No. 8 Squadron (Pakistan Air Force)
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No. 8 Squadron, nicknamed the Haiders, is a tactical attack squadron from the No. 32 TA Wing of the
Pakistan Air Force , "Be it deserts or seas; all lie under our wings" (traditional) , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = ...
's Southern Air Command. It is currently deployed at
Masroor Airbase PAF Base Masroor is the largest airbase operated by the Pakistan Air Force. It is located in the Mauripur area of Karachi, in the Sindh province. The base was originally known as RPAF Station Mauripur and after 1956, as PAF Station Mauripur. ...
and operates multiple variants of the Dassault Mirage 5 strike fighter.


History

The No. 8 Squadron was raised in
1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...
at the
Mauripur Airbase PAF Base Masroor is the largest airbase operated by the Pakistan Air Force. It is located in the Mauripur area of Karachi, in the Sindh province. The base was originally known as RPAF Station Mauripur and after 1956, as PAF Station Mauripur. ...
. Being part of the
31st Bomber Wing 31 (thirty-one) is the natural number following 30 and preceding 32. It is a prime number. In mathematics 31 is the 11th prime number. It is a superprime and a self prime (after 3, 5, and 7), as no integer added up to its base 10 digits ...
of PAF, it was quickly equipped with
Martin B-57 Canberra The Martin B-57 Canberra is an American-built, twin-engined tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 is a license-built version of the British English Electric C ...
bombers which
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
received as part of the 1955 Pakistan-US mutual defence treaty. These consisted of 1 B-57C trainer variant & a dozen or so B-57B variants which were bought from the USAF's
345th Bombardment Wing The 345th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, where it was inactivated on 25 June 1959. During World War II the 345th Bombardme ...
after it was disbanded. Throughout its service with the PAF, No. 8 Squadron participated in several armament competitions and
Military exercises A military exercise or war game is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat. This also serves the purpose of ensuring the comb ...
. Later in the
1965 War The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 or the Second Kashmir War was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. The conflict began following Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, which was d ...
, the squadron together with the Bandits squadron conducted heavy airstrikes on several Indian Airforce bases. After the war however, the Haider's B-57 fleet had been considerably effected due to crashes and lack of spares & technical support as a result of postwar US Sanctions, hence its B-57s along with other assets (including the pilots) were transferred to the
Bandits Banditry is a type of organized crime committed by outlaws typically involving the threat or use of violence. A person who engages in banditry is known as a bandit and primarily commits crimes such as extortion, robbery, and murder, either as an ...
and the squadron was number plated in 1968 after its Officer Commanding Rais A. Rafi completed the command of the squadron before being deployed to Iraq. The squadron was raised again in 1983 this time re-equipped with newly inducted Dassault Mirage 5 strike fighters. It became the PAF's first squadron to be assigned the role of Maritime Support, as a result the squadron worked closely with the
Pakistan Navy ur, ہمارے لیے اللّٰہ کافی ہے اور وہ بہترین کارساز ہے۔ English language, English: Allah is Sufficient for us - and what an excellent (reliable) Trustee (of affairs) is He!(''Quran, Qur'an, Al Imran, 3:173' ...
taking part in several naval exercises.


Operational History


World's First Bomber Formation Loop

On 27 October 1964, during an
Air Show An air show (or airshow, air fair, air tattoo) is a public event where aircraft are exhibited. They often include aerobatics demonstrations, without they are called "static air shows" with aircraft parked on the ground. The largest air show m ...
organized at
Peshawar Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
, a formation of four Haider B-57s led by Wing Commander Nazir Latif performed a spectacular Aerobatics demonstration in honour of the visiting
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
n Air Chief; Air Marshal Omar Dani. These included the first ever Aerobatic loop with a
bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped ...
aircraft along with
rolls Roll or Rolls may refer to: Movement about the longitudinal axis * Roll angle (or roll rotation), one of the 3 angular degrees of freedom of any stiff body (for example a vehicle), describing motion about the longitudinal axis ** Roll (aviation), ...
& wingovers. Something which a heavy & bulky aircraft like the B-57 was barely capable of.


1965 Indo-Pakistani war

During the
1965 Indo-Pakistani War The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 or the Second Kashmir War was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. The conflict began following Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, which was d ...
, PAF launched an aggressive airstrike campaign throughout India targeting various Indian airbases in retaliation to the Indian invasion. The 31st Bomber Wing was tasked to disable IAF runways at
Jamnagar Jamnagar () is a city located on the western coast of India in the state of Gujarat of Saurashtra (region), Saurashtra region. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jamnagar district and the fifth largest city in Gujarat. The city lies ...
,
Adampur Adampur is a town, a municipal council and a sub-tehsil in Jalandhar district in the Indian state of Punjab. Geography Adampur Doaba is located at . It has an average elevation of 233 metres (764 feet). It is located at a distance of ...
&
Pathankot Pathankot is a city and the district headquarters of the Pathankot district in Punjab, India. Pathankot is the 6th most populous city of Punjab, after Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala and Bathinda. Its local government is a municipal cor ...
.


