List of Pakistan Air Force squadrons

The following is a list of all active aircraft squadrons of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), sorted by type. Squadrons are listed by their current names and roles.

This article contains dynamic lists that may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Aerial Refueling Squadrons

Squadron	Nickname	Role	Command	Wing	Date Established	Base	Aircraft	Notes
No. 10 Squadron	Bulls	Multi-role Tanker Transport	Air Defence Command	35 Composite Air Transport Wing	15 August 1959	PAF Base Nur Khan	Il-78MP	[1]

Aerobatics Display Squadrons

Squadron	Nickname	Role	Command	Wing	Date Established	Base	Aircraft	Notes
PAF Formation Aerobatics Team	Sherdils	Aerobatics Display	Air Defence Command	College of Flying Training	17 August 1972	PAF Academy Asghar Khan	K-8P
PAF Falcons	Falcons	Aerobatics Display		College of Flying Training	1956 - 1966	PAF Base Mauripur	F-86 Sabre
Paybills		Aerobatics Display			1952 - 1958	PAF Station Drigh Road	Supermarine Attacker

Airborne Early Warning Squadrons

Squadron	Nickname	Role	Command	Wing	Date Established	Base	Aircraft	Notes
No. 3 Squadron	Angels	AEW&C	Northern Air Command	33 Tactical Wing	1 July 1957	PAF Base Minhas	Saab 2000 Erieye	[2]
No. 4 Squadron(Retired)	Karakoram Eagles	AEW&C	Southern Air Command	32 TA Wing	15 August 1959	PAF Base Masroor	ZDK-03	[3][4]
No. 53 Squadron	Hawks	AEW&C	Southern Air Command	41 Tactical Wing	1 July 2021	PAF Base Bholari	Saab 2000 Erieye

Combat Squadrons

Squadron	Nickname	Role	Command	Wing	Date Established	Base	Aircraft	Notes
No. 2 Squadron	Minhasians	Multi-role	Southern Air Command	39 Tactical Wing	15 April 1956	PAF Base Masroor	JF-17A	[3][5][6][7][8][9]
No. 5 Squadron	Falcons	Multi-role	Southern Air Command	39 Tactical Wing	15 August 1947	PAF Base Shahbaz	F-16C/D Block 52+	[3][10]
No. 7 Squadron	Bandits	Tactical Attack	Southern Air Command	32 TA Wing	June 1960	PAF Base Masroor	Mirage III ROSE I
No. 8 Squadron	Haiders	Tactical Attack	Southern Air Command	32 TA Wing	11 May 1960	PAF Base Masroor	JF-17C Block lll	[11]
No. 9 Squadron	Griffins	Multi-role	Central Air Command	38 MR Wing	3 January 1944	PAF Base Mushaf	F-16AM/BM	[3][12]
No. 11 Squadron	Arrows	Multi-role	Southern Air Command	39 Tactical Wing	1 January 1949	PAF Base Shahbaz	F-16 AM/BM	[13]
No. 14 Squadron	Tail Choppers	Air Superiority	Central Air Command	34 TA Wing	1 November 1948	PAF Base Rafiqui	JF-17A	[14][8][9]
No. 15 Squadron	Cobras	Multi-role	Northern Air Command	33 Tactical Wing	5 June 1955	PAF Base Minhas	J-10C	[3][15]
No. 16 Squadron	Black Panthers	Multi-role	Northern Air Command	33 Tactical Wing	April 1957	PAF Base Minhas	JF-17C Block lll[16]	[17]
No. 17 Squadron	Tigers	Air Superiority	Northern Air Command	36 TA Wing	1 April 1957	PAF Base Peshawar	F-7PG	[3][18]
No. 25 Squadron	Eagles	Tactical Attack	Central Air Command	34 TA Wing	January 1966	PAF Base Rafiqui	Mirage 5 ROSE II	[3][19][20]
No. 26 Squadron	Black Spiders	Multi-role	Northern Air Command	36 TA Wing	30 August 1967	PAF Base Peshawar	JF-17A	[21][22]
No. 27 Squadron	Zarrars	Tactical Attack	Central Air Command	34 TA Wing	April 2007	PAF Base Rafiqui	Mirage 5 ROSE III	[23]
No. 28 Squadron	Phoenixes	Multi-role	Western Air Command	31 AS Wing	28 February 2018	PAF Base Samungli	JF-17A	[24][25]
No. 50 Squadron	Saf Shikan	Tactical Attack	Central Air Command	34 TA Wing	16 December 2021	PAF Base Rafiqui	Mirage 5PA	[26]

