Pakistan Army Aviation Corps

Pakistan Army Aviation Corps
Active	14 August 1947 -
Country	Pakistan
Branch	Pakistan Army
Type	Military aviation
Headquarters/Garrison	Qasim Army Aviation Base Rawalpindi
Engagements	see Military history of Pakistan
Decorations	4xSitara-i-Jurat 5xSitara-i-Basalat 15xTamgha-i-Basalat
Commanders
Army Air Commander	Maj.Gen Khalil Dar
Notable commanders	BGen Zhaka Bhangou
Aircraft flown
Attack	AH-1 Cobra Z-10 Fierce Thunderbolt Bell AH-1Z Viper IAR 330 Eurocopter Fennec
Utility helicopter	Aerospatiale Alouette III Aérospatiale Puma Eurocopter AS350 Bell UH-1 Huey Bell 412 206 Jet Ranger Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama
Trainer	Mushak
Transport	Aero Commander 840 Cessna Citation Bravo Mil Mi-17
Tanker	Harbin Y-12

The Pakistan Army Aviation Corp (Urdu: ﺁرمى اويشن كور; Army Aviation Core), abbreviated as AAC, is an active combatant military administrative staff corps tasked with carrying out the military air operations, and responsible for doctrine, manning and configuration for all aviation unit.

History

Originally formed by British Army Air Corps in 1942, the entire unit was transferred to Pakistan in 1947. The officers and personnel were part of the Air Observation Post who were deployed in support of Punjab Boundary Force. Later the entire group was stationed at Chaklala Air Force Base before the partition of India.

Initially part of PAF, the Corps was split into the new service and became part of Pakistan Army in 1958. The Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering started to maintain the aircraft and helicopters given by the United States Army Aviation Branch, opening its own aviation school in 1959.

Since the 1960s, the corps expanded in momentum, manpower, and its operational scope has widened. By the 1970s, the Corps became a fighting air component of the Pakistan Army, with its attack helicopters becoming the backbone of military operations. The Corps has become an integral part of Pakistan Army's every imitated operations, and came to public and international notice in the 1970s after initiating, and successfully quelling, the serious civil war in Balochistan.

It is also a most decorated Corps of Pakistan Army, with more national citations and awards conferred and bestowed to this Corps than any combatant corps of Pakistan Army. Although it came into existence in 1947, the corps was given a full commission in 1977.

Combat operations

As for its war capabilities, the Corps has a long history; participating in every conflict and war with India, they also led and flew bombing and combat missions in the Afghanistan war, Somalian War, Sierra Leone war, Mozambique war, Sri Lankan war Bosnian war, and recently, the War in North-West Pakistan.

The Corps also initiated the non-combatant operations in 2005, when it led a massive airlift and re-location mission after the Kashmir earthquake. In 1991, the Corps was stationed in Bangladesh, where they completed its non-combat mission after the country was hit with a cyclone. Since its inception, the Corps has become a significant combatant arm of the Pakistan Army, poised for a definite and critical role be it peace or war.

Aircraft inventory

Pakistan Army operates just over 270 helicopters alongside several fixed wing aircraft.

Aircraft/System		Role	Quantity	Note
Z-10 Fierce Thunderbolt	100px	Attack helicopter	3	3 delivered and 17 total on order.
Bell AH-1Z Viper		Attack helicopter	15 on order	Including 1000 Hellfire Block-2 missiles.
Mil MI-35M Hind-E		Attack helicopter	Under testing
Bell AH-1F/S Cobra		Attack helicopter	51	20 AH-1S supplied by US between 1984 and 1986; 12 AH-1F acquired in 2007; One AH-1F squadron (14 helicopters) supplied in March 2010. 8 Ex-Jordanian AH-1S Cobras inducted in October 2013. Three lost to Crashes.
IAR 330		Attack helicopter	6	Small number in service.
Eurocopter Fennec		Attack Helicocpter	20	Used as light attack helicopter and for Reconnaissance.
Harbin Y-12	100px	Utility aircraft	2
Cessna Citation Bravo		Transport aircraft	1
Cessna Citation V		Transport aircraft	1
Aero Commander 840		Transport aircraft	2
Mil Mi-17		Transport helicopter	75
Bell 206 Jet Ranger		Utility helicopter	15
Bell 412		Utility helicopter	30
Bell UH-1 Huey		Utility helicopter	54	Large quantity Operated by Pakistan Rangers
Eurocopter AS350		Utility helicopter	15
Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma		Utility helicopter	65
Aerospatiale SA.316 Alouette III		Utility helicopter	30	Local production started in mid80,s.
Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama		Utility helicopter	20	Mainly Operated by army in Siachen Glacier .
Beechcraft Super King Air		SIGINT & ISR	2	Used for VIP purposes.

Retired Aircraft

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• Auster 5
• Auster AOP.6
• Aerospatiale SA 315B Lama
• Bell Model 47
• Bell OH-13 Sioux
• Bell Model 205
• Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
• Mil Mi-8 Hip

Gallery

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