No. 9 Squadron, named the ''Griffins'', is a Pakistan Air Force fighter squadron assigned to the No. 38 Multi-Role Wing of the PAF Central Air Command. The squadron is stationed at PAF Base Mushaf, Sargodha. It was the PAF's first fighter squadron and has been commanded by seven Chiefs of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force. The squadron crest is a red

griffin The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (Ancient Greek: , ''gryps''; Classical Latin: ''grȳps'' or ''grȳpus''; Late Latin, Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a legendary creature with the body, tail ...

which symbolises strength, aggressiveness, and vigilance. Scrolls around the squadron crest display the battle honours ''Sargodha 65'' and ''Karachi 71''.The Griffins are considered as the PAF's most elite unit as well as its most senior.

History

Background

No. 9 Squadron was originally raised on 13 November 1943 at

Risalpur Risalpur (Pashto/ ur, رسالپور) is a city in Nowshera District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on the Nowshera-Mardan Road. It is nearly 45 km from Peshawar and 18 km from Mardan and is located at 34°4'52N 71°58'21E. In a basin so ...

. The squadron was formed at Lahore on 3 January 1944, equipped with the Hawker Hurricane IIC, by Squadron Leader A.W. Ridler of the Royal Air Force. During this time the squadron was commanded by then Squadron Leader Asghar Khan and deployed in Burma where it was extensively involved in World War II operations against the Japanese, later being awarded the sword of a Japanese general for its services. The squadron was also converted to the Spitfire VIII in 1945, still with then Squadron Leader M. Asghar Khan in command.

First fighter squadron of Pakistan

In July 1947, then Squadron Leader Asghar Khan was a member of the Air Force Reconstitution Committee and insisted the squadron be transferred to the Royal Pakistan Air Force (RPAF). The squadron was thus established at Peshawar as the RPAF's first fighter squadron, equipped with eight Hawker Tempest fighters and commanded by Squadron Leader M. Ibrahim Khan. The squadron converted to the Hawker Sea Fury in July 1950 and moved to Kohat in November 1956. The unit is believed to have created the first aerobatics team in the sub-continent with the formation of the Red Dragons in 1957. In March 1961, the squadron converted to the

F-104 Starfighter The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is an American single-engine, supersonic air superiority fighter which was extensively deployed as a fighter-bomber during the Cold War. Created as a day fighter by Lockheed as one of the "Century Series" of fi ...

. During the 1965 Indo-Pak War the squadron flew reconnaissance, air defence, and fighter escort sorties, during which three Indian Air Force aircraft were shot down. Flight Lieutenant Aftab downed a Dassault Mystere on 6 September which was attacking targets at Rahwali, Flight Lieutenant Amjad H. Khan downed another Mystere on 7 September, and Squadron Leader Jamal A. Khan shot down an English Electric Canberra during a night-time interception. After the 1971 Indo-Pak War started, the squadron was deployed to

PAF Base Masroor 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 flew air defence, reconnaissance, escort, and day/night strike missions. Three Indian aircraft, a Folland Gnat and

Sukhoi Su-7 The Sukhoi Su-7 ( NATO designation name: Fitter-A) is a swept wing, supersonic fighter aircraft developed by the Soviet Union in 1955. Originally, it was designed as a tactical, low-level dogfighter, but was not successful in this role. On the ...

of the

Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...

and a Breguet Alizé of the Indian Navy, were shot down. Squadron Leader Amjad Khan ejected after being shot down during an attack on an Indian radar. Wing Commander

Mervyn Middlecoat Wing Commander Mervyn Leslie Middlecoat (6 July 1931 – 12 December 1971) was a Pakistani fighter pilot in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) who was involved in a number of aerial battles during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistani wars, before being ...

and Flight Lieutenant Samad Changezi were killed after being shot down during dogfights with more modern and maneuverable MiG-21 interceptors of the

. After the F-104 was retired in the early 1970s, the squadron was re-formed in January 1973 at

PAF Base Rafiqui PAF Base Rafiqui, formerly known as PAF Base Shorkot , is a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) airbase located near Shorkot, Jhang District, in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is around 337 km south of Islamabad. The base is served by a single ...

