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'{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}} {{Use Pakistani English|date=May 2018}} {{Infobox airport | name = Nur Khan Air Force Base, Chaklala | nativename = | nativename-a = | nativename-r = | image = File:PAF Nur Khan.jpg | image_size = 250 | caption = Logo of PAF Base Nur Khan | image2 = | image2-width = <!-- if less than 200 --> | caption2 = | IATA = NRK | ICAO = OPRN | FAA = | TC = | LID = | GPS = | WMO = | type = [[Military airbase|Military]] | owner-oper = | owner = [[Government of Pakistan]] | operator = [[Pakistan Air Force]] [[Pakistan Air Force|PAF College Chaklala]] | city-served = [[Chaklala, Rawalpindi]] | location = [[Rawalpindi]]-46210, Punjab | hub = | built = 1935<ref name=BR>{{cite news|url=https://www.brecorder.com/news/85418/paf-airbase-chaklala-renamed-after-nur-khan |author=Asad Naeem|title=PAF Airbase Chaklala renamed after Nur Khan|date=11 October 2012|newspaper=Business Recorder (newspaper)|access-date=5 October 2021}}</ref> | used = <!-- military airports --> | commander = [[File:Pak-air-force-OF-6.svg|15px]] [[File:US-O7_insignia.svg|20px]] [[Air Commodore]] '''''Itazaz Hussain''''' | occupants = [[Pakistan Air Force]]<br> * [[List of Pakistan Air Force Squadrons|No. 6 Squadron "Antelopes"]] * [[List of Pakistan Air Force Squadrons|No. 10 Squadron "Bulls"]] * [[List of Pakistan Air Force Squadrons|No. 12 Squadron "Globe Trotters"]] * [[List of Pakistan Air Force Squadrons|No. 41 Squadron]] * [[List of Pakistan Air Force Squadrons|No. 52 Squadron "Markhors"]] [[Pakistan Air Force|PAF College Chaklala]]<br> * [[List of Pakistan Air Force Squadrons|No.1 Squadron "Bandits" BFT - Sqn]] * [[List of Pakistan Air Force Squadrons|No. 4 Squadron "Hawks" BFT - Sqn]] * [[List of Pakistan Air Force Squadrons|No. 5 Squadron "Griffins" AJT - Sqn]] * [[List of Pakistan Air Force Squadrons|No. 7 Squadron "Stargazers" AFT - Sqn]] | metric-elev = | elevation-f = | elevation-m = | coordinates = | website = | metric-rwy = | r1-number = | r1-length-f = | r1-length-m = | r1-surface = <!-- up to r8 --> | h1-number = | h1-length-f = | h1-length-m = | h1-surface = <!-- up to h12 --> | stat-year = | stat1-header = | stat1-data = <!-- up to stat4 --> | footnotes = }} '''Pakistan Air Force Base, Nur Khan''' (founded as '''RAF Station Chaklala''' and previously known as '''PAF Base Chaklala''') is an active [[Pakistan Air Force]] [[Military airbase|airbase]] located in [[Chaklala]], [[Rawalpindi District|Rawalpindi]], [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] province, [[Pakistan]]. The former [[Benazir Bhutto International Airport]] forms part of this airbase. '''PAF College, Chaklala''', a well nurturing institute for Aviation Cadets of the college is located in the base. '''Fazaia Inter College Nur Khan''' is also located in the base. ==History== [[File:PAF Base Nur Khan.jpg|thumb|left|PAF Base Nur Khan]] [[File:USAF C-17 at Chaklala AirBase.jpg|thumb|right|[[USAF]] [[C-17]] on the taxiway of the base]] The base was originally operated by the [[Royal Air Force]] as RAF Chaklala and, during the Second World War, parachute training flights were conducted. 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.