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PAF Base Shahbaz

Coordinates: 28°17′4″N 68°27′1″E / 28.28444°N 68.45028°E / 28.28444; 68.45028
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Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz
پی اے ایف بیس شہباز
Part of Southern Air Command
Jacobabad, Sindh in  Pakistan
Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz is located in Sindh
Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz
Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz
Location of Shahbaz airbase in Pakistan
Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz is located in Pakistan
Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz
Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz
Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz (Pakistan)
Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz is located in Asia
Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz
Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz
Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz (Asia)
Coordinates28°17′4″N 68°27′1″E / 28.28444°N 68.45028°E / 28.28444; 68.45028
TypeMilitary airbase
Site information
OwnerCivil Aviation Authority (till 1967)
Ministry of Defense (since 1967)
Operator Pakistan Air Force
Controlled bySouthern Air Command
Open to
the public		Partially
Site history
Built1942 (1942)
Built by British Raj
In use1942 - Present
Battles/warsWorld War II
1999 Air Alert
Operation Enduring Freedom
Garrison information
Garrison39 Tactical Wing
Occupants5 Squadron "Falcons"
11 Squadron "Arrows"
88 Squadron "Rams"
Airfield information
IdentifiersIATA: JAG, ICAO: OPJA
Elevation56 metres (184 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
15L/33R 3,060 metres (10,039 ft) Asphalt
Source: DAFIF[1][2]

Pakistan Air Force Base, Shahbaz (Urdu: پاک فضائیہ شہباز ایئربیس (IATA: JAG, ICAO: OPJA), lit. Shahbaz Airbase) is a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) base and airport, which the PAF and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) operate jointly. It is located in the town of Jacobabad at the northern part of Sindh province. The base is named after the Shahbaz bird from Persian mythology.

History

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In the wake of World War II, the British Raj built an airfield at the old town of Jacobabad in 1942 for use by the Royal Air Force. After Pakistan's independence in 1947, the airfield was inherited by the Civil Aviation Department who in 1967, granted the PAF operational and administrative control of the airfield. Jacobabad airfield resultantly became a Forward operating base and functioned as a satellite station of PAF Base Masroor and later PAF Base Samungli.[3][4]

The airfield was activated amid the Kargil War in 1999 during which F-16s of the 11 Squadron "Arrows" were deployed there for Air alert duties. It was again activated after the United States invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, in which the airbase was heavily used by NATO for Operation Enduring Freedom. It remained the hub of logistic support operations for NATO forces in Afghanistan till November 2004. From 2005 and 2009, the airbase hosted many national and multi-nation military exercises including the first of "Exercise Falcon Talon" series along with Exercise High Mark in 2005 and 2010.[3][4]

In 2007, the Air Headquarters chose Jacobabad airfield to host one of PAF's oldest and elite squadron; the No. 5 Squadron PAF, which was due to receive advanced F-16C/D Fighting Falcons in June 2010. Since Jacobabad required major infrastructure upgrades in order to host the new squadron and her aircrafts, the PAF launched Project Shahbaz under which extensive construction and development of facilities were done at the airfield. Subsequently, Jacobabad airfield was transformed into a Main operating base and renamed PAF Base Shahbaz. The first 5 F-16s landed at the base on 26 June 2010 followed by another batch on 13 December 2010. No. 11 Squadron was also permanently deployed there after receiving it's F-16A/B MLUs which was followed by the establishment of the 88 Search and Rescue Squadron with Leonardo AW-139s in June 2017.[3][4]

F-16C Block 52+ taxis on the runway as the older Dassault Mirage of 5 Squadron await to be replaced during the re-equipment ceremony at PAF Base Shahbaz

Many facilities have also been contructed for the airbase's community over the years which included a Sports Complex, Churches for Christian community, water filteration plants etc.[3][4]

2010 and 2012 Floods

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Main articles: 2010 Pakistan floods, 2012 Pakistan floods, and Climate change in Pakistan

Operational activities of the base were disrupted during heavy monsoon rainfalls and floods in 2010 with ongoing construction projects being halted. Despite the challenging situation and personal hardships, the airmen of the Shahbaz airbase remained actively involved in relief operations at neighboring districts.[3]

In 2012, runway of the base got flooded and suspended flying operations till the water was pumped out again.[3]

Today

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Currently, Lockheed Martin contract personnel are present here.[5][6]

Units

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References

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  1. ^ "Airport information for OPJA". World Aero Data. Archived from the original on 2019-03-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) Data current as of October 2006. Source: DAFIF.
  2. ^ Airport information for JAG at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
  3. ^ a b c d e f Hashmi, Qadeer. The History of the Pakistan Air Force 1999-2013.
  4. ^ a b c d 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.
  5. ^ "South Asia | US defends Pakistan F-16 jet deal". BBC News. 2005-03-26. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
  6. ^ "Pak gets three upgraded F-16 jets - Rediff.com India News". News.rediff.com. 2010-06-26. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
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