Pakistan’s military has claimed that the Indian Army carried out a late-night missile strike on three of its airbases amid escalating tensions after Pakistan continued to fire drones and projectile into Indian territory to target military establishments and civilian areas.
Among the reported targets was the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, considered a vital strategic asset and operational hub for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). This airbase holds significant historical and logistical value in Pakistan's defence structure.
Watch: Moment when Nur Khan airbase was attacked in Pakistan
Exclusive visuals with India TV showed the moment the key airbase in Chaklala, Pakistan, was destroyed in a retaliatory missile strike from India. A fireball was seen lighting up the sky during night after a loud explosion.
Location: Rawalpindi, Punjab
Pakistan Air Force's Nur Khan Base, formerly known as RAF Station Chaklala, is situated in Chaklala, a suburb of Rawalpindi in Pakistan's Punjab province. The airbase was originally developed by the British Royal Air Force during the colonial era and played an active role during the Second World War. Parachute training operations were conducted here for Allied troops. In later decades, the base transitioned into one of the main transport and logistics centres for the Pakistan Air Force. Until a few years ago, the Benazir Bhutto International Airport also operated from this site before being replaced by the new Islamabad International Airport.
US military presence
In the aftermath of the devastating 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, the United States deployed around 300 military personnel, along with cargo aircraft and helicopters, to Chaklala for humanitarian aid operations. Reports also indicate that since the end of 2001, Chaklala served as a critical support point for US military operations in neighbouring Afghanistan. The base's proximity to Islamabad made it a convenient and strategic location for logistics, intelligence sharing, and coordination between the two countries during the peak of the War on Terror.
Modernisation and renaming
In 2009, the airbase received one of PAF's four Il-78 aerial refuelling aircraft, making it a key node in Pakistan’s mid-air refuelling and extended mission capabilities. This led to the establishment of the No. 10 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) Squadron. In 2012, the base was officially renamed PAF Base Noor Khan in honour of Air Marshal Malik Nur Khan, who not only served as its first base commander but also held the distinction of being the second Pakistani Chief of Air Staff. His leadership and reforms are credited with modernising the PAF during the 1960s.
