| PAF Base Nur Khan | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: ISB – ICAO: OPRN | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Owner | Pakistan Armed Forces | ||
| Operator | Pakistan Air Force | ||
| Serves | Chaklala, Rawalpindi | ||
| Location | Rawalpindi, Punjab | ||
| Commander | Air Commodore Tahir Abdul Majeed Ranjha | ||
| Occupants | Pakistan Air Force | ||
PAF Base Nur Khan (previously known as PAF Base Chaklala) is an active Pakistan Air Force airbase located in Chaklala, Rawalpindi, Punjab province, Pakistan.[4] It also forms part of Islamabad International Airport, which was renamed the Benazir Bhutto International Airport in June 2008. Fazaia Intermediate College, Nur Khan is also located in the base.
History[]
USAF C-17 at Chaklala AirBase Rawalpindi
The base was originally operated by the Royal Air Force as R.A.F. Chaklala and, during World War 2, parachute training operations were conducted there.[5] It is the only airport in Pakistan that is large enough to handle the Concorde supersonic airliner.[citation needed]
Once transferred to the then Royal Pakistan Air Force the base came into use as a transport hub, with the PAF's fleet of various transport aircraft operating from it.[6]
During the Pakistani floods of 2005, 300 troops of the United States as well as U.S. aircraft were deployed to Chaklala to aid in relief efforts. According to an anonymous source, the U.S. has a permanent military presence at Chaklala since late 2001 for handling logistics efforts and other movements in relation to the war in Afghanistan.[7]
In 2009 the PAF's first of four Il-78 aerial refuelling tanker aircraft was delivered to PAF Base Chaklala and the No. 10 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) squadron was established there.[8]
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, Air Marshal Nur Khan. Nur Khan was also the second Pakistani chief of the Pakistan Air Force and a veteran of several conflicts fought by Pakistan.[citation needed]
Location[]
The base is is located in a very populated area. Surrounding facilities include the Frontier Works Organization Headquarters, Chaklala Railway Station and the Joint Services Headquarters (JSHQ).
Gallery[]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ Warnes, Alan (July 2010). "On The Edge". United Kingdom: Key Publishing Limited. p. Page 56. http://www.airforcesmonthly.com/view_issue.asp?ID=744. 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."
- ↑ http://www.geocities.ws/pafwebsite/AirBaseschaklala.html
- ↑ http://www.paffalcons.com/squadrons/sqn12-1948-1988.php
- ↑ http://www.paf.gov.pk/active_bases.html
- ↑ "Parachute training at R.A.F. Chaklala". http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/54/a5825054.shtml. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
- ↑ "PAF Chaklaka". GlobalSecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/chaklala.htm. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
- ↑ "CIA drones quit one Pakistan site – but US keeps access to other airbases". The Bureau of Investigative Journalism. http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/12/15/cia-drones-quit-pakistan-site-but-us-keeps-access-to-other-airbases/. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
- ↑ Warnes, Alan (July 2010). "On The Edge". United Kingdom: Key Publishing Limited. p. Page 56. http://www.airforcesmonthly.com/view_issue.asp?ID=744. 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."
| ||||||||||
The original article can be found at PAF Base Nur Khan and the edit history here.