PAF Base Mushaf

PAF Base Mushaf (formerly PAF Base Sargodha, IATA: SGI, ICAO: OPSR) is a Pakistan Air Force airbase at Sargodha in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the headquarters of the PAF Central Air Command.

PAF Base Mushaf
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorPakistan Air Force
LocationSargodha
CommanderAir Vice Marshall Tariq Zia
OccupantsPakistan Air Force
Elevation AMSL614 ft / 187 m
Coordinates32°02′55″N 72°39′55″E
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
06/24 7,956 2,424 Asphalt
14/32 10,253 3,124 Asphalt

It was known as PAF Base Sargodha until 2003, when it was renamed in honour of former Base Commander and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir,[1] whose aircraft crashed on a routine flight near Kohat the same year.

Combat Commanders School

The Combat Commanders School (CCS) has four aims:[2]

  1. Research and development in the field of tactics.
  2. Application of flying tactics.
  3. Utilisation of weapon systems.
  4. Standardisation and evaluation of various units.

Pilots are normally selected to undergo training at the CCS after around 9 to 12 years of service with the PAF. Once selected by the Air Headquarters they undergo three courses: the 4–5 month Combat Commanders Course, the 3 month Weapons Course and the 4–5 week Fighter Integration Course. These courses are reputed to be very tough and some pilots fail them. The successful graduates can go on to attain the rank of Wing Commander and command a squadron.[2]

Dissimilar air combat training (DACT) at the CCS is renowned "throughout the world" for giving complete freedom and responsibility to participating pilots for forming and executing their mission plans. Combat missions are regularly flown at tree-top height and pilots are also responsible for their own post-flight learning. Foreign Chiefs of Air Staff visiting the base have been "most impressed" and "showed surprise at the freedom allotted to the student DACT pilots."[2]

CCS has three squadrons under its command, the Skybolts currently flying the Dassault Mirage III/5 ,the Dashings currently flying the Chengdu F-7P and the “ Dragons” currently flying JF-17. [2]

CCS staff pay annual visits to all PAF fighter squadrons to evaluate and enhance combat capabilities. In June 1990 the Squadron Combat Upgradation Programme (SCUP) was initiated and four-month-long cycles were conducted by October 1990, each involving two fighter squadrons, F-16 pilots and ground controllers. SCUP was replaced by the regular Exercise Saffron Bandit in 1992, which is a more demanding and complicated near-realistic environment for participating pilots. Exercise Saffron Bandit is still supervised and its syllabus constantly improved by the CCS.[3]

Incidents

On 1 November 2007 a suicide bomber struck the 50-seat bus carrying PAF officers to nearby Kirana Ammunition Depot, killing 11 people (including 7 officers) and injuring 28. The bombing took place on Faisalabad Road, where a motorcycle loaded with explosives rammed the bus and triggered the blast. All the officers were new recruits posted to PAFB Mushaf for training.[4] This was the last major attack before the 2007 state of emergency was imposed on the country.

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See also

References
  1. Active base PAF Official Website. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  2. "Pakistan's 'Top Gun' Base". Air Forces Monthly. April 1992. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  3. "Combat Commanders School". Retrieved 13 June 2011.
  4. "Seven PAF officers among 11 dead in suicide attack". Retrieved 19 January 2008.
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