Pakistan Army Aviation Corps
This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2017) |
Pakistan Army Aviation Corps | |
---|---|
Urdu: ﺁرمى ایویشن كور | |
Founded | 14 August 1947 - present |
Country | Pakistan |
Branch | Pakistan Army |
Type | Army aviation |
Headquarters/Garrison | Army Aviation Command, Rawalpindi |
Engagements | see Military history of Pakistan |
Decorations | 9×Sitara-i-Jurat 13×Sitara-i-Basalat 15xTamgha-i-Basalat COAS Commendation Cards Imtiazi Sanads |
Battle honours | Chumak (Siachin) Saviours |
Commanders | |
General Officer Commanding | Maj Gen Nadeem Yousaf |
Notable commanders | Lt Gen AB Awan Brigadier Jabbar Maj Gen Azam Brigadier Zaka Bhangoo Brigadier M Ahmed Raashid Maj Gen Waqar Ahmed Kingravi Maj Gen Nasir Dilawar Shah Brigadier Hamid Chaudhry |
Aircraft flown | |
Attack helicopter | Mi-35M Hind-E |
Multirole helicopter | AW139 Bell 412 |
Trainer helicopter | Enstrom 280FX Schweizer 300C |
Utility helicopter | 206 JetRanger Alouette III Eurocopter Écureuil Eurocopter Fennec Mi-17/171 SA 315B Lama SA 330 Puma UH-1 Huey |
Reconnaissance | Beechcraft Super King Air 350i |
Transport | Beechcraft Super King Air 350 Bombardier Challenger 605 Cessna 206 Stationair Cessna 208 Caravan Cessna Citation V Cessna Citation Bravo Gulfstream G450 Harbin Y-12 Turbo Commander 690C |
The Pakistan Army Aviation Corps (Urdu: ﺁرمى ایویشن كور; Army Aviation Corps), abbreviated as Avn, is the aviation corps of the Pakistan Army, tasked with providing close aerial combat support and aerial logistics for the Pakistan Army.[1]
History[]
Originally formed by British Army Air Corps in 1942, the entire unit was transferred to Pakistan in 1947.[1] The officers and personnel were part of the Air Observation Post who were deployed in support of Punjab Boundary Force. Later the entire group was stationed at Chaklala Air Force Base before the partition of India.[1]
Initially part of Pakistan Air Force, the Corps was split into the new service and became part of Pakistan Army in 1958.[2] The Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering started to maintain the aircraft and helicopters given by the United States Army Aviation Branch, opening its own aviation school in 1959.[3]
Since the 1960s, the corps expanded in momentum, manpower, and its operational scope has widened.[3] By the 1970s, the Corps became a fighting air component of the Pakistan Army, with its attack helicopters becoming the backbone of military operations.[3] The Corps has become an integral part of Pakistan Army's every imitated operations, and came to public and international notice in the 1970s after initiating, and successfully quelling, the serious civil war in Balochistan.[2]
It is also a most decorated Corps of Pakistan Army, with more national citations and awards conferred and bestowed to this Corps than any combatant corps of Pakistan Army. Although it came into existence in 1947, the corps was given a full commission in 1977.[2]
Combat operations[]
As for its war capabilities, the Corps has a long history; participating in every conflict and war with India, they also led and flew bombing and combat missions in the Afghanistan war, Somalian War, Sierra Leone war, Mozambique war, Sri Lankan war Bosnian war, and recently, the War in North-West Pakistan. The corps has actively participated in Siachin Conflict, Kargil Conflict and War on Terror. The daring pilots of Pakistan Army Aviation have conducted some of the most historic and difficult missions in Aviation history, in pursuit of which some of them laid down their lives. They are known for their professionalism for high altitude flying, combat, assault and rescue missions.[1]
The Corps also initiated the non-combatant operations in 2005, when it led a massive airlift and re-location mission after the Kashmir earthquake.[2] In 1991, the Corps was stationed in Bangladesh, where they completed its non-combat mission after the country was hit with a cyclone.[2] Since its inception, the Corps has become a significant combatant arm of the Pakistan Army, poised for a definite and critical role be it peace or war.[1]
Aircraft inventory[]
Pakistan Army operates 281+ helicopters alongside several fixed-wing aircraft.
3 CAIC Z-10 attack helicopters of China were delivered for trial use so that orders could be made in the future. However, as of 2018, no orders have been made further and replaced by TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK, this could mean that these 3 helicopters were returned with no follow-up order.
30 TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK worth $1.5 billion is on order however production is still on hold due to the United States not givening export license for the engine, which of American orgin. New Turkish indigenous engine as a replacement is currently on trial.[4]
15 Bell AH-1Z Viper with Hellfire missiles, equipment and support worth $952 million is on order but deliveries on hold due to political tensions between the U.S. and Pakistan.[5]
Pakistan Army again showing interests in Chinese all-weather, multirole CAIC Z-10ME which is the advanced & upgraded variant of CAIC Z-10 if Turkey and the United States fail to deliver on their orders of the T129 and AH-1Z respectively.[6]
Retired Aircraft[]
- Auster 5 1947-1957
- Auster AOP.6 1947-1957
- Cessna O-1 Bird Dog 1957-1990
- Beechcraft U-8F Seminole 1963-1983
- Bell Model 47 1964-1990
- Bell OH-13 Sioux 1964-1990
- Mil Mi-8 1969-1998
See also[]
- Pakistan Air Force
- List of active Pakistan Air Force aircraft
- Pakistan Naval Air Arm
- Equipment of the Pakistan Army
References[]
- ^ a b c d e 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.
- ^ a b c d e Global Security. "Army Aviation Corps". Global Security inc. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- ^ 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 2014-07-04. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
- ^ "Turkey First Indigenous Helicopter Engine to be Ready for Integration This Year".
- ^ "Nine Pakistan AH-1Z now stored at AMARG". AirForces Monthly. Key Publishing. May 2019. p. 26.
- ^ "Janes | Latest defence and security news".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "World Air Forces 2021". Flightglobal Insight. 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- ^ "List of AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters in Pakistan". Helis.com. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
- ^ "Pakistan Army Ecureuil crashed".
- ^ http://www.airbushelicopters.com/w1/jrotor/78/Donauwoerth%20(4).html
- ^ Siddiqui, Naveed (31 March 2017). "Pakistan Army receives six Cessna aircraft from US". dawn.com. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ "World Air Forces 2020". Flightglobal Insight. 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Gulfstream G450". jetphotos.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
- ^ "Cessna 560 Citation V - Pakistan - Army". airliners.net. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
External links[]
- ISPR. "History of Pakistan Army Aviation". YouTube. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- Pakistan Army Aviation Corps
- Military units and formations established in 1947
- Army aviation units and formations
- 1947 establishments in Pakistan