The Pakistani Armed Forces (PAF) ( Musalah Afwaj-e-Pakistan) are the military forces of Pakistan.
They are the seventh largest in the world in terms of active troops.
The armed forces comprise of three main branches:
Pakistan Army
Pakistan Navy (including the Pakistan Marines)
Pakistan Air Force, together with a number of paramilitary forces.
The armed forces were formed in 1947 when Pakistan became independent from the British Empire.
Since then, the armed forces have played a decisive role in the history of Pakistan.
A sense of national unity and identity was forged out of the wars of 1947 and 1965 against India.
Border clashes with Afghanistan led to the creation of the paramilitary forces to deal with civil unrest as well as secure the border areas.
The Marines were commissioned in 1971; however in the 1971 war they were disbanded. In 1990, they were commissioned again and serve as part of the Navy.
Following 1962, the Pakistani Armed Forces has had close military relations with the People's Republic of China, including development and research cooperation to enhance military system, such as on the JF-17 Thunder, K-8 Karakorum, and others as well. Pakistan and China also cooperate on development in nuclear weapons and space technology programs. The armies have a schedule for organizing joint military exercises.
PAF also maintains close military relation with United States and is a Major non-NATO ally of the USA. It primarily imports military equipments from China and USA.
In 2010 the PAF have approximately 617,000 personnel on active duty, 513,000 in reserve and 304,000 in its paramilitary forces giving a total of almost 1,451,000 personnel.
The armed forces have a large pool of volunteers. The army has been key in holding the state together, promoting a feeling of nationhood and providing a bastion of selfless service.
They are the seventh largest in the world in terms of active troops.
The armed forces comprise of three main branches:
Pakistan Army
Pakistan Navy (including the Pakistan Marines)
Pakistan Air Force, together with a number of paramilitary forces.
The armed forces were formed in 1947 when Pakistan became independent from the British Empire.
Since then, the armed forces have played a decisive role in the history of Pakistan.
A sense of national unity and identity was forged out of the wars of 1947 and 1965 against India.
Border clashes with Afghanistan led to the creation of the paramilitary forces to deal with civil unrest as well as secure the border areas.
The Marines were commissioned in 1971; however in the 1971 war they were disbanded. In 1990, they were commissioned again and serve as part of the Navy.
Following 1962, the Pakistani Armed Forces has had close military relations with the People's Republic of China, including development and research cooperation to enhance military system, such as on the JF-17 Thunder, K-8 Karakorum, and others as well. Pakistan and China also cooperate on development in nuclear weapons and space technology programs. The armies have a schedule for organizing joint military exercises.
PAF also maintains close military relation with United States and is a Major non-NATO ally of the USA. It primarily imports military equipments from China and USA.
In 2010 the PAF have approximately 617,000 personnel on active duty, 513,000 in reserve and 304,000 in its paramilitary forces giving a total of almost 1,451,000 personnel.
The armed forces have a large pool of volunteers. The army has been key in holding the state together, promoting a feeling of nationhood and providing a bastion of selfless service.
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the best organized group in the country, and a political force unto itself with the gradual destruction or diminution of institutions: the judiciary, the constitution, the bureaucracy, and the legislature, and the transmogrification of a parliamentary system of government into a highly personalized presidential system. Successive army chiefs promised to keep the army out of politics, but some of them brought the army to power to fill what they considered to be a political vacuum.
Since the founding of Pakistan, the army has been key in holding the state together, promoting a feeling of nationhood among disparate peoples and providing a bastion of selfless service in the midst of a venal government system. All too frequently, the Pakistan Army has felt the need to take over the government, cleanse it of corruption and try to reform its bureaucracy before returning it to civilian control. Army control of the government has all too often led to a corrupt military regime that eventually collapsed.
Since the founding of Pakistan, the army has been key in holding the state together, promoting a feeling of nationhood among disparate peoples and providing a bastion of selfless service in the midst of a venal government system. All too frequently, the Pakistan Army has felt the need to take over the government, cleanse it of corruption and try to reform its bureaucracy before returning it to civilian control. Army control of the government has all too often led to a corrupt military regime that eventually collapsed.
Pakistan Army Symbol
Al Khalid, Main Bettle Field Tank
(Made by Pakistan)
(Made by Pakistan)
Group of soldiers during 1965 War with India
Displying Long Range Missile on
23rd March (Pakistan Day)
23rd March (Pakistan Day)
Cobra Helicopter of
Pakistan Army Aviation
Pakistan Army Aviation
Pakistan Navy
Symbol of Pakistan Navy
The PN Surface force is divided into various squadrons according to the types of ships. It is a modern and highly dependable force. Over the years the Pakistan Navy has had the experience of operating a wide range of ships ranging from cruisers to destroyers. Currently the Pakistan Navy operates ex UK Type-21 Class Destroyers and ex UK, Leander Class Frigates alongside a variety of the latest mine-hunters, auxiliaries and missile boats. With indigenous construction work in progress the Pakistan Navy has inducted into the fleet several indigenously constructed missile/gun boats and mine-hunters, all of which have been sea-proven and cost effective.
In 1994 the navy had some 22,000 personnel. The force included a small Naval Air Arm and the approximately 2,000-member paramilitary Maritime Security Agency, charged primarily with protecting Pakistan's exclusive economic zone. The naval reserve consisted of about 5,000 personnel. In 1994 the navy had four commands: COMPAK--the fleet; COMLOG--logistics; COMFORNAV--naval installations in the north of Pakistan; and COMKAR--naval headquarters and the only major base at Karachi. There were long-range plans to build a new naval base at Ormara, 240 kilometers west of Karachi, and to improve harbors at Gwadar and Pasni to help alleviate overdependence on Karachi.
