New PAF Base Bholari southwest of Kotri

[Hammad ur Rehman]

Excellent news.

How much time to build & operationalize the base??? Think about 3 years.

Possible future aircraft deployments: JF-17, Su-35.

 

[Windjammer]

I agree with you. I am waiting for @Windjammer reply as he seems to know's his delta wings from elliptical wings.

I hope to god it's not because the aircrew happen to live in nearby cities so it kindda makes their lives easy.

Dear, Although in 1971, most of air battles took place over India, however, I'm sure you have seen how the Indians never stop sucking on the Longwala lollipop, only because the then Air chief never activated Jacobabad air base thus resulting total absence of PAF in that desert theatre.... hope you get the drift.

 

[rockstar08]

Exactly, I was also thinking the same thing. SU35 has been offered by Russians, GOD knows whats stopping Pakistan from finalizing the deal. PAF needs to get rid of old dying F7 & Mirage fast as they are now crashing on regular bases.

PAF is been neglecting this from years now ..
our Skilled pilots are dying for now reason ... and the Top Generals are doing nothing ..

 

[tarrar]

PAF is been neglecting this from years now ..
our Skilled pilots are dying for now reason ... and the Top Generals are doing nothing ..

They keep saying we are investing in JF17, but in my opinion JF17 is not a solution for everything.

 

[rockstar08]

They keep saying we are investing in JF17, but in my opinion JF17 is not a solution for everything.

Yes , they are making fool out of the nation ..
Naval Strikes , JF ..
Replacing hundreds F-7's and Mirage = JF ...

Back bone for PAF = JF ..

da fuq

 

[Hammad ur Rehman]

Does anybody has the exact location as I know the general area?

Also can anybody deduce the air base design from the portrait given to Def. Min. Kh. Asif?

 

[Aamir Hussain]

Masroor seems to be dedicated to Maritime strike and surveillance with one sqdrn dedicated to Air Defense. Deep strike aircraft are missing from the scene here in south.

Shahabaz seems to be acting as a permanent Air Superiority base with permanent housing of block 52 there.

 

[khanasifm]

The painting depicts layout to the base ??? I think

 

[shah1398]

Is this Base being built keeping in view to bridge gap between Shahbaz and Masroor? In any case this is a good step as its gonna take off some pressure from Masroor which in turn can look more deeply into sea side. My humble view.

 

[ArsalanKhan21]

Masroor seems to be dedicated to Maritime strike and surveillance with one sqdrn dedicated to Air Defense

Masroor gets all the attention since it is in Karachi. The permanent or stand-by airbases in Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar and Jiwani along the Makran coast are needed for Maritime surveillance. The Shamsi airbase can act as backup base for these four bases.

 

[Hammad ur Rehman]

Can't see the runway(s)

 

[ArsalanKhan21]

Can't see the runway(s)

It is clearly visible towards bottom left.

 

[Hammad ur Rehman]

It is clearly visible towards bottom left.

No its not a straight line.

Look at the no. of IAF SW Command bases & squadrons it will face:

Squadron Base Equipment Notes
No. 20 Squadron IAF Lohegaon Air Force Station Su-30MKI No. 2 Wing
No. 30 Squadron IAF Lohegaon Air Force Station Su-30MKI No. 2 Wing
No. 15 Squadron IAF Bhuj Air Force Station Mig-21bis No. 27 Wing
No. 10 Squadron IAF Jodhpur Air Force Station Mig-27UPG No. 32 Wing
No. 29 Squadron IAF Jodhpur Air Force Station Mig-27UPG No. 32 Wing
No. 107 Helicopter Unit, IAF Jodhpur Air Force Station Mi-8 No. 32 Wing
No. 116 Helicopter Unit, IAF Jodhpur Air Force Station HAL Chetak No. 32 Wing
No. 119 Helicopter Unit, IAF Jodhpur Air Force Station Mi-8 No. 32 Wing
No. 6 Squadron IAF Jamnagar Air Force Station JaguarIS/IM/IB No. 33 Wing
No. 141 SSS Flight, IAF Jamnagar Air Force Station HAL Chetak No. 33 Wing IAF
No. 23 Squadron IAF Suratgarh Air Force Station Mig-21 No. 35 Wing IAF
No. 104 Helicopter Squadron, IAF Suratgarh Air Force Station Mi-35 No. 35 Wing
No. 11 Squadron IAF Vadodara Air Force Station Avro 748M No. 36 Wing
No. 44 Squadron IAF Nagpur Air Force Station Il-76MD No. 44 Wing
No. 4 Squadron IAF Uttarlai Air Force Station Mig-21 No. 5 FBSU
No. 101 Squadron IAF Naliya Air Force Station Mig-21M No. 12 FBSU

 

[fatman17]

These Arab Princes can hunt these "political elite" rather than the Pakistan's endangered birds.



Shamsi airbase fits all these requirements is at strategic location and must be a PAF base.

Shamsi is now in pakistan control

 

[Hammad ur Rehman]

PAF should build more air bases to fill gaps & act as backups during wars so the enemy keeps guessing what aircraft are currently based where?

In peace time its not necessary to base any aircraft there but in war even 8 aircraft at an air base would be a safe strategy.

In my opinion there is a wide gap between Bholari & Jacobabad & a new FOB be built around Dadu to act as a fall back to Nawabshah & do fighter sweeps for any agressors heading towards Balochistan.

And there is a huge gap between Jacobabad & Shorkot even after activating Rajanpur FOB. Two new FOBs should be built at DG Khan & DI Khan to act as backups to Shorkot just like Mianwali is backup for Sargodha.

Turbat is being converted into a big AB to cover Gwadur, Pasni & Ormara (look at Google Earth a new long runway is under construction) & there is also Shamsi AB.

These 3 new ABs are a must for PAF.

To fill the bases you need aircrafts, as PAF currently has about 20 combat squadrons its ideal would be 24 squadrons to cover the whole country. Cheap fighters like JF-17s & used F-16s can do the job efficiently.

Please have a look at the current ABs on the map & one can clearly see the gaps.