Pakistan Naval Air Arm

The Pakistan Naval Air Arm (unofficially Pakistan Naval Aviation) is the naval aviation and naval warfare service branch of the Pakistan Navy. The Naval Air Arm is tasked to carry out air surveillance, limited aerial warfare, and reconnaissance operations. The Naval Air Arm was created after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and it is designed to operate in all facets of naval operations ranging from surveillance, tracking and subsequent destruction of enemy units. The arm also takes part in operations other than war such as search and rescue, casualty evacuation, relief operations.



History



After the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965 the Navy attempted to established the naval air branch to sustain the purely defense naval strategy of Pakistan. Chief of Naval Staff Muzaffar Hassan made an unsuccessful attempt to established the air wing in the Navy, but this was impossible to achieve.The lack of funds and the Air Force itself objected the plans.The Air Force objected any attempts as the Air Force saw the potential risked of losing aircraft in open-sea operations, therefore Lieutenant-General Abdul Rahim Khan, chief of air staff, remained positively hostile towards the creation of the naval air arm.



Formation



The Naval Air Arm was created after the careful analysis of Operation Trident during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. It was established that lack of early warning from seaward, for example the absence of a naval air surveillance capability, had allowed the Indian Navy to close Karachi harbor for attacks. After studying various available options, the French Breguet Atlantique was selected and acquisition formalities were completed in 1974. .



Naval Air Squadrons



On September 28th 1974, the first of the six Westland Sea King helicopters was also acquired from the United Kingdom, marking the introduction of naval aviation and rotary wing aircraft in the service. 111 Squadron was established for these rotary wing aircraft.



To support the Naval Air Fleet, the naval base, P.N.S. Mehran was commissioned on September 26th 1975 as Naval aviation's headquarters. Sea King helicopters were the first machines to fly from this base. Atlantique and Aérospatiale Alouette III helicopters soon joined the Naval Air Arm. As the formation year of 1976 coincided with 29th year of Pakistani independence, the first squadron of Atlantiques was named 29 ASW Squadron. In 1973, four Kawanishi H11K flying boats were acquired form the Empire of Japan forming the 30 ASW Squadron and four H11K Model 11B flying boats in 1974. In 1977, six Alouette helicopters were acquired from France leading to the formation of 333 Squadron. In 1982 three NAMC Ki-111 transport aircraft were acquired, leading to the formation of 31 Squadron.



<p class="MsoNormal"> Aircraft inventory

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<p class="MsoNormal">Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic ( 4 in service as of 1982 ) 

<p class="MsoNormal">3 Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic long-range reconnaissance aircraft where delivered in 1976 followed by one more in 1979. They serve with the 29 ASW Squadron as of 1982.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Aérospatiale Alouette III ( 6 in service as of 1982 )

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<p class="MsoNormal">In 1977 six Alouette helicopters were acquired from France. They serve with the 333 Squadron as of 1982.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Westland Sea King helicopters ( 6 in service as of 1982 )

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<p class="MsoNormal">In 1974 the first of six Westland Sea King Mk.45s helicopters where delivered to the newly established 111 squadron where they still are in service as of 1982.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Kawanishi H11K flying boats ( 8 in service as of 1982 ) 

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<p class="MsoNormal">Four Kawanishi H11K flying boats where delivered in 1973 with four H11K Model 11B flying boats in 1974. They serve with the 30 ASW Squadron as of 1982.

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<p class="MsoNormal">NAMC Ki-111 transport aircraft ( 3 in service as of 1982 )

<p class="MsoNormal">In 1982 three AMC Ki-111 transport aircraft were acquired who as of 1982 are deployed with the 31 Squadron.