PNS Makran
Encyclopedia
The Pakistan Naval Station Makran, known as PNS Makran, formerly known as Coastal Naval Air Station, Pasni, is a Naval air station
and a military airport located in Coastal city of Pasni of Balochistan. It is one of the two active Naval Air Arm
's bases (other one being PNS Mehran) and is currently headquarter to the Pakistan Navy
's Alouette III
and Lynx
helicopters.
The military site is consisted of 968 acres of airfield plus 15 acres of land is located Gorani, also owned by the Navy.
, a highway that connects Karachi, Sindh to Gwadar, Balochistan. Previously known as Coastal Naval Air Station (CNAS), the Navy's e Naval Observer School was first moved there, with the Naval Search and Rescue Squadron soon following. The construction of site was undertaken by the Corps of Engineers
, Military Engineering Service and the Naval Engineering Branch
as its contractors. In October of 23 of 1988, Chief of Naval Staff
, later Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
, Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey
visited the naval air station in 1988. The same day, it was given commissioned in the Naval services of Pakistan Navy as PNS Makran. The facility was later upgraded in between 2001-2003 when the base was connected to Makran Coastal Highway
.
In June 2010, Fokker F-27, Alouette III
and Lynx
from PNS Mehran were deployed to PNS Makran on Operation Madad. The PNS Makran is a main naval air station to support the naval air operations in Balochistan as well as it performs numbers of reconnaissance operation for Southern Naval Command (SNC).
and Lynx
which are deployed from PNS Mehran to support relief and humanitarian operations in a recent and Country
's worst deluge
. As of today, the base is current the main headquarter of Navy's relief operations where the naval air squadron's are continued to take sorties to evacuate stranded people in flood affected areas.
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
and a military airport located in Coastal city of Pasni of Balochistan. It is one of the two active Naval Air Arm
Pakistan Naval Air Arm
The Pakistan Naval Air Arm is the naval aviation branch of the Pakistan Navy.The Naval Air Arm is tasked to carry out air surveillance, limited aerial warfare, and reconnaissance operations...
's bases (other one being PNS Mehran) and is currently headquarter to the Pakistan Navy
Pakistan Navy
The Pakistan Navy is the naval warfare/service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Pakistan's Navy is responsible for Pakistan's coastline along the Arabian Sea and the defense of important civilian harbors and military bases...
's Alouette III
Aérospatiale Alouette III
The Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...
and Lynx
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
helicopters.
The military site is consisted of 968 acres of airfield plus 15 acres of land is located Gorani, also owned by the Navy.
History
Pasni is a coastal town of Balochistan which is located about 210Km west of Karachi. More than 50% inhabitants are traditionally fishermen while others are local villagers. Work began in 1986 on the construction of the site, with the temporary runway completed in 1988. In 2003, the base was connected with the National Highway Number 10Makran Coastal Highway
Makran Coastal Highway is a 653 km-long coastal highway along Pakistan's Arabian Sea coastline. It runs primarily through Balochistan province between Karachi and Gwadar, passing near the port towns of Ormara and Pasni....
, a highway that connects Karachi, Sindh to Gwadar, Balochistan. Previously known as Coastal Naval Air Station (CNAS), the Navy's e Naval Observer School was first moved there, with the Naval Search and Rescue Squadron soon following. The construction of site was undertaken by the Corps of Engineers
Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers
The Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers, , is an active military administrative staff corps, and a major science and technology command of the Pakistan Army...
, Military Engineering Service and the Naval Engineering Branch
Pakistan Navy
The Pakistan Navy is the naval warfare/service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Pakistan's Navy is responsible for Pakistan's coastline along the Arabian Sea and the defense of important civilian harbors and military bases...
as its contractors. In October of 23 of 1988, Chief of Naval Staff
Chief of Naval Staff (Pakistan)
The Chief of the Naval Staff, abbreviated as CNS, is the highest ranking officer in the Pakistani Navy unless a 4-star naval officer is appointed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. The current Chief of the Naval Staff is Admiral Asif Sandila who commands the Navy. The CNS reports...
, later Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Pakistan
The Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee , is a military administrative body of high-ranking and senior uniformed military leaders and officers in the Pakistan Defense Forces who advises the civilian Government of Pakistan, National Security Council, and Defence Minister on important military matters...
, Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey
Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey
Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey, NI, SBt, HI, , is a now-retired and senior four-star admiral who was the 10th Chief of Naval Staff of Pakistan Navy from 1986 to 1988...
visited the naval air station in 1988. The same day, it was given commissioned in the Naval services of Pakistan Navy as PNS Makran. The facility was later upgraded in between 2001-2003 when the base was connected to Makran Coastal Highway
Makran Coastal Highway
Makran Coastal Highway is a 653 km-long coastal highway along Pakistan's Arabian Sea coastline. It runs primarily through Balochistan province between Karachi and Gwadar, passing near the port towns of Ormara and Pasni....
.
In June 2010, Fokker F-27, Alouette III
Aérospatiale Alouette III
The Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...
and Lynx
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
from PNS Mehran were deployed to PNS Makran on Operation Madad. The PNS Makran is a main naval air station to support the naval air operations in Balochistan as well as it performs numbers of reconnaissance operation for Southern Naval Command (SNC).
Current operations
The PNS Makran currently operations Fokker F-27, Alouette IIIAérospatiale Alouette III
The Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...
and Lynx
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
which are deployed from PNS Mehran to support relief and humanitarian operations in a recent and Country
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's worst deluge
2010 Pakistan floods
The 2010 Pakistan floods began in late July 2010, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan regions of Pakistan and affected the Indus River basin. Approximately one-fifth of Pakistan's total land area was underwater, approximately...
. As of today, the base is current the main headquarter of Navy's relief operations where the naval air squadron's are continued to take sorties to evacuate stranded people in flood affected areas.
External Billets
- PNS Makran - Official Site
- PNS Makran - Oldsite