-pafs-no-11-multirole-squadron-wins-inter-squadron-armament-competition |date=2019-10-30 |website=The News}}{{Cite web |title=JF-17 retains PAF’s top fighter slot at armament competition |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2090146/jf-17-retains-pafs-top-fighter-slot-armament-competition |date=2019-10-30 |website=Etribune}}
History
{{main|History of the Pakistan Air Force}}
Following the independence of Pakistan and establishment of the Royal Pakistan Air Force, the RPAF had two primary combat squadrons, namely the 5 Squadron "Falcons" and 9 Squadron "Griffins". There was a sense of rivalry between these two pioneering units. Airmen and officers would face each other during military exercises trying to gain the advantage over the other.{{Cite web |title=Battle For Sher Afgan Continues.|url=https://secondtonone.com.pk/2023/10/02/battle-for-sher-afgan-continues/ |last=Ali |first=Muhammad |date=2023-10-02 |website=Second To None Magazine}}
Eventually, this rivalry led to the first ever inter-squadron drill in May 1949 being organized under the leadership of RPAF's then British commander AVM Allan Perry-Keene. 9 Squadron later won the competition and bagged the Perry-Keene trophy for themselves.{{Cite book |title=Sentinels in the Sky (A Sage of PAF's Gallant Air Warriors) |last=Qadri |first=Azam |year=2014 |publication-date=2014-01-01 |language=English |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sentinels-Sage-PAFs-Gallant-Warriors/dp/B07JX6VYZW |last2=Ali |first2=Muhammad}}
= Evolution into ISAC =
By the early 1960s, significant changes were introduced to the operational structure and traditions under Air Marshal Asghar Khan's major modernization program. As part of this revamping project he introduced the concept of a large-scale gunnery competition involving all of the PAF's combat aircraft squadrons.
Competition
Whenever ISAC takes place (normally every four years), a team composed of the four best pilots along with maintenance staff from every PAF combat aircraft squadron is selected to compete against other squadrons in live weapons firing involving strafing runs, precision bombing and dropping dumb bombs via CCIP. {{Cite press release |title=PAF INTER SQUADRON ARMAMENT COMPETITION KICKS OFF |date=16 November 2015 |publisher=DGPR Pakistan Air Force |url=https://www.paf.gov.pk/press_release/uploaded/1447734652.pdf |location=Karachi |language=English}}
= Awards =
| class="wikitable" |
| style="text-align: left; background: lavender;" width="130" | Name
! style="text-align: left; background: lavender;" width=" " | Introduced ! style="text-align: left; background: lavender;" width=" " | Awarded to ! style="text-align: left; background: lavender;" width=" " | Notes |
|---|
| valign="top"
| Sher Afgan Trophy | 1949 | Top-performing pilot of the competition | Formerly known as Perry-Keene Trophy. |
| Armament Competition Trophy
| Unknown | Squadron with highest score in the competition |
| Maintenance Trophy
| Unknown | Squadron with the most well maintained equipment. |
| Best Armament Trophy
| 2019 | | Shared by 2 & 8 Squadrons in ISAC-2019. {{Cite web |title=PAF’s JF – 17 Thunder Jet achieves yet another milestone in air warfare |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/492398/paf-jf-17-thunder-jet-achieves-yet-another-milestone-in-air-warfare/ |date=2019-10-31 |website=Daily Times}} |