PAF inaugurates new operational air base at Bholari near Karachi

[Hammad ur Rehman]

This is from my previous topic when about 2.7 years ago the outgoing Air Chief had mentioned future construction of this airbase.

The importance of this base will be understood better when you will see the IAF bases across the border & the battle of order lined against it.

You may add the new Phalodi airbase & its Su-30s as well.

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

This is also from the same old topic:

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.

 

[Furqan Sarwar]

This is from my previous topic when about 2.7 years ago the outgoing Air Chief had mentioned future construction of this airbase.

The importance of this base will be understood better when you will see the IAF bases across the border & the battle of order lined against it.

You may add the new Phalodi airbase & its Su-30s as well.

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

This is also from the same old topic:

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.

Absolutely spot on. Just to add that I think instead of an FOB there should be 2 more MOBs, 1 in b/w Bholari & Shahbaz (Dadu) is a good choice and the other b/w Shahbaz & Shorkot

 

[Windjammer]

The residents of the new base has taken over it's responsibilities.

 

[Talon]

The residents of the new base has taken over it's responsibilities.

View attachment 445863

View attachment 445865 View attachment 445865

Night photos are very old..not from new air base...

 

[Windjammer]

Night photos are very old..not from new air base...

No one said the night photos were from new base, i was purporting to show the identity of the unit at the new base,
And if you dig out, you will find i was the one who initially posted the night shot some times back.

 

[Windjammer]

Sindh CM at the inauguration ceremony.

 

[Windjammer]

The resident Falcon unit showing it's Claws.

 

[mingle]

The resident Falcon unit showing it's Claws.

View attachment 446984
New paint job?

View attachment 446985

 

[Talon]

Mushaks deployed at Bholari...
Strange..?

@Gryphon @Windjammer @Signalian @khanasifm @Bilal Khan (Quwa) @Bilal Khan 777

 

[-blitzkrieg-]

Pakistan direly needs to have an air base in Gilgit city .Very mischievous vibes coming from the Wakhan coridor area. Gilgit should get the smart city setup and a complete turnkey security solution. This needs to be backed by a political process granting GB the provincial amenities and a representation desk in the national assembly.

 

[Windjammer]

Mushaks deployed at Bholari...
Strange..?

View attachment 448039

@Gryphon @Windjammer @Signalian @khanasifm @Bilal Khan (Quwa) @Bilal Khan 777

Probably a commuting flight, they are always flying in and out of various air bases.

 

[Talon]

Probably a commuting flight, they are always flying in and out of various air bases.

Nope..I asked him and he said current posting..maybe some temporary thing.

 

[khanasifm]

Every base / flying wing has comm flight of mashaqs, nothing new

 

[khanasifm]

Did paf buy 16 or 13 Jordanian f-16s ????

 

[YeBeWarned]

Did paf buy 16 or 13 Jordanian f-16s ????

US blocked the sale, Confirmed by Kawaja Asif in a Interview ..