, equipped with the newly acquired Dassault Mirage 5 with the role of Tactical Attack. This role was changed on 15 June 1977 to that of an Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) and was moved again to

on 31 August 1981. Fifteen conversion courses were completed during this time. In June 1984, the unit was again moved to PAF Base Sargodha (now known as PAF Base Mushaf), re-equipped with the

F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...

and re-tasked as a Multi-Role squadron. After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 there were many border violations by Russian and Afghan aircraft, three of which were shot down by No. 9 Squadron pilots. Two Sukhoi Su-22 fighters were downed on 17 May 1986, by Squadron Leader Mohammed Yousaf near

Parachinar Parachinar ( ps, پاړه چنار; ur, ) is a small Pashtun ( Turi and Bangash tribe) town which is the capital of Kurram District in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Parachinar is situated on a neck of Pakistani territory west ...

and an Antonov An-26 was downed by Squadron Leader Sikander Hayat on 30 March 1987. The Thomson-CSF ATLIS II laser designator pod was installed on No. 9 Squadron's F-16s from 1987 onwards to allow them to deliver laser-guided bombs. On 27 May 1998, No. 9 squadron was deployed at short notice to PAF Base Samungli to provide air defence for Pakistan's nuclear infrastructure.

Exercises

National

* 1960 ** 'Flight Safety' Trophy * 1991 ** Awards: Top Gun 1991 ** Trophies: 'Best Combat Ready Squadron', 'Combat Flying Training', 'Inter-Squadron Maintenance Efficiency' * 1993 ** Trophies: 'Inter-Squadron Maintenance Efficiency' * 1996 – five pilots and their aircraft were deployed to

on 7 October 1996 to take part in the Inter-Squadron Armament Competition (ISAC 1996). ** Awards: 'Sher Afgan' for first place in 'Inter-Squadron Armament Competition' (ISAC 1996). ** Trophies: 'Best Multi-Role Squadron', 'Inter-Squadron Maintenance Efficiency' and 'Best Formation' trophy after leading the Pakistan Day fly-past performance. * 1997 ** Awards: Top Gun 1997 ** Trophies: 'War Preparedness', 'Best Combat Ready Squadron'. *2019 **Sher Afgan Trophy (Top Gun): Wing Commander Nauman Akram Shaheed (OC 9 Squadron)

International

* Mid Link 74 – A CENTO exercise that took place at

in 1974. * Anatolian Eagle 06 – In June 2006 a PAF contingent of F-16s from No. 9 Squadron was deployed to Konya Airbase in Turkey to take part in the Anatolian Eagle 2006 exercise. * Red Flag 2010-4 – In mid-2010 the PAF sent six

F-16 The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it ...

B fighters and 100 personnel of No. 9 Squadron to Nellis Air Force Base in the United States, a journey that took six days and four stops, to take part in the Red Flag 2010-4 and Green Flag 2010-9 exercises. During the 12 days of the exercise, 57 air interdiction missions were flown by the PAF fighters and 50 air-to-air refuelling hook-ups were made with USAF tankers, during which 50,303 kg of jet fuel was transferred. * Green Flag 2010-9 * Falcon Talon 2022

Aircraft Flown

Gallery

File:Falcon Talon 2022 US and Pakistani F-16.jpg, USAF and PAF F-16s during Falcon Talon 2022 File:F-16 Red Flag 2010 Pakistan Air Force 9 sqn Griffins 90616.jpg, The ''Griffins'' flying F-16B fighters during the Red Flag 2010 exercise. File:Ground Crew of No. 9 Squadron PAF.jpg, Ground crew of no.9 squadron performing F-16 maintenance duties File:Pakistan Air Force trains at Nellis.jpg File:Pakistan Air Force F-16 Red Flag 2010 group photo.jpg, A group photo of ''Griffins'' pilots deployed to Red Flag. File:Pakistan Air Force F-16 Red Flag 2010 Rashid.jpg, An officer performs a post-flight inspection after the ''Griffins'' arrive at Red File:USAF ground crew signals a Pakistani F-16BM.jpg, USAF ground crew signals a F-16BM from the No. 9 squadron "Griffins" during Falcon Talon 2022 File:F-16 Red Flag 2010 Pakistan Air Force 9 sqn Griffins.jpg, Griffins before the sunset File:100721-N-8931W-031.jpg, A ''Griffin'' takes on fuel from a USAF KC-135 tanker

References

External links

PAF's No. 9 Squadron Griffins
{{Military of Pakistan Pakistan Air Force squadrons