Combat Commanders' School Squadrons

Main article: Combat Commanders' School

Squadron	Nickname	Role	Command	Wing	Date Established	Base	Aircraft	Notes
CCS F-16 Squadron (No. 29 Squadron)	Aggressors	Advanced Air Combat Tactics Development & Training	Central Air Command	PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence	16 July 1988	PAF Base Mushaf	F-16A/B MLU	[27][28][29]
CCS JF-17 Squadron	Fierce Dragons	Advanced Air Combat Tactics Development & Training	Central Air Command	PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence	26 January 2015	PAF Base Mushaf	JF-17A/B	[30][31][32][28]
CCS Mirage Squadron	Sky Bolts	Advanced Air Combat Tactics Development & Training	Central Air Command	PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence	5 May 1976	PAF Base Mushaf	Dassault Mirage IIIEA, Dassault Mirage 5PA	[27][28]
CCS F-7PG Squadron (No. 23 Squadron)	Talons	Advanced Air Combat Tactics Development & Training	Central Air Command	PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence	16 March 1961 (transferred to CCS from 31 AS Wing (Western Air Command), PAF Base Samungli (Quetta) in February 2023)	PAF Base Mushaf	F-7PG/FT-7PG

Electronic Warfare Squadrons

Squadron	Nickname	Role	Command	Wing	Date Established	Base	Aircraft	Notes
No. 24 Squadron	Blinders	EW	Central Air Command	38 MR Wing	December 1962	PAF Base Mushaf	Falcon 20

Search and Rescue Squadrons

Squadron	Nickname	Role	Command	Wing	Date Established	Base	Aircraft	Notes
No. 81 Squadron	Kangaroos	SAR	Northern Air Command	36 TA Wing	1965	PAF Base Peshawar	Alouette III	[33]
No. 82 Squadron	Stallions	Combat Support	Central Air Command	38 MR Wing	1967	PAF Base Mushaf	AW139	[33]
No. 83 Squadron	Kites	SAR	Central Air Command	34 TA Wing	1972	PAF Base Rafiqui	Alouette III	[33]
No. 84 Squadron	Dolphins	Combat Support	Southern Air Command	32 TA Wing	1968	PAF Base Masroor	AW139 Mi-171Sh	[33]
No. 85 Squadron	Saviours	SAR	Southern Air Command	31 AS Wing	12 March 1968	PAF Base Samungli	Alouette III	[33]
No. 86 Squadron	Ababeel	SAR	Northern Air Command	37 Combat Training Wing	October 1983	PAF Base M. M. Alam	Alouette III	[33]
No. 87 Squadron	Dragonflies	SAR	Northern Air Command	33 Tactical Wing	July 1997	PAF Base Minhas	Alouette III Mi-171Sh
No. 88 Squadron	Rams	Combat Support	Southern Air Command	39 Tactical Wing		PAF Base Shahbaz	AW139	[34]

Training Squadrons

Squadron	Nickname	Role	Command	Wing	Date Established	Base	Aircraft	Notes
No. 1 Squadron	Rahbers	Fighter Conversion Unit	Northern Air Command	37 Combat Training Wing	28 April 1975	PAF Base M. M. Alam	K-8P	[35]
No. 18 Squadron	Sharp Shooters	Operational Conversion	Southern Air Command	41 Tactical Wing	1 February 1958	PAF Base Bholari	JF-17A JF-17B	[36][37]
No. 19 Squadron	Sherdils	Operational Conversion	Southern Air Command	41 Tactical Wing	1 February 1958	PAF Base Bholari	F-16 ADF	[38]
No. 20 Squadron	Cheetahs	Operational Conversion	Northern Air Command	37 Combat Training Wing	March 1956	PAF Base M. M. Alam	F-7PG
No. 22 Squadron	Ghazis	Operational Conversion	Southern Air Command	32 TA Wing	June 1984	PAF Base Masroor	Mirage IIIEL/DL	[39]
1 PFT Squadron		Primary Training	Air Defence Command	Primary Flying Training Wing	1947	PAF Academy Asghar Khan	Mushshak
2 PFT Squadron		Primary Training	Air Defence Command	Primary Flying Training Wing	1947	PAF Academy Asghar Khan	Mushshak
1 BFT Squadron		Basic Training	Air Defence Command	Basic Flying Training Wing	July 1974	PAF Academy Asghar Khan	T-37B/C
2 BFT Squadron		Basic Training	Air Defence Command	Basic Flying Training Wing	July 1974	PAF Academy Asghar Khan	T-37B/C
1 AJT Squadron		Advanced Training	Air Defence Command	Advanced Jet Training Wing	1994	PAF Academy Asghar Khan	K-8P
Flying Instructors School		Instructor Training	Air Defence Command	College of Flying Training	15 April 1952	PAF Academy Asghar Khan	T-37	[40]
Helicopter Flying Training School		Helicopter Conversion	Northern Air Command	36 TA Wing	1995	PAF Base Peshawar	Alouette III	[41]
Shooter Squadron		LIFT	Northern Air Command	37 Combat Training Wing	11 December 2017	PAF Base M. M. Alam	F-7P	[42]
Transport Conversion School		Transport Conversion	Air Defence Command	35 Composite Air Transport Wing	April 1975	PAF Base Nur Khan	C-130	[43]

