MISSION IMPOSSIBLE SUCCEEDS

An article in the May 1993 issue (pages 46-47) of Airforces Monthly, a reputable UK-based air defence magazine, written by a Russian aviation writer, Sergey Vekhov, for the first time in public, provided a first-hand account about the PAF's pilots:

"As an air defence analyst, I am fully aware that the Pakistan Air Force ranks today as one of the best air forces in the world and that the PAF Combat Commanders' School (CCS) in Sargodha has been ranked as the best GCI/pilot and fighter tactics and weapons school in the world". As one senior US defence analyst commented to me in 1997, "it leaves Topgun (the US Naval Air Station in Miramar, California) far behind".

Jane's International Defense (June 24, 1998)

The PAF, although outnumbered by IAF, has at least one qualitative edge over its rival: Pilot Training. The caliber of Pakistani instructors is acknowledged by numerous air forces, and US Navy pilots considered them to be highly 'professionals' during exercises flying off the USS Constellation (as co-pilots).

A PAF F-7P with F-14 Tomcat during Exercise "Inspired Alert", Karachi 1995.

The story we are going to share is about Two Pakistan Pakistan Airforce's Mirage V from No.8 Squadron "Haiders".
"Haiders" was formed as part of No. 31 Bomber Wing on 11 May 1960, equipped with the B-57 Canberra bombers and led by Squadron Leader Muhammad Iqbal. Squadron was disbanded and resources amalgamated with No. 7 Squadron after the 1965 Indo-Pak War due to B-57 spare parts supply being stopped by United States. It was re-activated with Dassault Mirage 5 in 1982.

On 30 MAY 1995 at 1500 hours, No.8 wrote history when two Mirage V aircrafts silently "destroyed" US Navy nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln(CVN-72).

An Artist's description of Incident during Exercise Inspired Alert

In one of the "Inspired Alert" exercises, the PAF pilots were supposed to try to get "as close to the aircraft carrier" as possible without detection, and accomplish other tasks. 
USN was tasked to detect Pakistani intruders and USN fighters F-14D Tomcats were to intercept them. Both sides had complete freedom in selecting their strategy. 
The USN was very confident that the PAF Mirages would not be able to get too close, mainly because their Radars and other equipment were superior to anything Pakistan had. 

To their amazement, not only did 2 Mirage fighters get "as close as possible", they even flew low beside the aircraft carrier, "buzzing" the deck. 

Lying a few feet above the Arabian Sea, the two Mirage pilots are impressed by the awesome silhouette of the nuclear-powered Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) as the carrier looms gradually above the sea curvature, dead on the nose. 

The mission: To penetrate successfully the Carrier Task Force's early warning and perimeter defences and, to deliver a simulated Exocet guided missile attack on "the world's largest warship". 

The memorable sortie was flown during "Inspired Alert" - a Pakistan-US joint exercise. O.C. No. 8 Squadron, strictly following the ground rules, planned and led a simultaneous multi-directional attack profile against CVN-72, in an attempt to overload its defence. 
As two of the three Mirage pairs turned away, the lead Mirage carried out a simulated Exocet "launch" from several miles away, without meeting any of the ship's fighters. 

The Squadron Commander and his wingman later did a friendly fly by at the carrier's side, perhaps just as surprised as the Lincoln's crews, at the missed interception.