FLEET AIR ARM
Over two third of the earth surface
is covered with water where as air
is ubiquitous. Fleet air arm is unique
because it utilizes these inherent
environmental factors to its own advantage
and acts as a force multiplier and
provides ever needed flexibility to
the force commander. The idea of Fleet
Air Arm was conceived in early years
of the decade of 70s and today by
the grace of Allah the Fleet Air Arm
has progressed to become a highly
effective force. The air arm is designed
to operate in all the facets of naval
operations ranging from surveillance,
tracking and subsequent destruction
of enemy units. Apart from this the
naval air arm also take part in operations
other than war such as search and
rescue, casualty evacuation, relief
operations etc. The main operating
base for naval aviation, PNS MEHRAN
is located at Karachi. It houses all
maintenance facilities, Command HQ’s,
and training centres. The aviation
base established in the mid seventies
is fully equipped and geared to undertake
flight operations for a variety of
aircraft including helicopters and
fixed wing aircraft
ATLANTIC
29 ASW SQUADRON
RESOURCES ARE LIMITED; CREATIVITY
IS UNLIMITED
The Squadron was raised in the aftermath
of the analysis of 1971 War. It was
established that lack of early warning
from the seaward i.e., absence of
PN air surveillance capability allowed
the Indian Navy Ships to close Karachi
harbour for attacks. The basic aim,
therefore, was to acquire an efficient
air surveillance asset and achieve
additional benefits like ASW, SAR
and photographic capabilities. After
studying various available options,
the French Atlantics were selected
and acquisition formalities were completed
in 1974. Finally the Squadron was
raised in 1976, with three Atlantics.
As the raising year of 1976 coincided
with 29th year of independence of
Pakistan, this also became the reason
to name "29 ASW Squadron".
The prefix ‘ASW’ highlights the Anti
Submarine Warfare credentials of the
aircraft i.e., to accomplish all the
phases of ASW, right from initial
detection to the eventual destruction
of enemy submarine, all by itself.
In 1989, PN Atlantics were modified
to fire Exocet Missile. With this
modification, PN Atlantics became
the first LRMPs to acquire ASV capability.
Even the French Atlantics, at that
time, did not have this advantage.
To maintain a qualitative edge in
the field of LRMP operations, PN Atlantics
were modified with state of the art
French sensors like ESM, Acoustic
Processor, Radar, Navigation System
etc, in the mid nineties. The latest
sensors have made PN Atlantic Fleet
second to none in the region and at
par with the latest French Atlantic-II
and other modernised LRMPs of the
world.
Atlantic is being utilized in almost
every facet of Naval Operations. This
aircraft because of its inherent advantages
of multi role capability, high operational
endurance, counter detection advantage,
weapon superiority and being uniquely
suited for immediate response across
the wide spectrum of conflict has
become an ideal choice of every force
commander. PN Atlantics is by far,
the fastest player in the Maritime
Warfare scenarios affecting Pakistan.
The PN Atlantics are integral to almost
all the naval operations perceived
to be undertaken by PN Fleet.
FOKKER
27 Maritime ASW Squadron
PN inducted its first Fokker aircraft
in 1982. In order to meet various
PN requirements, three aircraft have
been modified. The modified Fokkers
are now at par with the other LRMPs
in PN inventory. Thus PN Fokker not
only trains Navigators//Pilots but
also shares a major burden of Tactical/operational
missions in the entire Indian Ocean.
The Fokker F-27 is all metal, high
wing monoplanes for short/medium range
transport, designed to carry 40 passengers
or freight or combination of both
passengers and freight. The marinized
version of the aircraft is capable
of prolonged sea operations. These
include Surv, ASW, OTHT and VECTAC.
With requisite equipment fitted, the
as compared to aircraft of same capabilities.
One of the aircraft is equipped with
large cargo door and para drop equipment
which provides operational/tactical
airlift capability to PN and a spring
board to SSG (N) personnel for their
operations.
P3C
28 ASW/ASV SQUADRON
P3C is the latest addition to the
Naval Air Arm. These aircraft are
extremely potent and easy to maintain.
The roles that can be undertaken by
P-3Cs are much the same that can be
performed by any other LRMP in the
world. The sensors fitted onboard
are integrated through an onboard
central computer to produce a synergetic
effect. Weapon carrying capacity of
P-3C aircraft is un-paralleled by
any other LRMP. It can carry a variety
of anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons.
The P-3C also has a very high operational
performance.
P3C aircraft has variety of roles.
It is basically an anti submarine
and anti surface aircraft possessing
variety of weapons such as missiles,
torpedoes, Depth Charges, bombs etc.
In its secondary role this aircraft
is utilized for surveillance and SAR. |
