Pakistan Army Aviation Corps
| Pakistan Army Aviation Corps | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 14 August 1947 - |
| Country |
 Pakistan
|
| Branch |
 Pakistan Army
|
| Type | Military aviation |
| Headquarters/Garrison | Army Aviation Command, Rawalpindi |
| Engagements | see Military history of Pakistan |
| Decorations | 9×Sitara-i-Jurat 13×Sitara-i-Basalat 15xTamgha-i-Basalat COAS Commendation Cards Imtiazi Sanads |
| Battle honours | Chumak (Siachin) Saviours |
| Commanders | |
| General Officer Commanding | Maj Gen Khalil Dar |
| Notable commanders |
Lt Gen AB Awan Brigadier Jabbar Maj Gen Azam Brigadier Zaka Bhangoo Brigadier Raashid |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack |
AH-1 Cobra Z-10 Fierce Thunderbolt Bell AH-1Z Viper IAR 330 T129 ATAK Eurocopter Fennec |
| Trainer helicopter | Schweizer S300-C |
| 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 Corps (Urdu: ﺁرمى اويشن كور; Army Aviation Corps), abbreviated as Avn, 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.
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.
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 has actively participated in Siachin Conflict, Kargil Conflict and War on Terror. The daring pilots of Pakistan Army Aviation have conducted some of the most historic and difficult missions in Aviation history, in pursuit of which some of them laid down their lives. They are known for their professionalism for high altitude flying, combat, assault and rescue missions.
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Wikipedia