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Name: Chandhar Airbase

Type: Pakistan Air Force operated airfield, no civilian use.

Location: Punjab, Pakistan.

Coordinates: 32° 4’38.20″N   73°47’23.65″E

Occupants: PAF

Airstrip Length: 2.4 km

Comments: There is very little information about Chandhar airbase available in open sources. It’s about 77 km away from international border and seems to be military installation for use only during war time as a way of dispersing aircraft. There are some aircraft shelters, basic underground storage bunkers but  limited support infrastructure. It’s surrounded by farms on all sides and shows very little signs of activity, construction and changes.

 

Chandhar airbase, Distance from border 77 km

Chandhar airbase, Distance from border 77 km

 

Aircraft shelter 1

Aircraft shelters 1

Aircraft shelters 2

Aircraft shelters 2

 

Aircraft shelters 3

Aircraft shelters 3

 

Hardened bunker

Hardened bunker

 

Possible underground bunker and air defence site

Possible underground bunker and air defence site

 

Unidentified (possible AD site)

Unidentified (possible AD site)

 

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Name: Shamsi Airfield (Bhandari Airstrip)

Type: Airstrip first leased to UAE for hunting wildlife, then to USA for military operations.

Location: Washuk District, Balochistan, Pakistan.

Coordinates:   27°50’51.00″N   65° 9’35.63″E

Occupants: It was used by USA as a base for Predator drones from 2001 till 2011. Leased by UAE from 1992-2001. Now presumably controlled by Pakistan FC.

Comments: Shamsi Airfield caught my interest in particular due to the fact that no new imagery is available since after 2014. Another point of interest is it’s use by USA from 2001 till 2011 as a base for armed Predator drones which were used in counter terrorism attacks in nearby areas. USA vacated this base after frictions arising due to American raids inside Pakistani territory leading to deaths of 24 Paki armymen. This base for previously under control of UAE which used it for falconry trips.

Shamsi Airfield, 440 km from IB

Shamsi Airfield, 440 km from IB

Shamsi Airfield, airstrip length 2.3 km

Shamsi Airfield, airstrip length 2.3 km

Shamsi Airfield, airstrip length 2.3 km

Transport airplane on ground

Transport airplane on ground

Structures on way to airstrip from the main road

Structures on way to airstrip from the main road

Look like shipping containers

Look like shipping containers

3 American Predator drones in 2004

3 American Predator drones in 2004

New hangars and buildings constructed after the previous image was taken Before 2004, there was only a single small hangar

New hangars and buildings constructed after the previous image was taken Before 2004, there was only a single small hangar

Unidentified structure on right was constructed after 2007

Unidentified structure on right was constructed after 2007

A Mi-17 helicopter and Paki personnel after USA's evacuation of the base.

A Mi-17 helicopter and Paki personnel after USA’s evacuation of the base.

Pakistani and American personnel near a drone

Pakistani and American personnel near a drone

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Name: Peshawar Airbase

Type: Military airbase with an adjacent civilian airport.

Location: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa., Pakistan.

Coordinates:  33°59’57.74″N   71°30’53.90″E

Occupants: No. 26 and 16 squadrons of PAF operating JF-17 fighters

Peshawar airbase. Distance from LoC 218 km

Peshawar airbase. Distance from LoC 218 km

 

Peshawar airbase. airstrip 2.65 km length

Peshawar airbase. airstrip 2.65 km length

 

Aircraft on ground 1

Aircraft on ground 1

 

Aircraft on ground 2. Possibly A-5 fighter Near hardened shelter

Aircraft on ground 2. Possibly A-5 fighter Near hardened shelter

 

Aircraft on ground 3. JF-17 on Taxiway

Aircraft on ground 3. JF-17 on Taxiway

 

Aircraft on ground 4. A-5 Near hardened shelters and helicopter (unidentified) base

Aircraft on ground 4. A-5 Near hardened shelters and helicopter (unidentified) base

Aircraft on ground 5. 3 JF-17 near shelters.

Aircraft on ground 5. 3 JF-17 near shelters.

