Pakistan Army Aviation Corps
(Redirected from Pakistan Army Aviation)
Find sources: "Pakistan Army Aviation Corps" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
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]
Pakistan Army Aviation Insignia
14 August 1947 - present
Headquarters/Garrison
Army Aviation Command, Rawalpindi
see Military history of Pakistan
9×Sitara-i-Jurat
13×Sitara-i-Basalat
15xTamgha-i-Basalat
COAS Commendation Cards
Imtiazi Sanads
Battle honours
Chumak (Siachin) Saviours
General Officer Commanding
Maj Gen Najeeb Ahmad
Lt Gen AB Awan
Brigadier Jabbar
Maj Gen Azam
Brigadier Zaka Bhangoo
Brigadier Raashid
Aircraft flown
Attack helicopter
Bell AH-1F Cobra
Bell AH-1Z Viper
Mil Mi-35M Hind-E
TAI T129 ATAK
Utility helicopter
Aérospatiale/IAR 330 Puma
Aérospatiale Alouette III
Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama
Bell UH-1 Huey
Eurocopter Écureuil
Eurocopter Fennec
Beechcraft Super King Air 350
Bombardier Challenger 605
Cessna Citation Bravo
Cessna 208B Caravan
Harbin Y-12
Cessna T206H Stationair
Turbo Commander 690C
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 operationsEdit
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 inventoryEdit
Pakistan Army operates over 300 helicopters alongside several fixed wing aircraft.
3 CAIC Z-10 Fierce Thunderbolt 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, this could mean that these 3 helicopters were returned with no follow-up order.
Aircraft/System
Attack helicopter 48[4] Modernized of AH-1S Cobra, will be replaced by TAI T-129 Atak all-weather multi-role helicopters. 1985-current
TAI T-129 Atak
Attack helicopter 0 30[5] on order, worth $1.5 billion. Pakistan will buy initially (30) T-129 multi-role attack helicopters.
Attack helicopter 0 12 on order. Including 1000 AGM-114R Hellfire II (Hellfire Romeo) Block-2 missiles. [6]
Attack helicopter 9[4] Attack+utility helicopter[7], 20[6] additional planned.
Mil Mi-17/171E
Transport helicopter 46[4] 1996-current
Aérospatiale SA 330L Puma
Utility helicopter 44[4] Including 4 Romanian IAR 330L Puma[8] 1977-current
Bell 412EP
Utility helicopter 34[4] 2004-current
Utility helicopter 5[4] Also perform Search and rescue missions.
Bell UH-1H Huey
Utility helicopter 1[4] 1974-current
Airbus H125M/Eurocopter AS550 C3 Fennec
30[4] Used as light attack helicopter and for reconnaissance.
Airbus H125/Eurocopter AS350 B3 Écureuil
Utility helicopter 10[9] 13[10][11] additional helicopters on order. 2005-currnet
Bell 206B JetRanger III
Aerospatiale SA 316B/319B Alouette III
Utility helicopter 13[4] 1967-currrent
Utility helicopter 18[4] Mainly Operated by army in Siachen Glacier. 1986-current
Beechcraft Super King Air 350ER
Transport aircraft 5[4]
Utility aircraft 7[4]
Harbin Y-12 (II)/F
Utility aircraft 4[4] 1999-current
SIGINT & ISR 2[4] For reconnaissance.
Schweizer 300C
Training helicopter 15[4] 1993-current
Enstrom 280FX
Training helicopter 4[12] Total 19[4] on order.
Retired AircraftEdit
Auster 5 1947-1957
Auster AOP.6 1947-1957
Beechcraft U-8F Seminole 1963-1983
Bell Model 47 1964-1990
Bell OH-13 Sioux 1964-1990
Cessna O-1 Bird Dog 1957-1990
Cessna Citation V 1993-
Mil Mi-8 1969-1998
PAC MFI-17 Mushshak 1977-
GalleryEdit
Pakistan Naval Air Arm
^ 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 0-7397-1194-6. Archived from the original on 2014-07-04. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "WorldAirForces2018.pdf". Flightglobal.com. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
^ "Turkey, Pakistan close to finalizing ATAK helicopter deal". Dailysabah.com. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
^ a b Iqbal, Anwar (23 February 2017). "Pakistan recalibrating capabilities to fight terrorists". Dawn. Archived from the original on 27 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
^ "Russia agrees to sell Pakistan four MI-35 attack helicopters - The Express Tribune". Archived from the original on 2015-08-20. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
^ "IAR 330L Puma Helicopter - Airforce Technology". Airforce-technology.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
^ "Two Mountaineers Saved in extremis". Airbushelicopters.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
^ "Yearbook 2014-15" (PDF). Modp.gov.pk. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
^ "Yearbook 2015-16" (PDF). Modp.gov.pk. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 September 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
^ Warnes, Alan (13 April 2018). "Four Enstrom 280FXs Delivered to Pakistan Army". warnesysworld.com. Archived from the original on 7 May 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
ISPR. "History of Pakistan Army Aviation". Retrieved 21 December 2011.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pakistan_Army_Aviation_Corps&oldid=903598368"