Transport Squadrons

Squadron	Nickname	Role	Command	Wing	Date Established	Base	Aircraft	Notes
No. 6 Squadron	Antelopes	Air Mobility	Air Defence Command	35 Composite Air Transport Wing	1 December 1942	PAF Base Nur Khan	C-130B/E/L-100	[44]
No. 12 Squadron	Burraqs	VIP Transport	Air Defence Command	35 Composite Air Transport Wing	March 1950	PAF Base Nur Khan	GIV-SP Citation Excel	[45][46]
No. 21 Squadron	Globe Trotters	Air Transport	Southern Air Command	40 Air Mobility Wing	15 November 2006	PAF Base Faisal	C-130E Saab 2000	[47][48]
No. 41 Squadron	Albatross	VIP Light Communication	Air Defence Command	35 Composite Air Transport Wing	June 1966	PAF Base Nur Khan	Phenom 100 Y-12II
No. 52 Squadron	Markhors	Air Transport	Air Defence Command	35 Composite Air Transport Wing	14 March 2020	PAF Base Nur Khan	CN-235-220	[49]

Unmanned Squadrons

Squadron	Nickname	Role	Command	Wing	Date Established	Base	Aircraft	Notes
No. 60 Squadron	Pegasus	Reconnaissance		No. 42 Wing	April 2007	PAF Base Murid	GIDS Shahpar	[50]
No. 61 Squadron		Armed reconnaissance		No. 42 Wing	April 2007	PAF Base Murid	NESCOM Burraq, Shahpar-I
No. 62 Squadron	Hoopoes	ISR & OCU		No. 42 Wing	September 2003	PAF Base Murid	Selex ES Falco
No. 63 Squadron	Harriers	ISR	Northern Air Command		10 August 2021	PAF Base MM Alam	CAIG Wing Loong II
No. 64 Squadron		ISO	Northern Air Command	No. 42 Wing	March 2022	PAF Base Murid	Bayraktar TB2
No. 65 Squadron	Knights	Multi-role		No. 42 Wing	March 2023	PAF Base Murid	Bayraktar Akinci

See also

• Pakistan portal
• Aviation portal

• List of Pakistan Air Force bases
• List of Pakistan Air Force air defence squadrons
• List of Pakistan Air Force wings
• Pakistan Air Force
• Pakistan Naval Air Arm

