| Pakistan Naval Air Arm | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1971 – Present |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Branch | Pakistan Navy |
| Type | Naval aviation |
| Size | 50 aircraft |
| Part of | Pakistan Navy |
| Naval Air Headquarters | P.N.S. Mehran |
| Nickname | Pakistan Naval Aviation |
| Motto | Resources are limited; creativity is unlimited |
| Colors | Navy blue and White |
| Engagements | 1999 Atlantique Incident 2001-2002 India-Pakistan standoff War on Terror Combined Task Force 150 |
| Commanders | |
| Current Naval Air Commander | Commodore Khalid Pervaiz |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel | |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Westland Lynx, Dassault Mirage V (Operated by PAF) |
| Electronic warfare |
Raytheon Hawker 800 |
| Helicopter | Aérospatiale SA-319B Alouette III, Aérospatiale Alouette II, Harbin Z-9 |
| Patrol | Lockheed P-3C Orion, Fokker F27-2000, Breguet Atlantique, Britten-Norman Defender |
| Reconnaissance | SATUMA Mukhbar (UAV) |
| Transport | Westland Sea King |
The Pakistan Naval Air Arm (unofficially Pakistan Naval Aviation) is the naval aviation branch of the Pakistan Navy.
The Naval Air Arm is tasked to carry out air surveillance, limited aerial warfare, and reconnaissance operations. The Naval Air Arm was created after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and it is designed to operate in all facets of naval operations ranging from surveillance, tracking and subsequent destruction of enemy units.[1] The arm also takes part in operations other than war such as search and rescue, casualty evacuation, relief operations.[2][3] Early in its inception the Naval Air Arm was dependent upon the Air Force and the Army to meet its training requirement of air and ground crew.[4]
Contents |
The Naval Air Arm was created after the careful analysis of Operation Trident during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. It was established that lack of early warning from seaward, for example the absence of a naval air surveillance capability, had allowed the Indian Navy to close Karachi harbour for attacks. After studying various available options, the French Breguet Atlantique was selected and acquisition formalities were completed in 1974. Finally the first squadron was raised in 1976, with three Atlantiques.
On 28 September 1974, the first of the six Westland Sea King helicopters was also acquired from the United Kingdom, marking the introduction of naval aviation and rotary wing aircraft in the service. 111 Squadron was established for these rotary wing aircraft.
To support the Naval Air Fleet, the naval base, P.N.S. Mehran was commissioned on 26 September 1975 as Naval aviation's headquarters. The base is approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Jinnah Terminal. Sea King helicopters were the first machines to fly from this base. Atlantique and Aérospatiale Alouette III helicopters soon joined the Naval Air Arm. As the formation year of 1976 coincided with 29th year of Pakistani independence, the first squadron of Atlantiques was named 29 ASW Squadron. In 1977, six Alouette helicopters were acquired from France leading to the formation of 333 Squadron. In 1982 Fokker F-27 Aircraft were acquired, leading to the formation of 27 Squadron.
In early 1994, three Lynx helicopters were acquired from the United Kingdom leading to the formation of 222 Squadron. In 1996, three P-3C Orion aircraft were acquired from United States and were inducted into 28 Squadron of the Naval Air Arm. The delivery of these long range maritime patrol aircraft had earlier been withheld due to the application of the Pressler Amendment in 1990. One of these planes was lost due to an accident while carrying out routine exercises in own coastal waters on 29 October 1999.
The Atlantique Incident was a major international incident that occurred on 10 August 1999 when a Pakistan Naval Air Arm patrol aircraft—a Breguet Atlantique with 16 personnel on board—was shot down in the border area of the Kutch region by Indian Air Force jets. Pakistan and India both claimed the aircraft to be in their respective airspace. However, the wreckage fell well within Pakistani territory, giving credence to the Pakistani claim.
