Pakistan Air Force

Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
پاک فِضائیہ‎,; Pāk Fìzāʾiyah;
	Badge of the Pakistan Air Force
Founded	14 August 1947
Country	Pakistan
Type	Air force
Role	Aerial warfare
Size	70,000 total active personnel; 8,000 reserve;
Part of	Pakistan Armed Forces
Headquarters	Air Headquarters (AHQ), Sector E-9, Islamabad
Mottos	Urdu: قوم کا سرمایہ افتخار; "A symbol of pride for the nation" (ISPR official); Persian: صحراست که دریاست ته بال و پر ماست; "Be it deserts or seas; all lie under our wings" (traditional);
Colours
Anniversaries	Air Force Day: 7 September
Engagements	Major conflicts and wartime operations Indo-Pakistani Wars and Conflicts Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–49; Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani Air War of 1965; ; Bangladesh Independence War East Pakistan Air Operations; Indo-Pakistani War of 1971; ; 1999 Kargil War; 2001–02 India–Pakistan standoff; 2008 India–Pakistan standoff; 2019 India–Pakistan standoff; 2025 India–Pakistan border skirmishes; Arab Cold War Al-Wadiah War; Conflicts in the Middle East 1967 Arab-Israeli War; 1973 Arab-Israeli War; Gulf War; Pakistan Armed Forces deployments in Saudi Arabia; Durand Line Conflict Afghanistan–Pakistan border conflicts; Waziristan rebellion of 1948-1954; 1949 Mughalgai raid; Bajaur Campaign; 2022 Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistans; Pakistan–Afghanistan clashes (2024–present) 2024 Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan; 2025 Pakistan–Afghanistan conflict; ; Afghan Conflict Soviet–Afghan War Operation Cyclone; Second Battle of Zhawar; ; First Afghan Civil War (1989–1992); Second Afghan Civil War (1992–1996); Third Afghan Civil War (1996–2001); NATO logistics operations War in Afghanistan; Republican insurgency in Afghanistan; War in North-West Pakistan Battle of Wana; Operation al-Mizan; Battle of Mir Ali; Operation Rah-e-Haq; Operation Zalzala; Operation Sirat-e-Mustaqeem; Operation Sherdil; Operation Black Thunderstorm; Operation Rah-e-Rast; Operation Rah-e-Nijat; 2009 Khyber Pass offensive; Operation Janbaz; Mohmand offensive; Orakzai and Kurram offensive; Operation Koh-e-Sufaid; Operation Rah-e-Shahadat; Operation Khyber; January 2014 FATA airstrikes; May 2014 Waziristan airstrikes; Operation Zarb-e-Azb; Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad; Operation Azm-e-Istehkam Operation Sarbakaf; ; ; U.S. led War on Terror War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) NATO logistics in the Afghan War; 2020-2021 US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan; 2011-2016 US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan; ; Iran–Pakistan border skirmishes 2024 Iran–Pakistan conflict Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar; ; Sri Lankan Civil War Military assistance to Sri Lanka; United Nations Missions UN Protection Force Yugoslav Wars Bosnian War; ; ; Unified Task Force Somali Civil War; ; 2004 Indian Ocean relief operations; UNSM – Haiti; Operation Madadt (supplementary role); Internal Conflicts Insurgency in Balochistan (1948–present) Second Balochistan conflict; Third Balochistan conflict; Fourth Balochistan conflict; Fifth Balochistan conflict; ; Sectarian conflicts in Pakistan; Dir campaign; 1976 Dir rebellion; Miscellaneous Conflicts Nagorno−Karabakh conflict (alleged); ;
Battle honours	Major Engagements
Website	paf.gov.pk
Commanders
Commander-in-Chief	President Asif Ali Zardari
Chief of Defence Forces	F.M Asim Munir
Chief of the Air Staff	Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar
Insignia
Roundel
Fin flash
Flag
Aircraft flown
Attack	Mirage 5, Mirage III, Burraq UCAV, CH-4 UCAV, Wing Loong II UCAV, Akıncı UCAV, TB2 UCAV
Electronic; warfare	SAAB-2000 Erieye (AWACS), ZDK-03 (AWACS), Falcon DA-20 (EW), KJ-500
Fighter	F-16A/B/AM/BM/C/D, JF-17A/B/C, Chengdu J-10C
Helicopter	AW139, Mi-171
Interceptor	F-7PG
Reconnaissance	Mirage IIIRP, Jasoos I UAV, Jasoos II Bravo+ UAV, Shahpar UAV, Selex ES Falco
Trainer	MFI-17 Mushshak, MFI-395 Super Mushshak, T-37, K-8P, F-16B/D, JF-17B
Transport	C-130B/E/L-100, Gulfstream IV, Phenom 100, Saab 2000, Harbin Y-12
Tanker	Ilyushin Il-78

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) (Urdu: پاک فِضائیہ, romanised: Pāk Fizāʾiyah; pronounced [pɑːk fɪzɑːɪjəɦ]) is the aerial warfare branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces, tasked primarily with the aerial defence of Pakistan, with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Navy when required, and a tertiary role of providing strategic airlift capability to Pakistan. As of 2024, per the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the PAF has more than 70,000 active-duty personnel. Its primary mandate and mission is "to provide, in synergy with other inter-services, the most efficient, assured and cost effective aerial defence of Pakistan." Since its establishment in 1947, the PAF has been involved in various combat operations, providing aerial support to the operations and relief efforts of the Pakistani military. Under Article 243 of the Constitution, the president of Pakistan is the civilian commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), by statute a four-star air officer, is appointed by the president with the consultation and confirmation needed from the prime minister of Pakistan.