DTN News: US Authorities Impounded The Ukrainian IL78 For Pakistan Air Force

DTN News: US Authorities Impounded The Ukrainian IL78 For Pakistan Air Force *Source: DTN News / Asian Defence (NSI News Source Info) ST. LOUIS, USA - September 18, 2009: The US, far from the public perception and official claims of supplying Pakistan with substantive military hardware, is actually impeding Pakistan’s efforts to upgrade its capabilities especially in non-offensive systems. The IL-78 Midas tankers would provide aerial refueling for all PAF fighter aircraft excepttf the US manufactured F-16s. The F-16s can only refuel with a boom system, and the Midas will be equipped with a probe and drogue underwing pods system. First Midas delivery will commence early 2009. PAF is holding out hope that a KC-135 could be acquired from the US in the near future. According to inside sources, only recently, the PAF, which has an agreement with Ukraine for the purchase of air to air refuellers, asked Ukraine to send a trainee plane so that the PAF personnel could familiarise themselves with the systems that were expected later. The Ukraine agreed to send the required aircraft which happened to be in the US. However, before it could fly to Pakistan, the US authorities on learning of its destination, impounded the plane. Earlier, the US had tried unsuccessfully to block the deal itself. *Related Info: Russian cargo jet still grounded at Sawyer Our Viewers comments: A taxpayer said... explains that the aircraft's owners owed 62000 dollars to a company in Texas. The put on lean on the aircraft when the IL-78 attempted to leave without paying. K.I. SAWYER - Five people were arrested Friday at Sawyer International Airport for suspected violations of immigration laws. The Marquette County Sheriff's Office received information Friday from a Texas court that a Russian IL-78 tanker jet - which was refueling at the airport's general aviation terminal - and members of its crew were involved in a civil dispute in that state. Sheriff's officials, with help from federal agents with Immigration Customs Enforcement, discovered that four crew members and the plane's pilot, all Ukranian nationals, were believed to be in violation of immigration laws. The four crew members and pilot were arrested and transported by U.S. Custom and Border Protection agents to Sault Ste. Marie where they are being held pending immigration hearings, police said. The aircraft is not being held and is located at the general aviation terminal. Immigration Customs Enforcement officials are continuing the investigation. The defendants and plane owners owe the plaintiffs, Air One Flight Support, over $62,000.Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 4:23 p.m. SAWYER -- The Russian cargo jet that landed at Sawyer last week will not be going anywhere for at least a few more weeks. Circuit Court Judge Thomas Solka extended the temporary restraining order on the plane until August 10. The defendants and plane owners owe the plaintiffs, Air One Flight Support, over $62,000. Neither the plane owners nor their attorneys were in court. The judge also ruled that the barricades surrounding the plane would remain in place until a further decision has been made. "My client has an FAA lien against the aircraft in the amount that's owed," said Daniel Mead. "That's the whole entire hope is to gain a judgement according to what would be referred to as breach of contract, then execute that judgement against the collateral that's secured through that lien." Meanwhile, immigration officials told us the five Ukrainian crew members who were taken into custody when the plane landed at Sawyer voluntarily returned to Kiev Thursday by commercial plane.