Editing Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (section)

==== Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 ====
{{see also|Indo-Pakistani Air War of 1965}}
PAF F-104s were deployed in a variety of roles during the 1965 war. These included [[Air defence]], high altitude interceptions, [[night fighter]], reconnaissance etc.<ref name="hali"/>

In the opening rounds of the war on 1 September, Flight Lt. Farooq Umar on the orders of PAF's [[C-in-C]] "[[Nur Khan|Air Marshal Nur Khan]]", executed two [[sonic boom]]s in his F-104 over the enemy airbase at [[Amritsar Air Force Station|Amritsar]]. This was done in order to harass the [[Indian Air Force]] (IAF) as a sign of dominance.<ref name="stn"/><ref name="paf"/>

[[File:Folland Gnat F.1.jpg|thumb|An Indian Gnat F.1 (IE-1083) sits on the disused airfield at Pasrur shortly after being forced down by a Griffin F-104A on 3 September 1965. Today, the Gnat is on display at [[PAF Museum]] at Karachi.]]

On 3 September 1965, two Griffin F-104As flown by Flying Officer Abbas Mirza and [[Hakimullah Khan Durrani|Flight Lieutenant Hakimullah]] intercepted 6 IAF [[Folland Gnat]]s over [[Akhnur]] which had attacked a lone [[F-86 Sabre]]. While the Sabre managed to return to base despite sustaining heavy damage, the Starfighters made supersonic passes near the Indian Gnats which resultantly spread panic amongst the IAF pilots. In the ensuing chaos, Squadron Ldr. Brij Pal Singh Sikand landed his Gnat F.1 at an abandoned Pakistani [[airstrip]] at [[Pasrur]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.hilal.gov.pk/eng-article/detail/ODQ0.html|magazine=Hilal English|author=COLONEL (R) AZAM QADRI|title=A Pakistan Army Doctor Who Took Surrender of the Indian Air Force Jet}}</ref><ref name="key">{{cite web|url=https://www.key.aero/article/why-india-feared-pakistans-f-104-starfighters|website=KEY.AERO|author=Tom Spencer|date=20 January 2022|title=Why India Feared Pakistan's F-104 Starfighters}}</ref><ref name="f-104">{{cite web|url=http://kaiser-aeronaut.blogspot.com/2008/11/run-its-104.html?m=1|title="Run..it's a 104"|date=19 November 2008|website=Aeronaut|author=[[Kaiser Tufail]]}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1965War/Chapter3.html |title=The India-Pakistan Air War of 1965 |pages=79–82 |first1=Jagan P V S |last1=Mohan |first2=Samir |last2=Chopra |year=2005 |publisher=Manohar |access-date=14 October 2019 |isbn=81-7304-641-7 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130706030406/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1965War/Chapter3.html |archive-date=6 July 2013 }}</ref>

The F-104s first air to air combat victory was achieved by the PAF on the morning of 6 September 1965, when a pair of Griffin F-104As flown by Flight Lieutenant Aftab Alam Khan and Flight Lieutenant Amjad Hussain Khan were vectored towards 4 Indian [[Dassault Mystere IV]]s that were attacking a passenger train at [[Ghakhar Mandi railway station|Ghakhar Station]]. While Flight Lt. Amjad aborted due to radio failure, Flight Lt. Aftab went ahead with the interception and shot down a [[Mystere IV]] with an [[AIM-9]]B while damaging another with his M-61 Vulcan. The kill with an AIM-9B Sidewinder is claimed by the PAF as the first combat kill by any Mach 2 aircraft and the PAF's first missile kill, though the IAF denies the loss.<ref name="stn"/><ref name="Davies2014p77">Davies 2014, p. 77.</ref><ref name="key"/><ref name="hali"/>

On 7 September 1965, a Griffin F-104A flown by Flight Lt. Amjad Hussein Khan intercepted six Indian [[Dassault Mystere]]s which were attacking the [[Sargodha Airbase]]. While 5 of the Indian Mysteres managed to escape, a fierce dogfight ensued between Flight Lt. Amjad's F-104 & [[Ajjamada B. Devaiah|Squadron Ldr. Devaiah]]'s Mystere. Amjad fired an AIM-9B but it missed and hit the ground so he switched to his M-61 cannon and after some attempts, managed to score several hits on Devaiah's Mystere. However, due to high-G maneuvering, Amjad's F-104 was forced into a low speed [[dogfight]] by a determined Devaiah (something which the F-104 performs badly in due to its poor low speed maneuverability and agility.) This forced Amjad to [[Aerial ramming|ram]] his F-104 into the Mystere. The [[mid-air collision]] resulted in both pilots losing control of their [[warplanes]]. While Flight Lt. Amjad managed to eject safely over [[Kot Nakka]], the Indian pilot perished with his Mystere.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kaiser-aeronaut.blogspot.com/2008/11/mystery-of-downed-mystre.html?m=1|title=Mystery of the Downed Mystère|author=[[Kaiser Tufail]]|date=20 November 2008|website=Aeronaut}}</ref><ref name="stn"/>

On 13 September 1965, Middlecoat fired an AIM-9 at an IAF [[Canberra bomber]] during a night interception. An explosion was reported at around 4000&nbsp;ft but confirmation was not possible.<ref name="stn"/><ref name="key"/>

On 21 September 1965, [[Jamal A. Khan|Squadron Leader Jamal]] while flying a Griffin F-104A intercepted a high flying IAF [[English Electric Canberra]] at night and shot it down with an AIM-9 near [[Fazilka]] over Pakistani airspace.<ref name="hali"/><ref name="stn"/><ref name="key"/>

In total, Griffin F-104s flew 246 hours and 45 minutes during the 1965 war, 204 day [[sorties]] and 42 night missions.<ref name="hali"/><ref name="key"/>