Wikipedia

PAF Base Nur Khan

(Redirected from PAF Station Chaklala)

Pakistan Air Force Base, Nur Khan (abbreviated PAF Base Nur Khan) (IATA: NRK, ICAO: OPRN) is a Pakistani military facility located in the town of Chaklala at Islamabad–Rawalpindi metropolitan area. The former Benazir Bhutto International Airport is integrated into the airbase's infrastructure.[2][3]

PAF Base Nur Khan
پی اے ایف بیس نور خان
Chaklala, Punjab in Pakistan
Site information
TypeMilitary airbase
OwnerMinistry of Defense
OperatorPakistan Air Force
Controlled byFederal Air Command
Open to the public
Partially
Other site
facilities
Location
PAF Base Nur Khan is located in Punjab, Pakistan
PAF Base Nur Khan
PAF Base Nur Khan
Location of Nur Khan airbase in Pakistan
PAF Base Nur Khan is located in Pakistan
PAF Base Nur Khan
PAF Base Nur Khan
PAF Base Nur Khan (Pakistan)
PAF Base Nur Khan is located in Asia
PAF Base Nur Khan
PAF Base Nur Khan
PAF Base Nur Khan (Asia)
Coordinates33°36′59″N 073°05′59″E / 33.61639°N 73.09972°E / 33.61639; 73.09972
Site history
Built1935; 91 years ago (1935)
Built forRoyal Indian Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
Built byBritish Raj
Government of Pakistan (later upgradations)
In use1935 – Present
Battles/warsWorld War II
1st Kashmir War
1965 Indo-Pakistani War
1971 Indo-Pakistani War
Operation Bedaar
Operation Sentinel
Operation Swift Retort
2025 India–Pakistan conflict
Garrison information
Garrison35th Air Mobility Wing
Occupants6 Air Mobility Squadron
10 MRTT Squadron
12 VIP Squadron
41 VIP Comms Squadron
52 Air Mobility Squadron
Airfield information
IdentifiersIATA: NRK, ICAO: OPRN
Elevation508.4 metres (1,668 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
12/30 3,291 metres (10,797 ft) Asphalt
Reference(s):[1]

The base is named after Air Marshal Nur Khan (1923–2011), former Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force during the 1965 India-Pakistan War. The airbase is known for serving as the hub of PAF's air mobility operations and plays a key role in logistics, VIP transport, and strategic operations.[4][5][6]

History

edit
PAF Base Nur Khan

The base was originally operated by the Royal Air Force as RAF Chaklala and, during the Second World War, parachute training flights were conducted. [7]

Once transferred to the then Royal Pakistan Air Force (RPAF), the base came into use as a transport hub, with the PAF's fleet of various transport aircraft operating from it.[8][9]

In 1979, the base was home to both No. 15 Squadron PAF and No. 26 Squadron PAF with the North American F-86F Sabres and No. 6 Squadron PAF with the Lockheed C-130B/E Hercules & Lockheed L-100 Hercules.[10]

After the Pakistan earthquake of 2005, 300 U.S. troops as well as U.S. aircraft were deployed to Chaklala to aid in relief efforts. According to an anonymous 2013 source, the U.S. had been allowed permanent military presence at Chaklala since late 2001 for handling logistics efforts and other movements in relation to the war in Afghanistan.[11]

In 2009 the PAF's first of four Il-78 aerial refuelling tanker aircraft was delivered to PAF Base Chaklala and the No. 10 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) squadron was established there.[12]

The name of the base was changed in 2012 from PAF Base Chaklala to PAF Base Nur Khan in remembrance of its first Base Commander in 1947, Air Marshal Nur Khan. Nur Khan was also the second Pakistani chief of the Pakistan Air Force and a veteran of several conflicts fought by Pakistan.[13]

Five PAF F-16s escorted US Vice-president JD Vance's C-32 to Nur Khan base in Islamabad on 11 April 2026 for negotiations following the 2026 Iran war ceasefire.[14]

Airstrikes

edit

During the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict, the Indian Air Force carried out precision cruise missile airstrikes on several key military targets in Pakistan which included technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas.[15][16]

On 10 May, the Indian Air Force carried out airstrikes on the Nur Khan Airbase, targeting runways and military infrastructure.[17][18][19][20] According to Indian defense officials, the operation was intended as a "calibrated response" to cross-border attacks. According to an eye-witness and two Pakistani security officials, the attack on Nur Khan airbase saw at least two missile strikes as well as drone attacks. Pakistan’s military stated that its air defense systems intercepted most of the incoming missiles, and no critical assets were lost. However, according to a Reuters citing an official who visited the base the next day, the barrage hit two roofs and hit the hangar of a refueling plane.[21][16] According to William Goodhind, a geospatial analyst at Contested Ground, two mobile control centers at the Nur Khan airbase were damaged. Further The Washington Post, also reported videos recorded from a parking lot nearby which "showed smoke billowing from the damaged area".[22] According to Air Forces Monthly, the missiles struck the operations room of the 35th Composite Transport Wing, destroying two fuel trucks and collaterally damaging one Lockheed C-130 Hercules of the No. 6 Squadron PAF at the aforementioned hangar.[23]

