PNS Makran

Pakistan Navy Station Makran, (reporting name: PNS Makran formerly known as Coastal Naval Air Station, Pasni, is a naval air station and a military airport located in the Coastal city of Pasni, Balochistan.^[1]

PNS Makran
Badge of the Pakistan Navy.
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Military: Naval Air Station
Owner	Ministry of Defense
Operator	Pakistan Navy
Serves	Port of Pasni
Location	Pasni City, Balochistan Province, Pakistan
Built	(1988-10-23) October 23, 1988 (age 36)
In use	1988 - Present
Occupants	Naval Air Arm
Coordinates	25°17′28″N 63°20′41″E
Website	pns makran

It is one of Pakistan Navy's four active Naval Air Arm airbases in Balochistan, Pakistan ^[2]

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. Construction at the site began in 1986, with the temporary runway completed in 1988. In 2003, the base was connected with National Highway Number 10, a highway that connects Karachi, Sindh to Gwadar, Balochistan. Previously known as Coastal Naval Air Station (CNAS), the Navy's Naval Observer School was first moved there, with the Naval Search and Rescue Squadron soon following. The construction was undertaken by the Corps of Engineers, Military Engineering Service and the Naval Engineering Branch as its contractors. On 23 October 1988, Chief of Naval Staff, later Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey visited the naval air station.^[3] The same day, it was commissioned in the Naval services of Pakistan Navy as PNS Makran. The facility was later upgraded from 2001 to 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 relief operation following the 2010 Pakistan floods.

Current operations

PNS Makran is one of the main naval air stations to support the naval air operations in Balochistan as well as to perform reconnaissance operations. It currently operates various aircraft deployed from PNS Mehran to support relief and humanitarian operations in the area as needed.^[4][5][6]

See also

• Pakistan Naval Air Arm