Support elements

Support elements in the PAF fulfil a variety of roles. Some make a definite contribution to tactical readiness while others are engaged on tasks of a secondary nature.Quite clearly falling into the first category are the brace of Falcon 20Fs that are flown by No 24 Sqn at Sargodha, for these have been heavily modified in order to provide electronic warfare training support. Also in this category are a small number of Lockheed T-33As which undertake target-towing for units detached to Masroor for gunnery training as well as for the Pakistan Army and Navy. Unusually, though, these are actually assigned to No 2 Sqn which also operates the F-7P, necessitating the creation of separate Flights for each type. As a result, 'A' Flight has the F-7Ps while 'B' Flight looks after the 'T-Birds', its modest complement including a couple of RT-33As which are mostly employed on civil-orientated duties such as mapping and aerial survey.

Airlift resources are consolidated within No 35 (Composite Air Transport) Wing at Chaklala, conveniently close to the Air Headquarters where the Director Air Transport looks after tasking matters. As it has done for many years, the Lockheed Hercules serves as the PAF's work-horse, No 6 (Air Transport Support) Sqn operating a mixed fleet of C-130Bs, C-130Es and former PIA L-382B-4Cs, some of which have been in service for the best part of three decades.

As its title implies, No 12 (VVIP Communications) Sqn is concerned mostly with moving high-ranking officials and dignitaries and its assets include the Presidential F27 Friendship and Falcon 20 as well as a solitary King Air 200 and a pair of Boeing 707s. The latter were also obtained from the national airline, one having a VIP interior while the other is mainly used on long-haul cargo trips.

Transport elements are completed by No 41 (Light Communications) Sqn which operates single examples of the Beech Baron and Piper Seneca as well as a trio of Cessna 172s, but mention should also be made of the Transport Conversion School which provides qualified aircrew for the Hercules as and which required using aircraft 'borrowed' from No 6 Sqn.

Finally half-a-dozen squadrons (No 81 to 86) provide local search and rescue cover at the air bases at Peshawar, Sargodha, Rafiqui-Shorkot, Masroor, Samungli-Quetta and Mianwali. In each case, two Alouette IIIs are operated, these being the only helicopters flown by the PAF.