= ''Jamnagar Airstrikes''

= On the first night of the Lahore invasion, Haider B-57s started a series of bombing raids on Jamnagar which was India's main frontline base in the southern sector. During these night raids, one B-57 along with its pilot (
Squadron Leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...
Shabbir Alam Siddiqui) and
Navigator A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation.Grierson, MikeAviation History—Demise of the Flight Navigator FrancoFlyers.org website, October 14, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2014. The navigator's primar ...
(Squadron Leader Aslam Qureshi) were lost after their plane hit the ground while dive bombing the Jamnagar
runway According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt concrete, as ...
. The crash was officially credited to low visibility & the over-fatigued crew. However prior to their unfortunate crash, the crew had managed to heavily crater the runway which halted further Indian air operations from Jamnagar. It was later revealed that they prevented 8 Hawker Sea Hawk fighters of the
Indian navy The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates sig ...
from taking off the next day which were going to attack the PAF's main
Radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...
at
Badin Badin ( Sindhi and ur, ) is the main city and capital of Badin District in Sindh, Pakistan. It lies east of the Indus River. It is the 87th largest city in Pakistan. Badin is often called 'Sugar State' due to its production of sugar. Badin ...
. Rear Admiral (Retd)
Satyendra Singh Jamwal Satyendra Singh Jamwal (1959 — 2010) was a former flag officer in the Indian Navy. He was serving as the Chief of Staff at the Southern Naval Command when he died in a tragic accidental shooting death in 2010. Naval Positioned held A highly ...
of the
Indian Navy The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates sig ...
in his book "Blueprint to Bluewater" states: Even though Jamnagar was barely operational at this point, Haider B-57s kept performing night bombing raids in order to completely prevent further Indian air operations in the South. Other than structural damages, a number of De Havilland Vampires were also destroyed in these raids further crippling Indian aerial capabilities in the South. Moreover, 2/3rd of the Squadron had been deployed to
Peshawar Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
during this period in order to reinforce Pakistani operations up north as
Air superiority Aerial supremacy (also air superiority) is the degree to which a side in a conflict holds control of air power over opposing forces. There are levels of control of the air in aerial warfare. Control of the air is the aerial equivalent of c ...
was already achieved in the southern sector.


=''Airstrikes on Adampur''

= On 9 September, the Officer Commanding of Haiders led a night bombing mission on
Adampur Adampur is a town, a municipal council and a sub-tehsil in Jalandhar district in the Indian state of Punjab. Geography Adampur Doaba is located at . It has an average elevation of 233 metres (764 feet). It is located at a distance of ...
during which heavy damage was inflicted on enemy infrastructure after which the bombers headed for Peshawar Airbase in order to meet up with the rest of the squadron.


=''Airstrikes on Halwara''

= After night fell on the 12th September, the squadron launched
airstrikes An airstrike, air strike or air raid is an offensive operation carried out by aircraft. Air strikes are delivered from aircraft such as blimps, balloons, fighters, heavy bombers, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters and drones. The offici ...
on the Halwara Airbase.


=''Airstrikes on Pathankot''

= On the 13th of September, the squadron's B-57s struck the Pathankot Airbase dropping more than 8000lbs of payload through heavy
ack-ack Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
fire on the already battered Indian airbase.


=''High-Altitude bombing on Sri Nagar''

= On 14 September, the squadron took part in a daring daytime
High level bombing High level bombing (also called high-altitude bombing) is a tactic of dropping bombs from bomber aircraft in level flight at high altitude. The term is used in contrast to both World War II-era dive bombing and medium or low level bombing. Prior ...
mission on Srinagar Airbase.


=''Airstrikes on Ambala''

= The mauling of
Ambala Ambala () is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border with the Indian state of Punjab and in proximity to both states capital Chandigarh. Politically, Ambala has two sub-area ...
commenced on the night of 20 September with a solo raid by the famous 8-Pass Charlie of No. 7 Squadron followed up by No. 8 squadron's B-57s 15 minutes apart from each other. The fires started by 8-Pass Charlie's
airstrikes An airstrike, air strike or air raid is an offensive operation carried out by aircraft. Air strikes are delivered from aircraft such as blimps, balloons, fighters, heavy bombers, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters and drones. The offici ...
enabled the Haider night bombers (one of which was being flown by the OC Squadron Leader Rais A. Rafi himself) to pinpoint the Ambala runway accurately and heavily crater it with time delayed 1000lbs bombs.


