PAF Base Bholari

Pakistan Air Force Base, Bholari is a PAF Airbase located near the town of Bholari, Jamshoro District in Sindh Province, northeast of Karachi. It is one of Pakistan's most modern main operational bases which was inaugurated in December 2017.^[3] Construction of the base started in December 2015.^[4] As of now No. 19 Sqn PAF (equipped with the F-16 Block-15 AB) and No. 18 Sqn PAF (equipped with the JF-17 A/B Block-2) are based there.^[5][6][7] The base is also home to the SAAB 2000 AEWACs aircraft.

Bholari Airbase
پی اے ایف بیس بھولاری
Part of Southern Air Command
Jamshoro District, Sindh Near Bholari in  Pakistan
Bholari Airbase Location of Bholari airbase in Pakistan Show map of Sindh Bholari Airbase Bholari Airbase (Pakistan) Show map of Pakistan Bholari Airbase Bholari Airbase (Asia) Show map of Asia
Coordinates	25°14′35″N 68°02′11″E
Type	Air Force base
Code	PK-0070
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defense
Operator	Pakistan Armed Forces
Controlled by	Pakistan Air Force
Condition	Operational
Website	Pakistan Air Force
Site history
Built	1942
Built for	Royal Indian Air Force  Pakistan Air Force
Built by	British Raj (foundation) Bholari Development Board (later upgradation)
Architect	Project Bholari
In use	1942-1945 2015-Present
Battles/wars	Operation Swift Retort
Garrison information
Garrison	41 Tactical Wing
Occupants	18 OCU "Sharp Shooters" 19 OCU "Sherdils" 53 AEW&C Squadron "Hawks"
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: none, ICAO: none
Runways Direction Length and surface 04/22 3,365 metres (11,040 ft) Asphalt 04/22 3,365 metres (11,040 ft) Asphalt
Reference(s): [1][2]

In 2020 the base hosted Exercise Shaheen IX, a joint Pakistani-Chinese aerial exercise.^[8]

References

1. "PAF Bholari data". Airport Map.
2. 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.
3. Bhat, Col Vinayak (20 April 2018). "Pakistan's newest airbase in Sindh province suspected of storing nuclear weapons". ThePrint. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
4. "Pakistan Air Force Inaugurates Main Operating Base In Sindh Province". www.defenseworld.net. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
5. Kamran, Raja. "PAF Inaugurates New Air Base in Bholari". Retrieved 10 December 2020.
6. "PAF opens new operational base at Bholari". 26 December 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
7. "PAF's Bholari base inaugurated". 26 December 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
8. "China-Pakistan Air Forces to hold joint exercises - Times of India". The Times of India. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.