Pakistan Army Aviation Corps

Pakistan Army Aviation Corps
Active 14 August 1947 - present
Country  Pakistan
Branch  Pakistan Army
Type Military 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 Nasir Dilawar Shah
Notable
commanders		 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 Mil Mi-17
Aérospatiale/IAR 330 Puma
Aérospatiale Alouette III
Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama
AgustaWestland AW139
Bell 412
Bell 206
Bell UH-1 Huey
Eurocopter Écureuil
Eurocopter Fennec
Transport Beechcraft Super King Air 350
Bombardier Challenger 605
Cessna Citation Bravo
Cessna 208B Caravan
Harbin Y-12
Cessna T206H Stationair
Turbo Commander 690C

The Pakistan Army Aviation Corps (Urdu: ﺁرمى اويشن 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 PAF, 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 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 Role Quantity Note
Bell AH-1F CobraAttack helicopter48[4]Modernized of AH-1S Cobra, will be replaced by TAI T-129 Atak all-weather multi-role helicopters.
TAI T-129 AtakAttack helicopter 0 30[5] on order, worth $1.5 billion. Pakistan will buy initially (30) T-129 multi-role attack helicopters.
Bell AH-1Z ViperAttack helicopter 0 12 on order. Including 1000 AGM-114R Hellfire II (Hellfire Romeo) Block-2 missiles. [6]
Mil Mi-35M Hind-EAttack helicopter 4[4] Attack+utility helicopter[7], 20[6] additional planned.
Mil Mi-17/171ETransport helicopter46[4]
Aérospatiale SA 330L PumaUtility helicopter44[4]Including 4 Romanian IAR 330L Puma[8]
Bell 412EPUtility helicopter34[4]
AgustaWestland AW139Utility helicopter5[4]Also perform Search and rescue missions.
Bell UH-1H HueyUtility helicopter1[4]
Airbus H125M/Eurocopter AS550 C3 FennecUtility

Helicopter

30[4]Used as light attack helicopter and for reconnaissance.
Airbus H125/Eurocopter AS350 B3 ÉcureuilUtility helicopter10[9]13[10][11] additional helicopters on order.
Bell 206B JetRanger IIIUtility helicopter18[4]
Aerospatiale SA 316B/319B Alouette IIIUtility helicopter13[4]
Aérospatiale SA 315B LamaUtility helicopter18[4]Mainly Operated by army in Siachen Glacier.
Beechcraft Super King Air 350ERTransport aircraft5[4]
Bombardier Challenger 605Transport aircraft1[4]
Cessna Citation BravoTransport aircraft1[4]
Cessna 208B CaravanUtility aircraft7[4]
Harbin Y-12 (II)/FUtility aircraft4[4]
Cessna T206H StationairUtility aircraft4[4]
Turbo Commander 690CUtility aircraft2[4]
Beechcraft Super King Air 350SIGINT & ISR2[4]For reconnaissance.
Schweizer 300CTraining helicopter15[4]
Enstrom 280FXTraining helicopter4[12]Total 19[4] on order.

Retired Aircraft

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 PA, Pakistan Army. "Army Aviation-Pakistan Army". Pakistan Army. Pakistan Army Aviation Corps. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Global Security. "Army Aviation Corps". Global Security inc. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 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.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "WorldAirForces2018.pdf". Flightglobal.com. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  5. ↑ "Turkey, Pakistan close to finalizing ATAK helicopter deal". Dailysabah.com. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  6. 1 2 Iqbal, Anwar (23 February 2017). "Pakistan recalibrating capabilities to fight terrorists". Dawn. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Russia agrees to sell Pakistan four MI-35 attack helicopters - The Express Tribune". Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  8. ↑ "IAR 330L Puma Helicopter - Airforce Technology". Airforce-technology.com. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  9. ↑ "Two Mountaineers Saved in extremis". Airbushelicopters.com. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  10. ↑ "Yearbook 2014-15" (PDF). Modp.gov.pk. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  11. ↑ "Yearbook 2015-16" (PDF). Modp.gov.pk. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  12. ↑ Warnes, Alan (13 April 2018). "Four Enstrom 280FXs Delivered to Pakistan Army". warnesysworld.com. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  • ISPR. "History of Pakistan Army Aviation". Retrieved 21 December 2011.
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