Nur Khan Airbase: Why Rawalpindi’s main World War II era base is important as Pakistan claims India is hit by missiles

Pakistan’s military said Indian troops launched missile strikes at three of its air bases late at night, including the strategic Nur Khan Airbase of Rawalpindi. The statement was made after Pakistan allegedly launched drones and projectiles into Indian territory to target military positions and civilian sites.The strike against Nur Khan Airbase reportedly marks an important moment in the ongoing tensions between the two countries. Located in Rawalpindi, the base is the main logistics and strategic center of the Pakistan Air Force.

Nur Khan Airbase: The main military device

Previously known as RAF Station Chaklala, Nur Khan Airbase is located in Chaklala, a suburb of Rawalpindi in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The air base built during British colonial rule was an Allied parachute training that was actively used during World War II.
In the following decades, the air force base evolved into one of Pakistan’s main transportation and logistics facilities. Until recently, it also housed Benazier Bhutto International Airport before the airport operations moved to the New Islamabad International Airport.

The existence of the American military in the past

After the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, the United States deployed about 300 military personnel along with helicopters and cargo aircraft to arrive at the Chakrala base to assist in humanitarian operations. The report also shows that the base has played a key role in supporting U.S. operations in Afghanistan since the second half of 2001. During the War on Terror, it coordinated logistics and intelligence coordination with Islamabad.

In 2009, the Air Force Base obtained an IL-78 aerial refueling aircraft, which is crucial to Pakistan’s extended range aviation missions. This increase led to the formation of the 10th MRTT squadron. In 2012, the base was renamed as PAF base Nur Khan in honor of Air Malik Nur Khan Air Malik Nur Khan, its first base commander and former air personnel chief. He was recognized for modernizing the Pakistan Air Force in the 1960s.