PAF Base Nur Khan
Nur Khan Air Force Base, Chaklala | |
---|---|
Military | |
Owner | Government of Pakistan |
Operator | Pakistan Air Force |
Serves | Chaklala, Rawalpindi |
Location | Rawalpindi-46210, Punjab |
Built | 1935[1] |
Commander |
Air Commodore
Itazaz Hussain |
Occupants | Pakistan Air Force
|
Pakistan Air Force Base, Nur Khan (founded as RAF Station Chaklala and previously known as PAF Base Chaklala) is an active
History
The base was originally operated by the Royal Air Force as RAF Chaklala and, during the Second World War, parachute training flights were conducted.[1]
Once transferred to the then
After the
In 2009 the PAF's first of four
The name of the base was changed in 2012 from PAF Base Chaklala to PAF Base Nur Khan in remembrance of its first Base Commander in 1947,
Squadrons
The squadrons at the base are Nos 6, 10, 12, and 41.
In the
With the unstable political situation at the end of 1970 and the resulting civil unrest, the Antelopes moved a large number of troops to East Pakistan and assisted in flood relief operations there. India stopped the PAF flying over its territory in 1971, and the squadron had to fly to East Pakistan via Sri Lanka. Two of the unit's C-130 transports were deployed to Dhaka from March 71 until the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War began on 3 December 1971. They were used to evacuate soldiers and civilians from hostile areas of East Pakistan – in one sortie a single C-130 evacuated 365 people from Sylhet to Dhaka. During the 1971 war, No. 6 Squadron flew bombing missions from West Pakistan in the same manner as those flown during the 1961 war, and no transport aircraft were lost during these sorties
No. 12 Composite Squadron in September 1953, the Squadron Consists of PAF's Elite Air Crafts amongst which includes Phenom 100 and Gulf Stream IV.
41 Squadron PAF, which consists of Cessna, Beech, and Y-12 amongst other aircraft.
Location
The base has surrounding facilities including the Frontier Works Organization Headquarters, Chaklala Railway Station and the Joint Services Headquarters (JSHQ). Two housing schemes Askaris VIII and IX are also located alongside Nur Khan road that extends to the main entrance of the base from Airport Road. The Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies, a research think tank founded by the Pakistan Air Force, is located next to Nur Khan Base.
See also
- List of Pakistan Air Force Bases
References
- ^ a b c d Asad Naeem (11 October 2012). "PAF Airbase Chaklala renamed after Nur Khan". Business Recorder (newspaper). Retrieved 5 October 2021.
- ^ "PAF Base Chaklaka". GlobalSecurity.org website. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
- ^ Pakistan Air Force Bases nuke.fas.org website, Retrieved 5 October 2021
- ^ "CIA drones quit one Pakistan site – but US keeps access to other airbases". The Bureau of Investigative Journalism website. 15 December 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
- ^ Warnes, Alan (July 2010). "On The Edge". Air Forces Monthly (July 2010). United Kingdom: Key Publishing Limited: 56. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
Last year saw the delivery of the first Il-78 Midas air-to-air refueller and also the first Russian aircraft into the inventory - hence the R in front of the serial. The newly established 10 Multi Role Tanker Transport Sqn at Chaklala operates the aircraft, which will be joined by a second example.
- ^ "Obituary: National icon Air Marshal M Nur Khan, flies no more". The Express Tribune (newspaper). 16 December 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2021.