=''Close Air Support Missions''

= On 11 September, the squadron's OC led
Close Air Support In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and moveme ...
sorties in support of Pakistani & Kashmiri separatist forces in the
Samba Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havin ...
area of
Indian Administered Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...
. The squadron flew its last combat
sortie A sortie (from the French word meaning ''exit'' or from Latin root ''surgere'' meaning to "rise up") is a deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops, from a strongpoint. The term originated in siege warfare. ...
(A
Close Air Support In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and moveme ...
mission) over Sialkot District when it struck retreating Indian army
artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
&
cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
units.


1971 Indo-Pakistani war

After
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
invaded
East Pakistan East Pakistan was a Pakistani province established in 1955 by the One Unit Scheme, One Unit Policy, renaming the province as such from East Bengal, which, in modern times, is split between India and Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India ...
in late 1971, PAF launched Operation Chengiz Khan from
West Pakistan West Pakistan ( ur, , translit=Mag̱ẖribī Pākistān, ; bn, পশ্চিম পাকিস্তান, translit=Pôścim Pakistan) was one of the two Provincial exclaves created during the One Unit Scheme in 1955 in Pakistan. It was d ...
in order to ease pressure on the Pakistani forces defending the East. Though No. 8 Squadron had been number plated, its former pilots took active part in the 31st Wing's bombing missions by serving with the No. 7 Squadron.


Maritime Operations

During its tenure as a Maritime support squadron, Two Haider
Mirage V The Dassault Mirage 5 is a French supersonic attack aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the 1960s and manufactured in France and a number of other countries. It was derived from Dassault's popular Mirage III fighter and spawned several ...
s intercepted INS Talwar (1959) on 24 September 1992 after it crossed into Pakistani territorial seas. The Mirages flown by
Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...
Ali & Flight Lieutenant Mazhar later forced the Indian ship out of Pakistani waters. In May 1995, Mirages of No. 8 Squadron engaged with
USS Abraham Lincoln Two ships have borne the name ''Abraham Lincoln'', in honor of the Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States. * , a ballistic missile submarine * , an aircraft carrier currently in service See also

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Abraham Linc ...
during the joint exercise "Inspired Alert" with US Central Command. The mission was to successfully penetrate the
aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...
's early warning systems and perimeter defences after which the Mirages would fire a simulated Exocet anti-ship missile. This task was accomplished by the Squadron's Officer Commanding "Wing Commander Asim Suleiman" & his wingman "Flight Lieutenant Ahmed Hassan" after executing a well planned multi-directional attack with three Mirage pairs that led to the carrier's defences being overloaded. None of the Haiders were intercepted by carrier's fighters.


Exercises


National

; Airforce Exercises * ACES ** 1998 *** Earned first place amongst Tactical Attack squadrons. *DACT **Deployed to
Samungli Airbase PAF Base Samungli is a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) airbase located near Quetta, in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Originally used as a forward operating location during exercises and wartime, it was converted into a main operating base durin ...
,
Minhas Airbase Minhas Airbase or Kamra Airbase is a PAF Airbase located at Kamra, Attock District, Punjab, Pakistan. It was named in the honour of Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas, who was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for valor in the Indo-Pakistani War of 197 ...
, Shahbaz Airbase and
Multan Airport Multan International Airport is an international airport located 4 km west of Multan, Pakistan. The airport is South Punjab's largest and busiest airport. Multan International Airport offers flights throughout Pakistan, as well as direct ...
. *Exercise High Mark **1993 **1995 *
Exercise Saffron Bandit Exercise Saffron Bandit is a major "command level" combat training exercise, usually held either bi-annually or tri-annually, by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in Pakistan. The initial targets, mainstream goals and purpose of the exercise are foc ...
**1990 **1992 **1995 **1997 *Flight Safety Trophy **1997 *Inter Squadron Armament Competition (ISAC) **1996 *** Earned second position *Missile Firing Camp **1998 ; Naval Exercises * Exercise Nasim-ul-Bahr ** 1994 *** Sunk a decommissioned
PNS Shah Jahan PNS ''Shah Jahan'' of ''Shahjahan'' may refer to one of the following ships of the Pakistan Navy: * , the former British HMS ''Charity'' (R29) launched in 1944; acquired by the Pakistan Navy via the United States in 1958; ship was badly damaged ...
with an Exocet. * Exercise Sea Spark


International

;Naval Exercises *Exercise Inspired Alert **1994 **1995 ***Successfully penetrated USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) defences and fired a simulated Exocet at the
aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...
. **1997


See also

* List of Pakistan Air Force squadrons


References

{{Pakistan Air Force squadrons Pakistan Air Force squadrons