<ref name="GlobalSecurity">{{cite web |title=PAF College Chaklaka |url=https://pafcollegechaklala.blogspot.com/2024/07/paf-college-chaklala.html?m=1 |accessdate=5 October 2021 |website=PAF College Chaklala}}</ref><ref>[https://nuke.fas.org/guide/pakistan/facility/airbase/index.html Pakistan Air Force Bases] nuke.fas.org website, Retrieved 5 October 2021</ref> After the [[Pakistan earthquake of 2005]], 300 U.S. troops as well as U.S. aircraft were deployed to Chaklala to aid in relief efforts. According to an anonymous 2013 source, the U.S. had maintained a permanent military presence at Chaklala since late 2001 for handling logistics efforts and other movements in relation to the war in Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite web|title=CIA drones quit one Pakistan site – but US keeps access to other airbases|url= https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2011-12-15/cia-drones-quit-one-pakistan-site-but-us-keeps-access-to-other-airbases|website=The Bureau of Investigative Journalism website|date=15 December 2011|accessdate=5 October 2021}}</ref> 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.<ref name="warnes1">{{cite journal|last=Warnes|first=Alan|date=July 2010|title=On The Edge|journal=Air Forces Monthly|publisher=Key Publishing Limited|location=United Kingdom|issue=July 2010|page=56|quote=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.|url=http://www.airforcesmonthly.com/view_issue.asp?ID=744|accessdate=9 July 2010}}</ref> 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, [[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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/307432/obituary-national-icon-air-marshal-m-nur-khan-flies-no-more |title=Obituary: National icon Air Marshal M Nur Khan, flies no more|newspaper=The Express Tribune (newspaper)|date=16 December 2011|access-date=5 October 2021}}</ref> ==Squadrons== The Pakistan Air Force Squadrons at the base are No. 6, 10, 12, and 41, which are of the PAF's fleet. [[No. 6 Squadron (Pakistan Air Force)|'''No. 6 Squadron''']] was formed without any aircraft or equipment on 14 August 1947 at Maripur, Karachi, under its first commanding officer, Flight Lieutenant M. J. Khan. On 16 August 1947, Air Officer Commanding Air Vice Marshal visited the squadron and commissioned it for heavy airlifting and airborne operations. The PAF acquired a Douglas DC-3 Dakota aircraft on 22 October 1947 and later obtained Bristol Freighter, Tiger Moth, and Auster AOP.9 aircraft. On 29 June 1948, a detachment of the squadron provided a guard of honour at Mauripur for Governor-General [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]] on his arrival from [[Quetta]]. On 9 September 1948, three Dakota aircraft performed a flypast at the Quaid-e-Azam's funeral ceremony. In the [[1965 Indo-Pak war|1965 India-Pakistan War]] the Antelopes dropped parachute commandos into Indian territory in a night-time mission involving three C-130B transports. Just before the 1965 war started, the squadron's commanding officer, Wing Commander Eric Gordan Hall, had the idea of making up for the PAF's deficiency in heavy bombers by modifying the Hercules to carry bombs.[2] It was converted to carry 10,000&nbsp;kg of bombs, which were rolled out on pallets from the rear ramp, and over 21 night-time bombing raids were flown against Indian forces approaching for the Battles of Chawinda and Pul Kanjari. Support missions for troops in the Northern Areas were continued after the war.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} 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 '''[[List of PAF Squadrons|No. 12 Composite Squadron]]''' in September 1953, the Squadron Consists of PAF's Elite Air Crafts amongst which includes [[Embraer Phenom 100|Phenom 100]] and [[Gulfstream IV|Gulf Stream IV]]. '''[[List of Pakistan Air Force squadrons|No. 10 Squadron]]''' was established as the Tanker Transport (MRTT) Squadron ("Bulls") with delivery of the PAF's first [[Il-78]] in December 2009 and operating from PAF Base Chaklala. '''[[PAF Squadrons|41 Squadron]]''', which consists of [[Cessna 172|Cessna]], [[Beechcraft Super King Air|Beech]], and [[Harbin Y-12|Y-12]] amongst other aircraft. College Squadrons from the PAF College's fleet consists of No.1, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 7 Squadron.