A ceasefire was proposed after these airstrikes.[24][25] Within hours of India's missile-drone strikes on several Pakistani airbases, especially Nur Khan,[21][26][27] reportedly prompted US intervention for a ceasefire agreement. The base is a strategic asset for PAF as "one of the central transport hubs" and "home to the air refueling capability" (No. 10 Squadron). The facility is also just over a mile from the headquarters of Strategic Plans Division responsible for Pakistan's nuclear arsenal which includes over 170 warheads.[17][28][21] The New York Times also cited a former American official who stated, "Pakistan's deepest fear is of its nuclear command authority being decapitated" and that the Indian missile strikes were interpreted to be a warning for India's capability to do the same.[17][29][30] According to Christopher Clary, an associate professor at the University at Albany, "So, an attack on the facility may have been perceived as more dangerous than India intended – and the two sides should not conclude that it is possible to have a conflict without it going nuclear".[21] On 14 May, Reuters reported that Indian strikes on Nur Khan airbase had alarmed US officials, due to the base's proximity to Pakistan's Strategic Plans Division.[21]

The Afghan Taliban were reported by Indian sources to have launched drone strikes against PAF Nur Khan on 2 March 2026.[31][32][33][34]

Units

edit

Flying and notable non-flying units based at Nur Khan airbase complex. [35][36]

Pakistan Air Force

Royal Air Force
The following British era squadrons were deployed here at some point:


Location

edit

The base has surrounding facilities including the Frontier Works Organization Headquarters, Chaklala Railway Station and the Joint Services Headquarters (JSHQ). Two housing schemes Askaris VIII and IX are also located alongside Nur Khan road that extends to the main entrance of the base from Airport Road. The Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies, a research think tank founded by the Pakistan Air Force, is located next to Nur Khan Base.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ↑ "Benazir Bhutto International Airport (Islamabad, Pakistan)". Business Air news.
  2. ↑ Somro, Akhtar (26 March 2026). "The logos of the Fedral Air Command and PAF Base Nur Khan, on a wall at the entrance, in Rawalpindi". Reuters.
  3. ↑ Warnes, Alan (15 May 2019). "Pakistan Air Force moves into former Islamabad airport". Janes.
  4. ↑ Naeem, Asad (11 October 2012). "PAF Airbase Chaklala renamed after Nur Khan". Business Recorder.
  5. ↑ Pakistan Air Force [@@DGPR_PAF] (15 December 2021). "Additionally, in recognition for his meritorious services, PAF Base at Chaklala, Rawalpindi was renamed as PAF Base, Nur Khan. His altruistic services for PAF, especially during the 1965 Indo-Pak war can never be forgotten" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ↑ Khan, Adnan (12 March 2020). "PAF and its glorious traditions". The News International.
  7. 1 2 Jefford 2001, p. 30.
  8. ↑ "PAF Base Chaklaka". GlobalSecurity.org website. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  9. ↑ Pakistan Air Force Bases nuke.fas.org website, Retrieved 5 October 2021
  10. ↑ Hewish et al. 1984, p. 195.
  11. ↑ "CIA drones quit one Pakistan site – but US keeps access to other airbases". The Bureau of Investigative Journalism website. 15 December 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  12. ↑ Warnes, Alan (July 2010). "On The Edge". Air Forces Monthly (July 2010). United Kingdom: Key Publishing Limited: 56. Retrieved 9 July 2010. Last year saw the delivery of the first Il-78 Midas air-to-air refueller and also the first Russian aircraft into the inventory - hence the R in front of the serial. The newly established 10 Multi Role Tanker Transport Sqn at Chaklala operates the aircraft, which will be joined by a second example.
  13. ↑ "Obituary: National icon Air Marshal M Nur Khan, flies no more". The Express Tribune (newspaper). 16 December 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  14. ↑ Mishra, Chandrajit (11 April 2026). "Pak F-16s Escort JD Vance's Aircraft As He Arrives In Islamabad For Iran Talks". NDTV. Retrieved 11 April 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ↑ Ellis-Petersen, Hannah; Baloch, Shah Meer (10 May 2025). "India and Pakistan accuse each other of cross-border attacks on military bases". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 May 2025. Nur Khan airbase is in Rawalpindi, where the military has its headquarters, and is around 6 miles from the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. In the aftermath of the strikes, Pakistan shut down its air space. The strike on Nur Khan caused mass panic in the densely populated area. Video from the scene shared on social media showed flames and smoke billowing into the night sky, with residents running into the streets. "There was a loud explosion which woke everyone up. It was so scary, everyone is still in a panic," said one resident living nearby.
  16. 1 2 Mashal, Mujib. "What We Know About How the 4-Day India-Pakistan Clashes Unfolded". The New York Times. The New York Times. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  17. 1 2 3 Sanger, David E.; Barnes, Julian E.; Haberman, Maggie (10 May 2025). "Reluctant at First, Trump Officials Intervened in South Asia as Nuclear Fears Grew". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 13 May 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  18. ↑ Philip, Snehesh Alex (9 May 2025). "ISPR says main logistics hub in Rawalpindi among 3 Pakistan Air Force bases targeted by Indian missiles". ThePrint. Retrieved 12 May 2025. Explosions were reported in the early hours of Saturday from three Pakistan air bases including the military's primary logistics hub the Nur Khan base in Rawalpindi, hours after Pakistan launched a fresh wave of drones and loitering munitions targeting several Indian cities, and particularly the Sirsa air base of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Pakistan military's information wing the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed the explosions, blaming them on an Indian missile attack. ISPR DG in a late night statement said India has targeted the Pakistan Air Force's (PAF) Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi district), Murid (Chakwal) and Rafiqui (Shorkot, Jhang district) air bases.
  19. ↑ "Why India hit 6 Pak air bases including Chaklala, Rafiqui and Murid". India Today. 10 May 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  20. ↑ "India targeted Nur Khan Airbase, Murid base, Shorkot base but all PAF assets safe: DG ISPR". DAWN.COM. 10 May 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 "How India and Pakistan pulled back from the brink with US-brokered ceasefire". Reuters. Retrieved 13 May 2025. The barrage took out two roofs and hit the hangar of a refuelling plane, which was airborne at the time, according to one of the officials, who visited the base the next day. A senior Indian military officer, however, told reporters on Sunday that an operations command center at Nur Khan had been hit.
  22. ↑ Piper, Imogen; Hill, Evan; Javaid, Maham; Noack, Rick (14 May 2025). "Indian strikes on Pakistan damaged six airfields, Post analysis finds". The Washington Post. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  23. ↑ Taghvaee, Babak (July 2025). "A Close Call". Air Forces Monthly. p. 33.
  24. ↑ "Did India's strike on 6 Pakistan airbases lead to ceasefire talks?". Firstpost. 10 May 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  25. ↑ ur-Rehman, Zia; Mashal, Mujib; Das, Anupreeta; K.B, Pragati (10 May 2025). "India and Pakistan Agree to a Cease-Fire: What We Know". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  26. ↑ Iyer, Aishwarya S.; Saifi, Sophia; Mogul, Rhea; Regan, Helen; Yeung, Jessie; Tanno, Sophie; Hammond, Elise; Sangal, Aditi (9 May 2025). "May 9, 2025 - India-Pakistan news". CNN. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  27. ↑ "India and Pakistan accuse each other of 'violations' after ceasefire deal". BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  28. ↑ "Nur khan base attack prompted US intervention: NYT". The Express Tribune. 11 May 2025. Archived from the original on 13 May 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  29. ↑ "Nur khan base attack prompted US intervention: NYT". The Express Tribune. 11 May 2025. Archived from the original on 13 May 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  30. ↑ "Turning point in conflict: India's missile strike at Nur Khan base may have exposed Pakistan's deepest fears". Moneycontrol. 11 May 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  31. ↑ "Pak's Nur Khan base, under repair after Op Sindoor, struck by Taliban". India Today. 2 March 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  32. ↑ https://www.moneycontrol.com/world/amid-iran-us-war-afghanistan-claims-precision-strikes-on-pakistan-s-nur-khan-airbase-watch-article-13847568.html/amp
  33. ↑ "Afghanistan Hits Key Pak Military Bases, Nur Khan Among Targets". Deccan Chronicle. ANI. 2 March 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  34. ↑ Tyagi, Yuvraj (2 March 2026). "Did Afghanistan Bomb Nur Khan Airbase In Pakistan? Taliban Claims 'Operation Ghazab Lil Haq' Retribution". Times Now. Retrieved 2 March 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. ↑ Hashmi, Qadeer (2014). The History of the PAKISTAN AIR FORCE 1999-2013. pp. 257–259. ISBN 9789697518005.
  36. ↑ Khan, Farhat (2024). The History of the PAKISTAN AIR FORCE 2014-2023. Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies. p. 216. ISBN 978-969-7518-01-2.
  37. ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 28.
  38. ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 47.
  39. ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 56.
  40. ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 69.
  41. ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 74.
  42. ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 86.
  43. 1 2 Jefford 2001, p. 105.
  • Hewish, Mark; Sweetman, Bill; Wheeler, Barry C.; Gunston, Bill (1984). Air Forces of the World (2 ed.). London, UK: Peerage Books. ISBN 978-0907408932.
  • Jefford, C. G. (2001). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=PAF_Base_Nur_Khan&oldid=1355386111"