PAF College Chaklala

PAF COLLEGE CHAKLALA

Pride of Nur Khan • Home of Nurians • Soul of Chaklalians

PAF College Chaklala previously known as the Royal Pakistan Air Force College Chaklala is a premier training institution of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), established in 1948, the institute provides academic and professional education to aviation cadets. Located in PAF Base Nur Khan, Rawalpindi, the college trains aviation cadets to become future leaders of the Pakistan Air Force, focusing on character building, leadership, and professional development. The location where the college stands today has been named after the second commander in chief of the Pakistan Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Nur Khan.

HISTORY OF PAF COLLEGE CHAKLALA 

The PAF College Chaklala was established in 1935 as an airfield for the Royal Flying Corps known as the RAF Chaklala Air Field, and after Pakistan gained independence in 1947, it was formally established as the Royal Pakistan Air Force College Chaklala on January 15, 1948, and upgraded to a flying college on December 13, 1948, and later renamed as Pakistan Air Force College Chaklala on August, 1957, training officers of the Pakistan Air Force, as well as cadets and officers of the Pakistan Army, Navy and other countries, using various aircraft including Harvard, Tiger Moth and Auster with five constituent units: College of Flying Training, College of Aeronautical Engineering, Flying Instructors School, Para Training School and Military Training Wing, hosting various events like Passing Out Parade, Convocation, Graduation and All Pakistan Bilingual Declamation Competition, and has a memorial called Falcons Hearth dedicated to cadets and instructors who died during training or on active service.

COLLEGE PROGRAMS 

The college offers various programs, including:

• General Duty Pilot (GDP) training

• Aeronautical and Avionics Engineering

• Ground Branch training

FLYING TRAINING 

PAF College Chaklala provides flying training to aviation cadets through various programs, including Primary Flying Training (PFT) using Stemme S-6 aircraft, Basic Flying Training (BFT) using MFI-17 Super Mushak aircraft, Advance Flying Training using Karakoram-8 aircraft, and Para Motor Gliders for aerial experience, with a range of training programs such as College of Flying Training, Flying Instructors School, Para Training School, and Military Training Wing, using various aircrafts to equip aviation cadets with flying skills and develop them into well-rounded officers for the Pakistan Air Force. Aviation cadets who qualify these programs equip their flying wings in a short period and get the opportunity to be part of the College Squadrons and continue to operate aircrafts based on there progress report. Some aviation cadets get their flying wings by the age of 16 - 17 years. After graduating from the College the aviation cadets are called-in for direct commission in the aviation branches of Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy as General Duty Pilots.

COLLEGE SQUADRONS 

The Squadrons of the PAF College Chaklala includes:

No.1 Squadron (Bandits)

No.1 Squadron (Bandits), which is the Primary Flying Training (PFT) Squadron operated by the PAF College Chaklala, under the command of Aviation Officer Cadet Munawar Ali "Tamgha-e-Azm" who is the current Officer Commanding of the Squadron. The Squadron is well known for being part of various military operations since 1971 which have been undertaken by the security forces of the country and its most recent part in Operation Sentinel which lasted for one-hundred and twenty days starting from December 2023 and ending in March 2024 where they were tasked with night reconnaissance missions which helped the Pakistan Military to successfully bust the terrorist bunkers in Waziristan sector. At the end of the operation eleven pilots of the Squadron were awarded the "Tamgha-e-Azm" for their bold actions and gallantry in Operation Sentinel. The main aircraft of the Squadron is the new and upgraded Stemme S-6 which was inducted into the Squadron in November 2002.

No.4 Squadron (Hawks)

No. 4 Squadron (Hawks), which is also another Primary Flying Training (PFT) Squadron operated by the PAF College Chaklala, under the command of Aviation Officer Cadet Abdul Rafay "Tamgha-e-Azm" who is the current Officer Commanding of the Squadron. The Squadron is well known for its part in various military operations since 1965 and its most recent part in Operation Sentinel which lasted for one-hundred and twenty days starting from December 2023 and ending in March 2024 where they were tasked with forward reconnaissance missions which helped the Pakistan Military to successfully bust the terrorist bunkers in Parachinar sector. Three pilots of the Squadron were awarded "Tamgha-e-Azm" for their bold actions and gallantry in Operation Sentinel. The main aircraft of the Squadron is the Stemme S-6 which was inducted into the Squadron in September 2022.

