Pakistan Army Aviation Corps

Pakistan Army Aviation Corps
Insignia of the Corps of Aviation
Founded15 August 1947
(as PAF's No.1 Air OP Flight)
1958 (1958) (as Pakistan Army's Aviation Corps)
Country Pakistan
Branch Pakistan Army
TypeArmy aviation, Combined and Combat support service
RoleAdministrative and staffing oversight.
HeadquartersQasim Army Aviation Base in Dhamial, Rawalpindi
Nickname(s)AVN
Colors identificationPurple, White, Yellow
   
Anniversaries1958
EngagementsMilitary history of Pakistan
Commanders
Director-GeneralMaj-Gen. Nadeem Yousaf
Notable
commanders		Brigadier Zakaullah Bhangoo
Insignia
War Flag
Patch
Aircraft flown
Attack helicopterBell AH-1 Cobra
Mil Mi-24/35
CAIC Z-10
Eurocopter Fennec
Multirole helicopterAW139
Bell 412
Trainer helicopterBell 206
Enstrom F-28
Schweizer S300
Bell UH-1 Huey
Utility helicopterAérospatiale SA 330 Puma
Aérospatiale Alouette III
Aérospatiale Lama
ReconnaissanceBeechcraft Super King Air
TransportBeechcraft Super King Air
Harbin Y-12
Turbo Commander 690C
Cessna 206
Cessna 208 Caravan
Cessna Citation V
Cessna Citation II
Gulfstream G450
Administrative Corps of the Pakistan Army
Previous Next
Artillery Band

The Pakistan Army Corps of Aviation is a military administrative and combined arms service branch of the Pakistan Army.[1] The Aviation Corps is tasked with configuration of all army aviation aircraft and provides principle close aerial combat support and aerial logistics for the Pakistan Army.[1]

Overview

The earliest use of aircraft by the army can be traced to the air observation posts (Air OP), where aeroplanes were used during the World War I to help artillery spotters (Forward Observation Officers) to locate and direct artillery fire to targets on the ground. This role was improved upon and further refined in the World War II. The Army Aviation wing of the Royal Air Force was established in India at in 1942. No. 656 Air OP Squadron (RAF), the first Air OP unit reached the Indian subcontinent in 1943 to assist the operations in the Burma campaign. Following the war, 659 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, which had played an important role as an air observation post unit and worked closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison was despatched to India on October 1945.[2] On 14 August 1947, No.659 (Air OP) Squadron was disbanded at Lahore (which was deployed there in support of the Punjab Boundary Commission) and partitioned between India and Pakistan.[3] On the next day the Air OP Squadron became part of the Pakistan Air Force as "No.1 Air Observation Post Flight". No. 1 Air Observation Post Flight was converted into a squadron, and on 20th June 1956, No. 1 Air OP Squadron was officially raised. It was commissioned in the Pakistan Army after its personnel were trained and certified in the United States in 1958.: 32 [4][5] The Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering started to maintain the aircraft and helicopters given by the U.S. Army's Aviation Branch, opening its own aviation school on 1 January 1959.[6]

Since the 1960s, the corps expanded in momentum, manpower, and its operational scope has widened.[6] The Aviation Corps became a combat support branch when it inducted its first attack helicopters from Iran in 1970.[6] Although it came into existence in 1947, the corps was given a full commission on 2 March 1978. The Aviation Corps is commanded by an active-duty two star major-general, who serves as its director-general and functions directly under the Chief of the General Staff at the Army GHQ in Rawalpindi, Punjab.[7]

Aircraft inventory

The Pakistan Army Aviation currently operates (393) helicopters along with (268) fixed-wing aircraft.

Aircraft/System Photo Origin Role Variant Quantity Note Service period
Helicopter’s (393)
CAIC Z-10  China Attack Z-10ME 4-8 60 planned in total. 2025–present
Bell AH-1 Cobra  United States Attack AH-1F 55 1985–present
Mil Mi-35  Russia Attack Mi-35M3 4[8] 2018–present
Eurocopter Fennec  France Armed / Scout H125M 37[8][9] 2009–present
Mil Mi-17  Russia Transport
Utility 		Mi-171 60[8] 1996–present
Aérospatiale/IAR SA 330 Puma  France
 Romania 		SAR
Utility 		330L 45[8] 1977–present
AgustaWestland AW139  Italy SAR
Utility 		AW139M 21[8][10] 2017–present
Bell 412  United States MEDEVAC
Utility 		412EPI 52[8] 2004–present
Bell UH-1 Iroquois  United States Utility UH-1H 6[8] 1970s–present
Bell 204/205  United States Utility Bell 205A-1 10 Gifted by Iran and ferried on 5 November 1974. 1974–present
Aérospatiale Alouette III  France Light Utility SA 316B 13[8] The first utility helicopter of Pak Army. Inducted in 3 Squadron on 18 October 1967.[11] 1967–present
Aérospatiale Lama  France Light Utility SA 315B 17[8] 1986–present
Schweizer 300  United States Trainer 300C 25[8] 1993–present
Bell 206 JetRanger  United States Trainer 206B 20[8] 1975–present
Enstrom F-28  United States Trainer 280FX 20[8] 2018–present
Fixed Wing (268)
PAC MFI-17 Mushshak  Pakistan
 Sweden 		Trainer 233[8] 1978-present
Beechcraft Super King Air  United States Reconnaissance 350i 3[8] for SIGINT & ISR
 United States Utility 350ER 6[8]
Harbin Y-12  China Utility Y-12(II)/F 4[8]
Turbo Commander  United States Utility 690C 2[8]
Cessna 208 Caravan  United States MEDEVAC
 208B 13[8]
Cessna 206 Stationair  United States MEDEVAC T206H 4[12]
Cessna Citation II  United States VIP Transport Citation Bravo 1[8]
Cessna Citation V  United States VIP Transport Citation Ultra 1[13]
Gulfstream IV  United States VIP Transport G450 1[14]

