The No. 4 AEW&C Squadron nicknamed Karakorum Eagles is an airborne early warning unit of the Pakistan Air Force's 32nd Air Mobility Wing. It operates ZDK-03 early warning aircraft from PAF Base Masroor.
History The squadron's history traces its roots back to January 1958, when a maritime flight of 2 Grumman HU-16 Albatross was established operating under the supervision of 12 Squadron at Mauripur airbase. The unit was transformed into a fully functioning squadron on 15 August 1959, under which its fleet was expanded with more Albatross seaplanes, Bristol Freighters, and Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw helicopters. The unit was temporarily disbanded in March 1969 after H-19s were retired from air force service, with its Albatrosses being put in storage.
On 11 August 2011, the squadron was reactivated as an Airborne Early Warning unit with 4 ZDK-03 AEW&C aircraft.
Operational history 1965 War While under the command of Squadron Leader Afsar Khan Jadoon, the squadron's H-19Ds undertook several covert operations in close co-operation with the Pakistan Army while the HU-16s saw maritime patrol missions over the Arabian Sea in close coordination with the Pakistan Navy throughout the 16-day war.
2019 and 2025 conflicts with India The squadron remained alert during Operation Swift Retort with the unit being deployed at its wartime locations. Similar wartime alerts were seen during Marka-e-Haq in 2025.
See also
List of AEW&C aircraft operators List of Pakistan Air Force squadrons
References