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PAF College Chaklala |url=https://pafcollegechaklala.blogspot.com/2024/07/paf-college-chaklala.html |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=PAF College Chaklala}}</ref> '''[[PAF Squadrons|No. 1 Squadron (Bandits)]]''', which is the [[PAF Squadrons|Primary Flying Training Squadron]] operated by the [[PAF College Chaklala]], under the command of '''''Aviation Officer Cadet Munawar Ali''''' [[Tamgha-e-Azm|'''''(TA)''''']] who is the current [[Officer commanding|OC]] of the Squadron. The main aircraft of the Squadron is the new and upgraded [[Stemme S6|Stemme S-6]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=PAF College Chaklala |url=https://pafcollegechaklala.blogspot.com/2024/07/paf-college-chaklala.html |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=PAF College Chaklala}}</ref> '''[[PAF Squadrons|No. 4 Squadron (Hawks)]]''', is also another [[List of PAF Squadrons|Primary Flying Training Squadron]], operated by the [[PAF College Chaklala]], under the command of '''''Aviation Officer Cadet Abdul Rafay''''' '''''[[Tamgha-e-Azm|(TA)]]''''' who is the current [[Officer commanding|OC]] of the Squadron. The main aircraft of the Squadron is the [[Stemme S6|Stemme S-6]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=PAF College Chaklala |url=https://pafcollegechaklala.blogspot.com/2024/07/paf-college-chaklala.html |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=PAF College Chaklala}}</ref> '''[[PAF Squadrons|No.5 Squadron (Griffins)]]''', which is the [[List of PAF Squadrons|Advance Jet Training Squadron]] operated by the [[PAF College Chaklala]], under the command of '''''Aviation Officer Cadet Sameer Shah'''''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aviation Officer Cadet Sameer Shah |url=https://pafcollegechaklala.blogspot.com/2024/07/aviation-officer-cadet-sameer-shah.html |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=Aviation Officer Cadet Sameer Shah}}</ref> '''''[[Tamgha-e-Azm|(TA)]], [[Tamgha-e-Azm|(TA)]]''' & '''[[Sitara-e-Basalat|(SB)]]''''' who is the current [[Officer commanding|OC]] of the Squadron. The main aircraft of the Squadron is the Advance Jet Trainer [[Hongdu JL-8|Karakoram-8]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=PAF College Chaklala |url=https://pafcollegechaklala.blogspot.com/2024/07/paf-college-chaklala.html |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=PAF College Chaklala}}</ref> '''[[PAF Squadrons|No. 7 Squadron (Stargazers)]]''', is the [[List of PAF Squadrons|Basic Flying Training Squadron]] operated by the [[PAF College Chaklala]], under the command of '''''Aviation Officer Cadet Hamza Shehzad''''' '''''[[Tamgha-e-Azm|(TA)]]''''' who is the current [[Officer commanding|OC]] of the Squadron. The main aircraft of the Squadron is the Flying Trainer [[PAC MFI-17 Mushshak|Super Mushak]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=PAF College Chaklala |url=https://pafcollegechaklala.blogspot.com/2024/07/paf-college-chaklala.html |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=PAF College Chaklala}}</ref> ==Location== The base has surrounding facilities including the Frontier Works Organization Headquarters, [[Pakistan Railways|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== {{Portal|Punjab}} * [[List of Pakistan Air Force Bases]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons category|PAF Base Nur Khan}} {{Air Bases of Pakistan Air Force}} {{coord|33.6164|N|73.0992|E|source:wikidata|display=title}} {{authority control}} [[Category:Pakistan Air Force bases]] [[Category:Military installations in Punjab, Pakistan]] [[Category:World War II sites in India]] [[Category:Chaklala Cantonment]] [[Category:Military logistics of Pakistan]]'