Central Air Command (Pakistan)

The Central Air Command (CAC) is one of six Major Commands in the Pakistan Air Force, reporting to the Air Headquarters at Islamabad. It is the forefront command of the PAF which handles operational activities near the Indian borders in Pakistan's Punjab province. Central Air Command is headquartered at PAF Base Lahore, in the Punjab capital Lahore.^[1][2][3][4]

Central Air Command
Active	July 1982 – present (43 years, 5 months)
Country	Pakistan
Allegiance	Pakistan Armed Forces
Branch	Pakistan Air Force
Type	Regional Command
Role	Air Defence, OCA, Offensive Ground Support, Airlift.
Headquarters	PAF Base Mushaf, Sargodha District (1982–2007) PAF Base Lahore, Lahore District (2007–Present)
Nickname	CAC
Motto	ضرب کاری
Engagements	War on terror Operation Sentinel Operation Swift Retort

CAC is commanded by a senior PAF officer known as the "Air Officer Commanding" or "AOC", who is of Air Vice Marshal rank.^[5][6]

History

During the Indo-Pakistani wars like the 1965 War and the 1971 War, Indian attacks and invasions were focused towards the central parts of Pakistan. Hence to centralize operations in the theatre, Central Air Command (CAC) was established by the PAF in July 1982. While initially headquartered in the building of Combat Commander's School at PAF Base Sargodha, it was shifted to a new location at the base of the Kirana Hills Site where it stayed for 20 years. In 2007, the command was transferred to its current location at PAF Base Lahore where it received a new office at the old terminal of the Lahore Airport by November 2018.^[1]

Components

The command controls various PAF bases which have squadrons equipped with F-16s, JF-17s, Mirage IIIs, Mirage Vs and Dassault Falcon 20s. It also commands the largest Dassault Mirage fleet in the world.^[1][7][3]

• PAF Base Mushaf
  • No. 38 Wing
• PAF Base Rafiqui
  • No. 34 Wing
• PAF Base Lahore
• PAF Base Sakesar
• Ghazi Airbase

See also

• Northern Air Command (NAC), Peshawar
• Southern Air Command (SAC), Karachi
• Air Defence Command (ADC), Rawalpindi
• Air Force Strategic Command (AFSC), Islamabad
• List of Pakistan Air Force bases
• List of active Pakistan Air Force aircraft

Published sources

• Pakistan Air Force, The Story of the Pakistan Air Force 1988-1998: A Battle Against Odds, Islamabad: Shaheen Foundation, 2000
• Pakistan Air Force, The Story of the Pakistan Air Force: A Saga of Courage and Honour, Islamabad: Shaheen Foundation, 1988
• Warnes, Alan, The Pakistan Air Force 1998-2008: A New Dawn, 2009