Mianwali Airbase
Encyclopedia
PAF Base Mianwali is a Pakistan Air Force
airbase located at Mianwali
, in the Punjab
province of Pakistan
.
airstrip, it was decided that Mianwali would be upgraded into a satellite airbase for PAF Base Mushaf (then PAF Base Sargodha) during the 1965 Indo-Pak War to act as an alternate recovery airfield. PAFB Mianwali became operational in October 1971 and was first commanded by Group Captain
S. M. Dutta. Aircraft of different types, including the Shenyang F-6, were operated from the base during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. Pilots and anti-aircraft gunners of PAFB Mianwali shot down 5 enemy aircraft during that conflict, the first three days of which the base came under regular attacks.
PAFB Mianwali was again upgraded to a permanent operational airbase in August 1974, although construction of facilities was not completed for another three years. The first base commander was Wing Commander
Sultan Muhammad. During November 1975, the No.1 Fighter Conversion Unit (FCU) was transferred to PAFB Mianwali from PAF Base Masroor where it began fighter conversion training using the FT-5
dual-seat training aircraft. Over 500 fighter pilots have graduated since.
In November 1976, No.14 Squadron was transferred to PAFB Mianwali for operational conversion of graduates of the No.1 Fighter Conversion Unit from dual-seat to the Shenyang F-6 single-seat fighter aircraft. When No.14 Squadron was selected to operate the F-16 in August 1986, it was transferred away from PAFB Mianwali and replaced by No.25 Squadron. Further construction of facilities and transfer of units to the base took place during the 1980s.
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
airbase located at Mianwali
Mianwali
Mianwali is the capital city of Mianwali District and situated in the north-west of Punjab province, Pakistan. The city is located on the eastern bank of the Indus River...
, in the Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
province of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
History
Originally a World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
airstrip, it was decided that Mianwali would be upgraded into a satellite airbase for PAF Base Mushaf (then PAF Base Sargodha) during the 1965 Indo-Pak War to act as an alternate recovery airfield. PAFB Mianwali became operational in October 1971 and was first commanded by Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
S. M. Dutta. Aircraft of different types, including the Shenyang F-6, were operated from the base during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. Pilots and anti-aircraft gunners of PAFB Mianwali shot down 5 enemy aircraft during that conflict, the first three days of which the base came under regular attacks.
PAFB Mianwali was again upgraded to a permanent operational airbase in August 1974, although construction of facilities was not completed for another three years. The first base commander was Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Sultan Muhammad. During November 1975, the No.1 Fighter Conversion Unit (FCU) was transferred to PAFB Mianwali from PAF Base Masroor where it began fighter conversion training using the FT-5
Shenyang J-5
The Shenyang J-5 , originally designated Dongfeng-101 - , and also Type 56 before being designated J-5 in 1964, is a Chinese-built single-seat jet interceptor and fighter aircraft derived from the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17. The J-5 was exported as the F-5...
dual-seat training aircraft. Over 500 fighter pilots have graduated since.
In November 1976, No.14 Squadron was transferred to PAFB Mianwali for operational conversion of graduates of the No.1 Fighter Conversion Unit from dual-seat to the Shenyang F-6 single-seat fighter aircraft. When No.14 Squadron was selected to operate the F-16 in August 1986, it was transferred away from PAFB Mianwali and replaced by No.25 Squadron. Further construction of facilities and transfer of units to the base took place during the 1980s.