No.5 Squadron (Griffins)

No.5 Squadron (Griffins), which is the Advance Jet Training (AJT) Squadron operated by the PAF College Chaklala, under the command of Aviation Officer Cadet Sameer Shah "Tamgha-e-Azm", "Tamghae-e-Azm" and "Sitara-e-Basalat" who is the current Officer Commanding of the Squadron. The squadron has a distinguished history of participating in various military operations and forward missions since its establishment. Recently, they played a key role in Operation Sentinel, which lasted for one-hundred and twenty days from December 2023 to March 2024. During this operation, the squadron conducted night bombing missions over the Waziristan and Parachinar sectors, as well as Combat Air Patrol (CAP) missions. Their efforts resulted in the successful interception and shooting down of eight enemy UAVs, including two Iranian, three Indian, and three Afghan aircraft. Notably, two of these intercepts occurred at night, while six occurred during the day. The squadron's actions earned them a reputation as a formidable force, and six of their pilots received the prestigious "Sitara-e-Basalat" award for their bravery and gallantry. The squadron operates the Advanced Jet Trainer Karakoram-8, which was inducted into their fleet in March 2024.

No. 7 Squadron  (Stargazers)

No. 7 Squadron (Stargazers), is the Basic Flying Training (BFT) Squadron operated by the PAF College Chaklala, under the command of Aviation Officer Cadet Hamza Shehzad "Tamgha-e-Basalat" who is the current Officer Commanding of the Squadron. The Squadron is well known for its part in Operation Sentinel which lasted for one-hundred and twenty days starting from December 2023 and ending in March 2024 where the Squadron were tasked with night reconnaissance missions which helped the Pakistan Military to successfully bust the terrorist bunkers in Kurram sector. Twelve pilots of the Squadron were awarded the "Tamgha-e-Basalat" for their bold actions and gallantry in Operation Sentinel. The main aircraft of the Squadron is the MFI-17 Super Mushak which was inducted into the Squadron in January 2024.

AERONAUTICAL AND AVIONICS ENGINEER TRAINING 

PAF College Chaklala offers a four-year undergraduate program in Aeronautical and Avionics Engineering divided in two years program in PAF College Chaklala and two years program in PAF Academy Asghar Khan, accredited by PEC and HEC, covering a comprehensive curriculum including Aerospace Engineering, Avionics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Humanities, and Science, with modern facilities and an experienced faculty.

GROUND BRANCH TRAINING 

PAF College Chaklala's Ground Branch training is a four-year program that includes a comprehensive curriculum covering air operations, small arms, fieldcraft, leadership, physical exercises, military drill, sports, extracurricular activities, literary activities, educational visits, and student counseling, with training imparted by the Military Training Wing, which is sub-divided into four squadrons competing for the "Quaid-e-Azam Banner", culminating in a graduation ceremony held semi-annually, where cadets joining ground branches after completing their College years and are subjected for two years at the PAF Academy Asghar Khan, developing physical fitness, discipline, personal, and leadership qualities.

LIFE IN PAF COLLEGE CHAKLALA 

Life in PAF College Chaklala is a challenging and transformative experience, marked by strict discipline, rigorous training programs, physical and academic pursuits, leadership development, team-building, and a strong emphasis on honor, integrity, and duty, with a focus on producing well-rounded officers, equipped to lead and serve the Pakistan Air Force with integrity and professionalism, while fostering esprit de corps, traditions, and a sense of belonging, through constant evaluation, feedback, and opportunities for personal growth and development.

FACILITIES IN PAF COLLEGE CHAKLALA

The PAF College Chaklala has a range of facilities, including a Cadets' Mess, Gymnasium, Football Fields, Hockey Fields, Tennis Courts, Swimming Pool, Polo Ground, Basketball Courts, Athletics Field, Cadets' Mosque, Hobbies' Club, College Auditorium, College Library, Paradise Point, and an Air Scouting Unit, which provide aviation cadets with opportunities for physical exercise, skill development, relaxation, and mental stimulation, all aimed at shaping them into well-rounded officers.

AFFILIATIONS OF PAF COLLEGE CHAKLALA 

The PAF College Chaklala is affiliated with:

• Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Islamabad.

• Cambridge International Assesments and Education, United Kingdom.

• PAF Academy Asghar Khan, Risalpur.

• Air War College, Pakistan Air Force.

• Combat Commanders School, Mushaf.

• Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra.

• Air University, Islamabad.

MISSION OF PAF COLLEGE CHAKLALA 

The college's mission is to develop well-rounded officers who are prepared to lead and serve the Pakistan Air Force with integrity, honor, and professionalism.

VISION OF PAF COLLEGE CHAKLALA 

PAF College Chaklala's vision is to develop well-rounded individuals who can contribute to the development of a prosperous, peaceful, and enlightened society, with objectives focused on academic excellence, character development, and physical training, aiming to inculcate leadership qualities, integrity, loyalty, self-discipline, and devotion to duty, while providing undergraduate education to officer candidates for the Pakistan Air Force.