Retired Aircraft

Aircraft/System Acquired Retired Note
Auster 5 1947 1957
Auster AOP.6 1947 1957
Cessna O-1 Bird Dog 1957 1990
Beechcraft U-8F Seminole 1963 1983
Bell OH-13 Sioux 1964 1990 The first helicopters operated by Pakistan Army. The were inducted and first flown on 24 September 1964.
Bell Model 47 1964 1990
Mil Mi-8 1969 1998 Acquired on 21 January 1969.

Notable accidents and incidents

The six military personnel, including Commander XII Corps Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali died in the crash.[19]
Reports from Pakistani authorities on their early investigations attributed the crash to poor weather conditions, with fog being the main culprit, due to which the Helicopter crashed into a mountain.[19]
The Mil Mi-17 (with Pakistani military markings) participating in combat support operations in coordination with Russian forces, 2017

See also

References

  1. ^ a b PA, Pakistan Army. "Army Aviation-Pakistan Army". Pakistan Army. Pakistan Army Aviation Corps. Archived from the original on 17 November 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  2. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 104.
  3. ^ Pakistan. Army. Army Aviation Directorate. Historical Section (2008). History of Pakistan Army Aviation, 1947-2007. Islamabad, Pakistan: Army Aviation Directorate. p. 3. ISBN 978-969-9246-00-5.
  4. ^ Karim, Afsir (1996). Indo-Pak Relations: Viewpoints, 1989-1996. Lancer Publishers. ISBN 978-1-897829-23-3. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  5. ^ Global Security. "Army Aviation Corps". Global Security inc. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  6. ^ a b c The United States Government (CIA Fact Book) (2011). Pakistan Intelligence and Security Activities Army Aviation Corps. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government. p. 259. ISBN 978-0-7397-1194-1. Archived from the original on 4 July 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  7. ^ Alam, Dr Shah (1 July 2012). Pakistan Army: Modernisation, Arms Procurement and Capacity Building. Vij Books India Pvt Ltd. ISBN 978-93-81411-79-7. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "World Air Forces directory 2022". Flightglobal Insight. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
  9. ^ "2023 World Air Forces directory". Flight Global. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  10. ^ "List of AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters in Pakistan". Helis.com. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  11. ^ Pakistan. Army. Army Aviation Directorate. Historical Section (2008). History of Pakistan Army Aviation, 1947-2007. Islamabad, Pakistan: Army Aviation Directorate. p. 98. ISBN 978-969-9246-00-5.
  12. ^ Siddiqui, Naveed (31 March 2017). "Pakistan Army receives six Cessna aircraft from US". dawn.com. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Cessna 560 Citation V – Pakistan – Army". airliners.net. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  14. ^ "Gulfstream G450". jetphotos.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  15. ^ "Pakistan Army Helicopter Carrying Senior General, 5 Others, Missing". VOA. August 2022.
  16. ^ "Pakistan Army aviation helicopter goes missing". www.thenews.com.pk.
  17. ^ "Army copter on flood relief operation goes missing near Lasbela". The Express Tribune. 1 August 2022.
  18. ^ Yousafzai, Gul (1 August 2022). "Pakistan helicopter goes missing with high-ranking army officers on board". Reuters – via www.reuters.com.
  19. ^ a b Siddiqui, Naveed (2 August 2022). "Wreckage of missing Pakistan Army helicopter found, 6 officers, soldiers aboard martyred: ISPR". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  20. ^ "Eight killed as UN helicopter crashes in eastern DRC". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  21. ^ "Six Pakistan Army officers, soldiers martyred in UN copter crash". The Express Tribune. 29 March 2022. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  22. ^ Siddiqui, Naveed (29 March 2022). "Six Pakistani officers, soldiers martyred in helicopter crash in Congo: ISPR". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  23. ^ "Eight UN peacekeepers killed in helicopter crash in DRC". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 29 March 2022. Archived from the original on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.