References

Footnotes

1. Warnes, Alan (July 2010). "On The Edge". Air Forces Monthly (July 2010). United Kingdom: Key Publishing Limited: 56. Archived from the original on 6 June 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2010. Last year saw the delivery of the first Il-78 Midas air-to-air refueller and also the first Russian aircraft into the inventory – hence the R in front of the serial. The newly established 10 Multi Role Tanker Transport Sqn at Chaklala operates the aircraft, which will be joined by a second example.
2. Warnes, Alan (July 2010). "On The Edge". Air Forces Monthly (July 2010). United Kingdom: Key Publishing Limited: 59. Archived from the original on 6 June 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2010. After years of trying to acquire a much needed airborne early warning platform, Pakistan's first Saab 2000 Erieye was officially inducted into service, with 13 Squadron, on December 29, 2009. A second example followed in late April and the third and fourth will follow by the end of the year.
3. Umair Aslam (4 February 2022). "Pakistan Air Force Conducts National Air Defense Exercise". DefenseTalks.com.
4. "Pakistan Air Force commissions Karakoram Eagle AWACS aircraft". Airforce Technology. 2015-03-01. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
5. "Pakistan's PAF Re-equip Squadron No 2 Minhas With JF-17". Archived from the original on 21 November 2015.
6. Pike, John. "Squadron". globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 2016-12-29.
7. Dawn.com, APP (20 August 2015). "44 years ago today: Rashid Minhas takes his plane down for Pakistan". dawn.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018.
8. Herk, Hans van (11 November 2020). "Pakistan JF-17 Thunder unit shuffles". www.scramble.nl. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
9. "Pakistan JF-17 Thunder unit shuffles". 11 November 2020.
10. "Pakistan receives last batch of F-16 combat jets". www.f-16.net. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
11. Gp Capt SULTAN M HALI. "B-57 THE INTREPID BOMBER OF PAF". Defence Journal. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
12. "9 sqn "Griffins" (PAF)". www.f-16.net. Archived from the original on 29 June 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
13. "F-16 Units - PAF 11th squadron". www.f-16.net. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
14. Dawn.com (2017-02-16). "PAF No.14 'Tail choppers' Squadron re-equipped with JF-17 Thunder jets". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
15. "Six China-made J-10C jets inducted into PAF". Dawn. 12 March 2022.
16. "Pakistan's air Black Panthers received JF-17 Block 3 killers". 2023-03-01. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
17. "JF-17 build-up progresses". 12 April 2011. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
18. "Final Salute to F-6". Archived from the original on 2008-03-26. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
19. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-12-30. Retrieved 2016-12-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
20. "Fighterpilotuniversity.com". www.fighterpilotuniversity.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-30.
21. "No. 26 Squadron PAF Re-Equips with JF-17". Pakistan Air Force Official Website. Archived from the original on 2022-08-26. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
22. Warnes, Alan (July 2011). "JF-17 – Thunder from the East". Air Forces Monthly (#280). Key Publishing: 47–70.
23. "New Fighter Squadron added to Pakistan Air Force". Article. Islamabad, Pakistan: Pakistan Times. April 2007. Archived from the original on 7 July 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
24. "PAF remembers creation of JF-17-equipped No 28 MR Squadron". Tribune.pk. 1 March 2022.
25. "PAF raises new JF-17 squadron at Samungli". geo.tv. Archived from the original on 2018-03-01.
26. Falcons, P. A. F. (2021-12-15). "Pakistan Air Force has raised a new No. 50 Tactical Squadron 'Saf Shikan". PAF Falcons. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
27. Pakistan Air Force, The Story of the Pakistan Air Force 1988-1998: A Battle Against Odds, Islamabad: Shaheen Foundation, 2000 (p. 290)
28. "Orbats".
29. "Pakistan tries to flex muscles; Creates PAF's "Aggressor Squadron" along the border with India in the Mushaf area". 20 March 2019.
30. "Pride of Pakistan JF-17 Thunder inducted into PAF CCS". The Nation. 2015-01-27. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
31. "JF-17 Thunder aircraft inducted in PAF Combat Commanders' School". 26 January 2015.
32. "JF-17 Thunder inducted in PAF Combat Commanders School | SAMAA".
33. "No. 81-86 Squadrons of PAF". GlobalSecurity.org.
34. "PAF's No 88 squadron equipped with Augusta helicopters - Associated Press of Pakistan". Archived from the original on 2018-03-06. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
35. "Re-equipment Ceremony of No 1 FCU, held at PAF Base Mianwali, Islamabad". Pakistan Air Force. Archived from the original on 2012-04-30.
36. "PAC Kamra rolls out final 14 JF-17B fighters for Pakistan Air Force". Janes.com. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
37. "[image]". encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com.
38. "Pakistan receives first five F-16s from Jordan". www.f-16.net. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
39. "PAF pays tribute to martyrs, ghazis of 1971 war". 14 December 2021.
40. "Flying Instructors School (FIS)". www.joinpaf.gov.pk. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
41. "Helicopter Flying Training School". www.joinpaf.gov.pk. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
42. "Air Chief Inaugurates Shooter Squadron at PAF Base MM ALAM". Pakistan Air Force Official Website. 11 December 2017. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
43. "Transport Conversion School". www.joinpaf.gov.pk. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
44. "No. 6 Squadron 75th Anniversary (PAF Events)". Pakistan Air Force Official Website. Archived from the original on 2022-08-26. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
45. "DGPR Pakistan Air Force". Instagram (Press release). 22 August 2021.
46. Group Captain (R) Husseini & Pakistan Air Force. PAF over the Years (Revised ed.). Directorate of Media Affairs, Pakistan Air Force.
47. "PAF's cargo ship participates in International Air Tattoo show". Khyber News. 2017-07-13.
48. Air Cdre (Rtd.) Muhammad Ali & S.Khalil (29 November 2021). "Jinnah's Legacy A Tale of Burraqs'". Second To None. Directorate of Media Affairs Pakistan Air Force. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
49. S.Khalil (13 February 2021). "Markhors:New Beginnings". Second To None. Directorate of Media Affairs Pakistan Air Force. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
50. Khan, Farhat; Hashmi, Qadeer (2024). History of the Pakistan Air Force (2014-2023): The Next Generation Air Force (1st ed.). ISBN 978-969-7518-01-2.

External links

• Pakistan Air Force Squadrons
• Pakistan Air Force Order of Battle
• Pakistan Air Force Museum