No. 24 Squadron (Pakistan Air Force)
| No. 24 Squadron Blinders |
|
|---|---|
| Active | December 1962 |
| Country |
 Pakistan
|
| Allegiance |
Pakistan
|
| Branch |
 Pakistan Air Force
|
| Type | Special mission unit |
| Role | Electronic warfare |
| Airbase | PAF Base Mushaf (Sargodha) |
| Nickname(s) | Blinders |
| Motto(s) | First to fly in, last to fly out. |
| Aircraft |
Dassault Falcon 20 Falcon 20F (EW variant) |
| Engagements | 1965 Indo-Pak War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Sqn Ldr M. Iqbal Sqn Ldr Rashid Mir |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Electronic warfare |
RB-57B Canberra (1962~1977) Dassault Falcon 20F (1987—Present) |
No. 24 Squadron, named the Blinders, is an electronic warfare unit of the Pakistan Air Force.
The squadron was established at PAF Base Peshawar in December 1962 and equipped with the RB-57B Rivet Flash, an electronic surveillance variant of the B-57 Canberra bomber, to fulfill the role of providing electronic intelligence of areas around Pakistan. The squadron personnel were drawn from No. 31 Bomber Wing, which was operating the PAF's B-57 Canberras, and the first squadron commander was Squadron Leader Muhammed Iqbal. Six months were spent completing a ground training course and training on the electronic surveillance equipment, two members of the squadron completing some training in the United States. In March 1964 the United States Air Force began a strategic reconnaissance operation code-named Little Cloud and deployed the two prototypes of the Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F Canberra to Peshawar, where they were maintained and flown by PAF personnel.
The 1965 Indo-Pak War saw the Blinders flying several electronic support measures (ESM) missions to assist with counter-air sorties by other PAF squadrons. In one mission, Squadron Leader M. Iqbal and his navigator Squadron Leader Saifullah Khan Lodhi provided ESM for a strike against an Indian radar station at Amritsar by PAF F-86 Sabres. Squadron Leader Rashid Mir replaced Iqbal as squadron commander when Sqn Ldr Iqbal and Sqn Ldr Lodhi were shot down in a friendly fire incident over Rahwali, during the war. Later, the squadron's new aircraft would be named Iqbal and Lodhi in honour of them.
After the 1965 Indo-Pak War the squadron conducted several more sorties deep into Indian territory. Soon after war in October 1965, Squadron Leader Rashid Mir flew an RB-57B over Agra, while being monitored by another B-57 from a large distance. The Indian Air Force attempted to engage Sqn Ldr Mir's aircraft over Agra with SA-2 Guideline surface-to-air missile but the missile exploded on launch. Another attempt was made to intercept Sqn Ldr Mir by Indian MiG-21s over the area of Pathankot/Amritsar. The aircraft was again attacked by an SA-2 Guideline missile over Ambala and this time the shockwave of the missile's warhead was reported by Sqn Ldr Mir to have buffeted the aircraft, caused an engine to flame-out and shattered the windshield with a fragment of debris. The aircraft began losing height and Indian MiG-21s again attempted to intercept, but Sqn Ldr Mir managed to reach Pakistani airspace and the Indian interceptors stopped pursuing him on detection of PAF F-104 Starfighters. The damaged aircraft was landed by Mir, though severely damaged.
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