 

Aircraft on ground 6. Possible decommissioned Shenyang F-6,

Aircraft on ground 6. Possible decommissioned Shenyang F-6,

Aircraft on ground 7 from 2014. These hardened shelters almost always have aircraft nearby

Aircraft on ground 7 from 2014. These hardened shelters almost always have aircraft nearby

 

Aircraft on ground 8. Multiple helicopters and planes including one on display

Aircraft on ground 8. Multiple helicopters and planes including one on display

 

Aircraft on ground 9. Six A5s and one helicopter in 2007

Aircraft on ground 9. Six A5s and one helicopter in 2007

 

 

Aircraft on ground 10. Multiple types of aircraft including A5, F-6, F-86 and a few unidentified aircraft , most likely decommissioned. 2012

Aircraft on ground 10. Multiple types of aircraft including A5, F-6, F-86 and a few unidentified aircraft , most likely decommissioned. 2012

Aircraft on ground 11. Same place in 2017 with lot more aircrafts

Aircraft on ground 11. Same place in 2017 with lot more aircrafts

 

Aircraft on ground 12. A-5s lined up in 2010

Aircraft on ground 12. A-5s lined up in 2010

 

Aircraft on ground 13. One JF-17, one small plane and a helicopter

Aircraft on ground 13. One JF-17, one small plane and a helicopter

 

Aircraft on ground 14. One JF-17 on runway and taxiway each

Aircraft on ground 14. One JF-17 on runway and taxiway each

 

Hardened aircraft shelters with some activity going on nearby

Hardened aircraft shelters with some activity going on nearby

 

Aircraft on ground 15. Civilian aviation terminal

Aircraft on ground 15. Civilian aviation terminal

 

Hardened underground bunkers

Hardened underground bunkers

 

Possible air defence sites

Possible air defence site

 

Aircraft on ground 16. Helicopters and a transporter plane

Aircraft on ground 16. Helicopters and a transporter plane

 

Another air defence site

Another air defence site

Unidentified. Possible underground storage, missile launch or air defence site

Unidentified. Possible underground storage, missile launch or air defence site

 

Underground fuel storage ?

Underground fuel storage ?

 

Cantonment board office

Cantonment board office

 

 

Peshawar is one of the more important bases for PAF and houses 2 squadrons of their frontline JF-17 fighters. This airbase has been the target for 2 major islamist terrorist attacks in 2007 and 2012. In 2015,  adjoining Camp Badaber also suffered an attack with 29 causalities. This base was used by the 6937th Communications Group of United States Air Force from July 17, 1959 until January 7, 1970

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Previous Post in this series  Sukkur Airfield

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Name: Sukkur Airport (IATA: SKZ, ICAO: OPSK)

Type: FOB (Forward Operating Base) and a small domestic airport.

Location: Sindh, Pakistan.

Coordinates: 27°43′19″N  68°47′30″E

Sukkur Distance from IB 97 km

Sukkur Distance from International Border  97 km

 

Sukkur airstrip 2.76km

Sukkur airstrip 2.76km

 

Aircraft shelters on end of runway

Aircraft shelters on end of runway

4 more aircraft shelters

4 more aircraft shelters

 

Sukkur Airfield, some construction is going on in April 2017

Sukkur Airfield, some construction is going on in April 2017

 

Possibly hardened bunkers at end of the airstrip

Possibly hardened bunkers at end of the airstrip

 

A twin engined aircraft on airstrip in front of hangars

A twin engined aircraft on airstrip in front of hangars

 

Unidentified structures

Unidentified structures

 

Swampy area near end of airstrip which gets flooded during monsoons

Swampy area near end of airstrip which gets flooded during monsoons

 

 

Sukkur barrage and bridge over Indus River

Sukkur barrage and bridge over Indus River

A small aircraft parked near the terminal

A small aircraft parked near the terminal

 

Barrage on Indus river

Barrage on Indus river

 

Sukkur Airfield is a dual use airport, but has limited military traffic. It is very near to the Thar desert.  The barrage shown above was a possible target for Indian offensive in 1971 as it is a vital piece of infrastructure irrigating much of the agricultural land nearby.

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