Saiful Azam: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Bangladeshi fighter pilot and flying ace}}

| awards        = [[Sitara-e-Jurat]] "Star of Courage" (by [[Pakistan]])<ref name="fjw">{{cite web|url=https://fighterjetsworld.com/weekly-article/group-captain-r-saiful-azam-the-flying-ace-who-has-been-awarded-gallantry-awards-for-valor-in-air-combat-by-3-different-countries/22159/|title=Group Captain (R) Saiful Azam: The Flying Ace Who Has Been Awarded Gallantry Awards For Valor In Air Combat By 3 Different Countries|work=Fighter Jets World (FJW)|date=14 June 2020}}</ref><br/>Wisam al-Istiqlal "Order of Freedom" (by [[Jordan]])<ref name="fjw"/><br/>Nawt as-Shaja'ah "Medal of Valour" (by [[Iraq]])<ref name="fjw"/><br/>

'''Saiful Azam''' (11 September 1941 &ndash; 14 June 2020) was a Bangladeshi pilot and politician who first served as a fighter pilot for the [[Pakistan Air Force]] (PAF) (1960–1971) and later the [[Bangladesh Air Force]] (BAF) (1971–1979).<ref name="tbs"/> During his career as PAF pilot, he shot down one [[Indian Air Force]] (IAF) and three [[Israel Air Force]] (IAF) aircraft. For his actions, he received various gallantry awards from Pakistan, Jordan and Iraq.<ref name="tbs">{{cite news |url=https://tbsnews.net/economy/aviation/ex-caab-chairman-group-captain-saiful-azam-passes-away-93265|title='Master of the sky' Group Captain Saiful Azam passes away|date=14 June 2020|work=The Business Standard}}</ref> He also took part in 12 ground-attack missions against the Indian forces.<ref name=trib/> After the separation of East Pakistan now [[Bangladesh]], Azam left the PAF and joined the newly formed [[Bangladesh Air Force]].<ref name="fjw"/>

After training with the [[Cessna T-37]] aircraft and further education at [[Luke Air Force Base]], [[Arizona]], with [[North American F-86 Sabre|F-86 Sabres]], in 1963, Azam was posted briefly in [[Dhaka]] before becoming an instructor with the [[T-33]]s at PAF's No. 2 Squadron (Jet Conversion Unit) in [[Mauripur]], [[Karachi]].<ref name=AirUni/> While still posted as an instructor, Azam flew in the [[Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts|September 1965 war]] with [[India]] as part of PAF's No. 17 Squadron from PAF Base [[Sargodha]], flying [[F-86]]s.<ref name=AirUni/> After returning from a successful ground attack, Azam's group encountered Indian [[Folland Gnat]] interceptors; Azam shot down Flying Officer Mayadev of the [[Indian Air Force]]. Flying Officer Mayadev ejected and was captured by Pakistani soldiers on the ground.<ref name="fjw"/> Throughout the 1965 war, Azam took part in 12 ground-attack missions which inflicted very heavy damage to the Indian forces.<ref name=trib/> For his actions, Azam was awarded the [[Sitara-e-Jurat]], Pakistan's third highest military award.<ref name=pafgov/> In 1966, he assumed the command of PAF's No. 2 Squadron.

In November 1966, he was sent by the [[Pakistan Air Force]] on deputation as an adviser to the [[Royal Jordanian Air Force]].<ref name=AirUni/> During the [[Six-Day War|1967 Arab Israel war]], Flight Lieutenant Saiful Azam shot down a [[Dassault Mystère IV]] a [[supersonic aircraft]] belonging to the [[Israeli Air Force]] while flying a [[Hawker Hunter]]. A day later, he was shifted to an [[Iraq]]i airbase where he shot down a [[Sud Aviation Vautour|Vautour IIA]] and [[Dassault Mirage III]] belonging to the [[Israeli Air Force]], all these fighter aircraft shot down only in two missions this remains the highest shooting record of [[Israeli Air Force]] aircraft till today.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OHnpDwAAQBAJ&q=saiful+azam&pg=PT251|title=Air Power in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific: Understanding Regional Security Dynamics|first=Howard|last= M. Hensel|date=4 June 2020|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781000091779}}</ref>

Saiful Azam was given respect from 5 Countries ....1. Pakistan 2. Jordan. 3. Iraq And 4. Bangladesh 5. USA. Following his retirement from the military, he joined the [[Bangladesh Nationalist Party]] (BNP).<ref name=fjw/> As BNP candidate, Saiful took part in the [[1991 Bangladeshi general election|fifth parliamentary election]] from [[Pabna-3]] and achieved victory.<ref name=jago>{{cite news|url=https://www.jagonews24.com/en/amp/50313|title=Former Pabna-3 MP Saiful Azam Suja died|newspaper=Jagonews24.com}}</ref>

He lived with his wife in Dhaka Cantonment Defense Officers Housing Society (DOHS), while his adult son and daughters live in the state of [[Arizona]], [[United States]].{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}