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PAF Base Qadri

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Coordinates: 35°20′30″N 75°31′21″E / 35.34167°N 75.52250°E / 35.34167; 75.52250
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Qadri Airbase
قادری ایئربیس
Skardu, Baltistan in Pakistan
Qadri from bird eye view.
A board bearing the base's name.
Qadri Airbase is located in Gilgit Baltistan
Qadri Airbase
Qadri Airbase
Location of Qadri Airbase in Pakistan
Qadri Airbase is located in Pakistan
Qadri Airbase
Qadri Airbase
Qadri Airbase (Pakistan)
Coordinates35°20′30″N 75°31′21″E / 35.34167°N 75.52250°E / 35.34167; 75.52250
TypeForward operating base
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defense
Operator Pakistan Air Force
Controlled byNorthern Air Command
Open to
the public		Yes
ConditionOperational
Site history
Built1949 (1949)
Built by Pakistan
In useSince 1949 (1949)
Battles/warsPak Indo War 1965

Pak Indo War 1971 Kargil War 1999

Kashmir Conflict 2019
Garrison information
Current
commander		Air Commodore Jamal Khan
GarrisonSkardu
OccupantsNo. 488 Mission Control Center
No. 909 MRR Squadron
No. 5 AJT Squadron, PAF College Chaklala
Airfield information
IdentifiersIATA: KDU, ICAO: OPSD
Elevation2,230 metres (7,316 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
14L/32R 3,641 metres (11,946 ft) Asphalt
14R/32L 3,641 metres (11,946 ft) Asphalt

PAF Base Qadri, (Urdu: پی اے ایف بیس قادری) is a main operating base of the Pakistan Air Force's Northern Air Command which located near the city of Skardu in the Baltistan region of Pakistan.[1][2][3][4] It is named after Air Commodore Qadri.[5] It serves as the Headquarters to the newly inducted No. 5 AJT Squadron, belonging to PAF College Chaklala which operates the advance Karakoram-8 jet trainer.[6][7][8]

History

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It was originally built in 1949 as an emergency airstrip together by the Pakistan Air Force and the balti locals in the area to establish a logistic supply line to Pakistani troops engaged with Indian military in post war skirmishes. It continued to function as PAF Skardu, a satellite of PAF Base Minhas. As time passed, the PAF felt the need for a base in Northern Pakistan as it could only employ F-16s from PAF Base Sargodha and PAF Base Minhas to carry out effective aerial operations over the northern parts of the country.[5]

In 2002, the base commander of Minhas airbase was killed after his Chengdu F-7P Skybolt crashed.[9] PAF Skardu was renamed PAF Qadri in his honor in 2003. By this time, it was hosting Exercise Mountain Camp annually.[5]

In the late 2010s, the camp received major infrastructure upgrades and its status was changed to an FOB+ with its role and task revised accordingly.[10] TPS-77 and SPADA-2000 squadrons were also deployed there for air defense.[5]

In first week of January 2025, the No. 5 AJT Squadron belonging from PAF College Chaklala was stationed here under the command of the squadron's officer commanding, Aviation (Officer) Cadet, Wing-Under-Officer Sameer Shah.[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Khan, Mona (2017-03-24). "PAF chief warns against any aggression; all forward airbases made operational". Geo News.
  2. ^ "Air Chief Visits a Forward Operating Base" (PDF) (Press release). DGPR Pakistan Air Force. 2017-05-24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-03-03.
  3. ^ Altaf, Arhama (2020-07-25). "Air Chief visits Skardu to witness operational activities at PAF Base". Bol news.
  4. ^ "Air chief witnesses operational exercise at PAF Base QADRI". Daily times. 2020-07-25.
  5. ^ a b c d Khan, Farhat; Hashmi, Qadeer (2024). History of the Pakistan Air Force (2014-2023): The Next Generation Air Force (1st ed.). pp. 235–237. ISBN 978-969-7518-01-2.
  6. ^ "PAF College Chaklala". 2023.
  7. ^ "PAF College Chaklala". 2023.
  8. ^ "Karakoram-8 Aircraft". 2021-07-30.
  9. ^ Malik, Yaqoob (2002-07-20). "PAF Minhas Base commander dies in plane crash". Dawn.
  10. ^ "Pak upgrading Skardu airbase". The Pakistan Military Monitor. 2024-05-09.
  11. ^ "New Equipment at Qadri". 2025.
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