Indian Air Force Stations.

[Windjammer]

In battle conditions, i guess there is nothing more peculiar than having a tractor towing your aircraft across a field or something.

One can recall, when even in '71 a front line base remained out of operation for some eight hours only due to taxi track/runway damage....add to that the time delay fused weapons.

 

[Jango]

What is this blackish thing? Maybe old pens or shelters discarded?

 

[Jango]

Now thinking about it, the design seems brilliant TBH.

i counted the number of possible ways a aircraft could get to the runway at one base, and it turned out to be about 6/7.

The circular arrangement and then the both sides open. Both sides open not only facilitate the aircraft in that specific shelter but also others.

Now thinking about it, the design seems brilliant TBH.

i counted the number of possible ways a aircraft could get to the runway at one base, and it turned out to be about 6/7.

The circular arrangement and then the both sides open. Both sides open not only facilitate the aircraft in that specific shelter but also others.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Now thinking about it, the design seems brilliant TBH.

i counted the number of possible ways a aircraft could get to the runway at one base, and it turned out to be about 6/7.

The circular arrangement and then the both sides open. Both sides open not only facilitate the aircraft in that specific shelter but also others.

Now thinking about it, the design seems brilliant TBH.

i counted the number of possible ways a aircraft could get to the runway at one base, and it turned out to be about 6/7.

The circular arrangement and then the both sides open. Both sides open not only facilitate the aircraft in that specific shelter but also others.

Good observation. Compare that with other air-fields (on both sides), you may see the 'how and why' of all this. There has to be some 'method' to the 'peculiar design patterns display' involved.

Very different from the requrements at say, JFK or BB Intl.

 

[Jango]

In comparison to pakistan, only PAF Mushaf has some sort of circular arrangement.

(not undermining it or anything, just an observation)

 

[SQ8]

In comparison to pakistan, only PAF Mushaf has some sort of circular arrangement.

(not undermining it or anything, just an observation)

another thing to observe is that Sargodha has a dedicate QRA pen..the circular layout to the west.
Peshawar has a much more different but equally effective layout.. allowing aircraft to use the taxiway and exit north or south.
Both Peshawar and Jacobabad follow US airbase designs..

Mianwali is an interesting study since it has several dispersal areas for the discerning eye.. and also follows the similar pattern of a circular taxiway that allows exits from multiple paths(also seen in Srinagar, Ambala,Adumpur,Sirsa,Halwara).
Kalikunda seems to be much less developed than the other air bases but that is understandable.

Samungli is different since its dispersal pens lie either very close to the Runway or with a single track.
Minhas's pens are also laid out close to the Runway and have dual exit options.

PAF base Masroor however, has a fairly singular pattern of pens laid out and is the most vulnerable to having aircraft "marooned" due to a taxiway being taken out. However, Masroor is a very old base and has not been changed that much..for some odd reason as the PAF's largest air wing resides there.

 

[Windjammer]

It's also worth noting that how well the HAS are blended/camouflaged within the Sargodha infrastructure.

 

[Jango]

PAF base Masroor however, has a fairly singular pattern of pens laid out and is the most vulnerable to having aircraft "marooned" due to a taxiway being taken out. However, Masroor is a very old base and has not been changed that much..for some odd reason as the PAF's largest air wing resides there.

Completely agreed on this part. Although the pens and shelters themselves are highly camouflaged and armored, but the taxiways are pretty singular.

A thing to note is that the other circular arrangement at Mushaf is to the South of runway 24, and while the shelters to the west of 24 resemble a sort of circular arrangement, but are still a bit too isolated IMO.

In peshawar the only double exit layout is two the west of the runway, and that too a few in number.

in Samungli, the shelters/pens are pretty sparsely located, but that is understandable considering the number of jets and the threat in that area.

The other smaller base, PAF vihari, also has a circular arrangement to the South, resembling Indian airbases and PAF Minhas.

Mianwali maybe have different dispersal areas due to presence of FCU?

BTW, any idea what are those to the north east of Jacobabad air base runway. The dirt structures? HAS?

