PAF Base, Sargodha started functioning as a station in July 1951, with WG. CDR M M Piracha it's first C.O. In April 1959, No 2 SOS was also established at the Base. GRP CAP Salah-ud-Din assumed the command just before the F-86s arrived in April 1960. No 5 Sqn, 11 Sqn and 16 Sqn and rescue flight were located at Sargodha. In 1961 No 9 Sqn recived F-104 aircraft and No 15 and 20 Sqns were added to the list of units already stationed.
From 1962, the task of operational readiness was given priority and GRP CAP S. Khan started to prepare the base for it's war time role. The first step was to have all over widely spread out taxi track, hard standings and roads repaired. At the end of 1963, 35 pens were ready, there were another 50 hard standings, around which pens were to be constructed in future years. This was the time in which maximum stress was given to pilot training, and they were educated about the "enemy". It gave them the awareness about airfields, aircraft deployment, radars, ack ack defence and other military activities.
Right from it's birth, Sargodha base has been faced with one challenging task after another. All the new weapon systems inducted into the PAF were first introduced here. In the formative stages, the base was made to house a few Sqns of F-86 Sabres. A measure of how well the training was done was to prove a milestone during the 1965 war. The pilots flew the F-86, outnumbered and pitched against superior performance of Hunters and Gnats and yet won decisively. Even before the war while the fancy with the F-86 not even begun to wear out, in came the F-104 Starfighter, then much venerated, being the leading fighter/interceptor in the world, it took Sargodha by storm, where there was a mad rush to excel and get selected to fly the F-104. Those who were fortunate and did get to fly the F-104, never quite landed. Even on the ground they were a few feet off and soaring.

Just after the 1965 war, the F-6s arrived -- the aircraft with as much spirit as the PAF fighter pilots. The two did not take to each other easily, and it was perhaps the most difficult challenge to the base, both from maintenance as well as flying viewpoint, however the challenge was there to be met, it took some time, but the F-6 was eventually tamed. The fact is that the MIG-19 (F-6) has never been flown better or used more effectively anywhere in the world than by the PAF!

Before the F-6 had been fully mastered, the Mirage 111s made their appearance in the PAF, and again at Sargodha. The Mirage was a big step ahead; a new generation aircraft altogether. It took people in Sargodha back to their aerodynamics and math books, and for some time the talk around Sargodha was very scientific. What ever the Mirage was, it didn't take long to be inducted and in no time the pilots, engineers and the technicians closed the generation gap and mastered it

After such an exiting and thrilling time, it now seemed that only something extra-ordinary and the very best could make a ripple in Sargodha, and the very best it was indeed what Sargodha received. The Fighting Falcon; the worlds best fighter was a befitting tribute to this ultimate fighter pilot's base.
The induction and full exploitation of F-16 was to dominate the scene for several years.

Sargodha -- Home of the fighters -- is today manned by the finest breed of officers of all ranks and branches, who have been trained in their skills elaborately at institutions within the PAF.
The skies of Sargodha with their strength of fighter squadrons are always lively with fighter jocks zipping by and whenever there are non-flying days, it seems that there is something really missing.

In 1982, with the re-organisation of command and structure the Central Air Command Headquarters was also established at Sargodha, the base itself is under major extension possibly awaiting for the next arrival, one wonders what would it be?

Such a nice, well versed and heart warming article. Thanks for sharing.

Your kind words are very encourging indeed

REGARDS

Thanks for sharing.

Pleasure!

nice history man!

That was good---thank you. I have wonderful memories of Srgodha & Sakesar.

It was a place that kept on advancing wid time and had it not been for our idiotic politicians and foolish foreign policy makers we would have had kept on upgrading this facility wid modern stuff...i just hope we are able to cover up for the massive amount of time that we have lost in the pasT!!

Ironically, if you check out on Google earth, some serious development has been taking place next to the orignal base, looks like a satelite airfield.

I see something common in Haripur, Sargodha and Gujranwala ;-)

Excellent move for this developement.
Got your point and that is true.......

Check out the airbase in Multan and Faisalabad, it's a sight for sour eyes.

Wow interesting.
Any other developments in PAF Sargodha?

Would someone inform me as which PAF base is called Shahbaz?
According to the Airchief, the new block-52 will be based there!

I think it's jacobabad.

Thanks bro, but I thought Jacobabad is an army base, the Shabaz airbase is home to some Mirage units, could it be Rafiqui???

Jacobabad Air Base is called PAF Shahbaz.

If thats the case then according to the airchief the new F-16 C/Ds will be based there!

makes sense since it will cover sindh the coast and importantly indian bases such as jodhpur and bikaner etc.

Had a look at Jacobabad, I tell you some serious infrastructure is taking place, specially the "HAS" have been set up in a unique pattern!

What is "HAS"???

It's short for Hardened Aircraft Shelter, also called concrete pens .

Anyway good to hear from you !!!

ohkey...=)

Regards