The navy's principal combatants in 1994 were six submarines of French origin equipped with United States Harpoon missiles; negotiations with the French for three additional submarines have been reported. The navy had three active old destroyers (one of British and two of United States origin), four United States-made guided missile frigates, six other frigates (two from Britain and four from the United States), and two United States-made and one French-made mine warfare craft. One destroyer and four frigates carried Harpoon missiles; the navy had acquired an unknown number of Mistral close-in surface-to-air missiles from France. There were eight missile craft, and thirteen coastal combatant and patrol craft, all of Chinese origin. The Naval Air Arm had four combat aircraft flown by air force personnel and armed with Exocet missiles and sixteen armed helicopters. The delivery of three P-3C Orion long-range reconnaissance aircraft from the United States had been suspended since 1990.
In 1994 the navy had some 22,000 personnel. The force included a small Naval Air Arm and the approximately 2,000-member paramilitary Maritime Security Agency, charged primarily with protecting Pakistan's exclusive economic zone. The naval reserve consisted of about 5,000 personnel. In 1994 the navy had four commands: COMPAK--the fleet; COMLOG--logistics; COMFORNAV--naval installations in the north of Pakistan; and COMKAR--naval headquarters and the only major base at Karachi. There were long-range plans to build a new naval base at Ormara, 240 kilometers west of Karachi, and to improve harbors at Gwadar and Pasni to help alleviate overdependence on Karachi.
The navy's principal combatants in 1994 were six submarines of French origin equipped with United States Harpoon missiles; negotiations with the French for three additional submarines have been reported. The navy had three active old destroyers (one of British and two of United States origin), four United States-made guided missile frigates, six other frigates (two from Britain and four from the United States), and two United States-made and one French-made mine warfare craft. One destroyer and four frigates carried Harpoon missiles; the navy had acquired an unknown number of Mistral close-in surface-to-air missiles from France. There were eight missile craft, and thirteen coastal combatant and patrol craft, all of Chinese origin. The Naval Air Arm had four combat aircraft flown by air force personnel and armed with Exocet missiles and sixteen armed helicopters. The delivery of three P-3C Orion long-range reconnaissance aircraft from the United States had been suspended since 1990.
PN during exercises
Passing out prade of PN Officers
P3C Orion, Flying Radar
Agosta submarine
Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force was created on 14th of August 1947, with the independence of Pakistan. The growth of PAF is a story of unusual sacrifice. A tiny auxiliary Service, with a small number of personnel and insignificant equipment, emerging as a powerful weapon of the country's defence, was a thrilling phenomenon. The dedication of its pioneers shaped the future of a force, destined to gain respect, after proving its worth in the wars of 1965 and 1971, where it was unfortunately vanquished by a much more powerful enemy, India. The story of PAF is a tale of development, despite heavy odds and limitations.
The PAF emblem symbolizes a Muslim flyer. The most striking element is the spread eagle perched in the centre of the roundel. Referred to as "Shaheen" the eagle is a bird of heraldry in eastern tradition. The poet-philosopher of the east, Allama lqbal, has visualized a true believer in the grace and majesty of the bird Shaheen. A man imbued with the love and devotion of his Maker (Allah) would, in the spirit of the bird eagle, be capable of high flight and supremacy over the enemy.'ln the emblem, there is a verse line from lqbal's poetry over the bird "Shaheen". Translated, into English, it would read "Be it land or sea, all is beneath my wings". In the same spirit, PAF is honour-bound to play its crucial role in the defence of Pakistan.
In 1994 the Pakistan Air Force had 45,000 active personnel and 8,000 reserve personnel. Headquartered in Rawalpindi, it comprised directorates for operations, maintenance, administration, and electronics. There were three air defense districts -- north, central, and south. The Air Force relies on aging Mirage III and V variants, Chinese models of older Soviet MiGs, and a few F-16A Falcons delivered in the 1980s. Any qualitative edge Pakistan might once have enjoyed over India was gone, except perhaps in subsystems and electronic warfare components.
The PAF emblem symbolizes a Muslim flyer. The most striking element is the spread eagle perched in the centre of the roundel. Referred to as "Shaheen" the eagle is a bird of heraldry in eastern tradition. The poet-philosopher of the east, Allama lqbal, has visualized a true believer in the grace and majesty of the bird Shaheen. A man imbued with the love and devotion of his Maker (Allah) would, in the spirit of the bird eagle, be capable of high flight and supremacy over the enemy.'ln the emblem, there is a verse line from lqbal's poetry over the bird "Shaheen". Translated, into English, it would read "Be it land or sea, all is beneath my wings". In the same spirit, PAF is honour-bound to play its crucial role in the defence of Pakistan.
In 1994 the Pakistan Air Force had 45,000 active personnel and 8,000 reserve personnel. Headquartered in Rawalpindi, it comprised directorates for operations, maintenance, administration, and electronics. There were three air defense districts -- north, central, and south. The Air Force relies on aging Mirage III and V variants, Chinese models of older Soviet MiGs, and a few F-16A Falcons delivered in the 1980s. Any qualitative edge Pakistan might once have enjoyed over India was gone, except perhaps in subsystems and electronic warfare components.
Symbol of Pakistan Air Force
F-16, during take off
Group of PAF Pilots, with A5 jet
Pride of Pakistan, JF-17 Thunder
Group of PAF Pilot Officers
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