Pakistan's fighter jets win top awards at Royal Air Show in Britain

Tariq Butt, Gulf Today Correspondent

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.

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 non-stop 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.

Meanwhile, the C-130H Hercules was awarded the "Concours d’Elegance Trophy”. These awards were given in recognition of the aircrafts’ excellent flying and technical skills. The JF-17C Block III represents Pakistan’s "advanced defence technology”. This success honoured Pakistan’s aviation sector on an international level, the state broadcaster said.

The PYB called the success at RIAT a "testament to the recognition of the capabilities of the Pakistan Air Force.”

In May, when Pakistan downed Indian jets as retaliation for late-night strikes during the Pakistan-India conflict, the PAF formally acknowledged a month later that it was the Kamra-based 15 Squadron that led the charge in shooting them down.