The main Pakistan Naval Aviation base is located at Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Mehran, located on the western side of the runway. It operates a fleet of Alouette IIIs, Sea Kings, Atlantics, F-27 Friendships and P-3C Orions. The US Government recently agreed to donate seven P-3Cs to the Pakistan Navy through its Foreign Military Sales process, although they will be refurbished in Pakistan. To date two aircraft are believed to have been delivered, joining the two P-3Cs that were returned to service in September 2006 after years of being in store due to a lack of spares. China has sold six Harbin Z-9EC anti-submarine helicopters to the Pakistan Navy for use on their Type 21 destroyers, with the first of these delivered on 23rd September, 2009.
The Atlantics and the Sea King Mk. 46s can be equipped with the AM-39 Exocet for the anti-shipping role. The Lynx HAS.3s acquired from the Royal Navy in 1994 have recently been withdrawn from service, due to various reasons, so it is believed that the naval air arm has lost its capability to use Sea Skua and Mk 46 Lightweight Torpedoes in the anti-submarine role from helicopter platforms.
Also based at PNS Mehran, although not a component part of the PNA, are three BN-2 Defenders flown by the Maritime Surveillance Flight’s 93 Sqn. The Flight is mainly tasked for patrolling Pakistan’s Economic Exclusion Zone and reports to the Director General of the Maritime Security Agency