The Indian Air Force stated that the Atlantique was trying to return to Pakistani airspace after intruding more than 10 nautical miles (19 km) and as such was headed towards Pakistan. At the speed of 400 knots at which the shoot-down occurred most of the wreckage could have been expected to land at least 25 miles (40 km) away; the fact that all of the wreckage fell in Pakistani territory would tend to vindicate Pakistani claims that the aircraft did not violate Indian airspace. This incident resulted in escalated tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
On 22 May 2011, Tehreek-i-Taliban attacked the PNS Mehran naval base and destroyed 2 P-3C Orion aircraft.[5]
| Aircraft | Operational | role | quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P-3C Orion |
1996 | MPA | 5 | 6 P-3C Orion more on order.A total of 7 were in current inventory 2 were destroyed in PNS Mehran by terrorists which will be given by the USA on lease. |
| Breguet Atlantic |
1976 | MPA | 2 | 2 were delivered during 1970. |
| Westland Lynx |
1982 | Surveillance/ASW/SAR | 3 | 3 delivered as of 2003. |
| Westland Sea King |
1974 | ASW, ASuW, SAR | 6 | [6][7] |
| Fokker F27 |
1982 | ASW/Transport | 7 | 7 were delivered as of 2004. |
| Hawker 800 |
1985 | Electronic warfare | 1 | 1 was delivered as of 2009. |
| Aérospatiale Alouette III SA-319B |
1977 | Training, SAR, Reconnaissance. | 8 | 8 were delivered as of 2009. |
| Harbin Z-9 |
2009 | anti-submarine warfare | 12+ | 12 are in service as of 2011. |
| Dassault Mirage 5 |
1995 | ASuW | 12+ | 12 are in service operated by Paf. |
| Squadron | Operational | Aircraft | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 ASW Squadron |
1982 | Fokker F27 |
ASW/Transport | |
| 28 ASW / ASuW Squadron |
1996 | P-3C Orion |
MPA | Future supply of 7 more under an agreement with Lockheed Martin signed in 2006.[10] Two upgraded P-3C Orion delivered on 7th Jan 2010 while one was delivered in Nov 2009. Another two advanced P-3C Orion aircraft to be delivered.[11] |
| 29 ASW Squadron | 1976 | Breguet Atlantique |
MPA | |
| 93 Squadron [12] | Britten-Norman Defender |
EEZ Patrol | On 15 September 2004 it was announced that a third BN2T Defender surveillance aircraft was to be sold to Pakistan for operation by the Maritime Security Agency in the roles of coastal patrol, fisheries protection and other unspecified littoral duties. This aircraft was fitted with autopilot and role radios, camera floor with video camera, plotting table and antennae for locally installed communications systems. Provision was made for future installation of a FLIR camera, safety equipment such as dinghies and rear sliding door with static line equipment for parachutists.[13] | |
| 100 Squadron | 1985 | Raytheon Hawker 800 |
[14] | |
| 659 Squadron | 2007 | SATUMA Mukhbar UAV | Reconnaissance / Surveillance | |
| No. 8 Squadron | Dassault Mirage 5 |
ASuW | Operated by the Pakistan Air Force from PAF Base Masroor, flying an anti-shipping variant of the Dassault Mirage 5. Aircraft are armed with the AM-39 Exocet anti-ship missile. | |
| 9 Squadron | 2009 | Harbin Z-9C |
ASW | Harbin Z-9EC anti-submarine warfare helicopter inducted 23 September 2009, configured with pulse-compression radar, low frequency dipping sonar, radar warning receiver and doppler navigation system. Armed with torpedoes.[15] To be carried on the F-22P Zulfiquar class frigates.[16] |
| 111 Squadron | 1974 | Westland Sea King Mk.45 |
ASW, ASuW, SAR | |
| 333 Squadron | 1977 | Aérospatiale Alouette III SA-319B |
Training, SAR, Reconnaissance. | Primarily tasked with training pilots for the Westland Sea King. Also perform search and rescue, command / liaison and visual reconnaissance. Regularly deployed to sea embarked on Pakistan Navy ships. Squadron set up in 1977 with four SA-319B, later increased to seven aircraft.[17] |
| 222 Squadron Stingrays |
1982 | Westland Lynx |
Surveillance/ASW/SAR |
| Squadron | Operational | Aircraft | Role | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Squadron | 1980-1981 | Grumman Albatross |
SAR | Inherited to Navy by Air Force tasked with the SAR. It is believed that the aircraft are retired in 1981.[18] |
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