It's also worth noting that how well the HAS are blended/camouflaged within the Sargodha infrastructure.

So too Masroor.

And the vegetation at Indian airbases is also kind of startling. only Kamra or Mianwali has some serious vegetation.

My personal opinion is that vegetation makes the spotting of the taxiways more easy, unless of course the trees cover it from the top and form a canopy.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Completely agreed on this part. Although the pens and shelters themselves are highly camouflaged and armored, but the taxiways are pretty singular.

A thing to note is that the other circular arrangement at Mushaf is to the South of runway 24, and while the shelters to the west of 24 resemble a sort of circular arrangement, but are still a bit too isolated IMO.

In peshawar the only double exit layout is two the west of the runway, and that too a few in number.

in Samungli, the shelters/pens are pretty sparsely located, but that is understandable considering the number of jets and the threat in that area.

The other smaller base, PAF vihari, also has a circular arrangement to the South, resembling Indian airbases and PAF Minhas.

Mianwali maybe have different dispersal areas due to presence of FCU?

BTW, any idea what are those to the north east of Jacobabad air base runway. The dirt structures? HAS?



So too Masroor.

And the vegetation at Indian airbases is also kind of startling. only Kamra or Mianwali has some serious vegetation.

My personal opinion is that vegetation makes the spotting of the taxiways more easy, unless of course the trees cover it from the top and form a canopy.

Vegetation is doble edged in its benefits, while providing some cover and camouflage, it can also house both some birds and animal life that can adversely affect operations.

And as you have opined, sometimes it makes the tarmac areas stand out in contrast.

The benefits of vegetation as cover is not universal, since IR photography has been used for a long time for recce/surveillance purposes.

 

[Jango]

I read or heard somewhere that some special chemical is either sprayed or put in the area inside the base somewhere to ward off birds. And also i dont think birds like to live near noisy jets!

So double edged sword really. Although I would like a canopy of trees above the taxiway and pens idea to be implemented somewhere. Is there any example like that?

 

[Windjammer]

As can be seen, in the past, the IAF experimented with camouflaging the taxi tracks but perhaps it didn't prove practical.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

I read or heard somewhere that some special chemical is either sprayed or put in the area inside the base somewhere to ward off birds. And also i dont think birds like to live near noisy jets!

So double edged sword really. Although I would like a canopy of trees above the taxiway and pens idea to be implemented somewhere. Is there any example like that?

About the first part, its surprising how adaptable birds are; even to the vicinity of noisy jets. Otherwise a number of means are used, some chemical but more often they are just mobile patrols using shot-guns and other noisemakers. Animal lfe is a serious issue and incidents have been recorded of animal-aircraft encounters.

Most of the cover/camouflage issues that we are discussing is visual-spectrum. However when we move out of that spectrum, e.g. IR then those measures lose efficacy.

 

[Jango]

As can be seen, in the past, the IAF experimented with camouflaging the taxi tracks but perhaps it didn't prove practical.

Can be seen on the northern end of halwara AFB and Sirsa AFB (heavily) as well.

Most of the cover/camouflage issues that we are discussing is visual-spectrum. However when we move out of that spectrum, e.g. IR then those measures lose efficacy.

Yeah, IR changes the game totally.

 

[Jango]

Another difference b/w IAF and PAF seems to be that IAF places it's pens/shelters well away from the Runway or flight line, with the exception of around 3-4 (ADA perhaps), while the majority of PAF are placed near the runway.

Maybe because the IAF pens are far away from the runway, so room for vegetation.

 

[SQ8]

Another difference b/w IAF and PAF seems to be that IAF places it's pens/shelters well away from the Runway or flight line, with the exception of around 3-4 (ADA perhaps), while the majority of PAF are placed near the runway.

Maybe because the IAF pens are far away from the runway, so room for vegetation.

One of the most effective layouts with redundancy Ive seen are at Tabriz AB in Iran
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=tabriz+airport&ll=38.126472,46.258106&spn=0.00974,0.021136&fb=1&gl=pk&hq=tabriz+airport&hnear=tabriz+airport&cid=0,0,7466894477412878768&t=h&z=16