1965-The Air War

                   

 

In September 1965, PAF had a total of eleven combat squadrons. One trainer squadron (T33) which was also utilized for reconnaissance and ground support during the war, and one reconnaissance squadron (RB-57). One squadron  F-86 aircraft (No 14) was located in East Pakistan. According to Fricker, the breakdown of PAF combat aircraft was as follows:-

PAF Order of Battle  

Squadron No.	Aircraft
5	F-86 F
7	B-57B
8	B-57B
9	F-104A/B
11	F-86-F
14	F-86-F
15	F-86 F
16	F-86 F
17	F-86 F
18	F-86 F
19	F-86 F
2	T-33 (Trainer)
?	RB-57 (Recce)
Total:13

           Singh, Rikhye and Steinemann (1992),Fricker(1979

IAF had deployed eighteen squadrons of combat aircraft against PAF of which fourteen squadrons were located in the West and the remaining four squadrons in the East. These fourteen squadrons packed some 325 aircraft. Along the China border, IAF had deployed 9 squadrons, some of which could be switched over against Pakistan. Going by sheer numbers, with 325 aircraft arrayed against 149, IAF had a 2.81:1 superiority over PAF. 

IAF Order of Battle

Aircraft	Squadron No	Total Squadrons	Remarks
Gnat	9, 23,2, 18*	4	*Forming up
Mystere	1,3,31,8,32	5
Canberra	5,16,35,106*	4	*Canberra PR 57
Hunter	27,7,20	3
MIG-21	28	1
Vampire	45	1
	Total	18#	#In addition, 9x squadrons were deployed against China

            Singh, Rikhye, and Steinemann (1992), Mohan and Chopra (2005)

Shukla (2014,2016) wrote:

To set the stage, the PAF in 1965 was a well-trained, American supplied-air force of 17* squadrons (12-16 aircraft per squadron), which included a squadron of F-104 Starfighters, then the most formidable fighter in Asia; eight squadrons of F-86 Sabres; two squadrons of highly regarded B-57 bombers; and a high-altitude reconnaissance squadron of RB-57, including the secret RB-57F photo-recce aircraft that flew at 70,000 feet, beyond the reach of Indian fighters and anti-aircraft weapons. The PAF imaginatively used its two squadrons of light trainers for reconnaissance and ground attack.

The IAF, in contrast, had 48 squadrons, almost thrice the PAF’s strength, although six Vampire and three Toofani fighter squadrons were clearly obsolescent. Furthermore, India retained a number of squadrons in the east to guard against China. With Indian quantity offset by PAF quality, the decks were evenly stacked.

 

On September 6,1965, The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) launched its first major air attacks into India. Ranging freely across the border, PAF fighters attacked multiple Indian Air Force (IAF) bases, destroying (according to Indian accounts) ten Indian fighters on the ground in Pathankot, damaging another three, and downing two IAF fighters protecting Halwara airbase. The next day, another 12 Indian fighters were destroyed on the ground in Kalaikunda airbase, in West Bengal. The IAF remained on the back foot for the rest of the 1965 war. 

*Perhaps Shukla includes the transport and utility squadrons also.

The air war had started on 1^st September when four IAF Vampires were shot down over Chamb by two F-86s of No.5 Squadron from Sargodha. On 3^rd September, a PAF F-104 forced an IAF Gnat to land at an abandoned landing ground near Pasrur, in the Sialkot sector. The IAFs explanation that the Gnat from Pathankot mistakenly landed at the “PAF base” at Pasrur is a cover-up. On 4^th September, one F-86 was lost to ground fire. The IAF claims that the F-86 was shot down in air combat by a Gnat of 23 Squadron. On 5^th September, neither of the air forces claim any air combat.

On 6^th September, the day the Indian Army’s XI Corps crossed the international border, PAF attacked IAF forward airbases at Adampur, Halwara Pathankot, Srinagar, and Jamnagar. It also attacked IAF radar stations at Ferozepur and Porbandar. At Pathankot, PAF claimed seven MiGs, five Mysteres, and two C-119s-a total of fourteen aircraft. IAF concedes the loss of two Mig-21s, four Mysteres, two Gnats, and one C-119, a total of nine aircraft.

The PAF airstrikes on 6^th September were well planned and rehearsed. But, except for Pathankot,  the operation failed to achieve the desired results due to lack of concentrated effort – instead of the planned 59 strikes, only 33 were generated, with dispersed timings. The element of surprise was thus lost.

The IAF launched its counter-stroke against Sargodha, the nerve center of PAF, on 7^th September. It is said that over 50 percent of the PAFs combat air strength was concentrated in Sargodha. However, despite generating 33 sorties, IAF failed to neutralize the Sargodha complex. PAF claims to have shot down ten enemy aircraft in air combat over Sargodha that day. IAF concedes a loss of five aircraft- two Mysteres and three Hunters. The PAF admitted to the loss of one F-104  and one F-86. But the IAF claims three F-86s and two F-104s (one on the ground and one in the air).

On the same day, i.e. 7^th September, Canberras of IAF’s Eastern Command attacked Chittagong, without inflicting any losses. In retaliation, PAF’s No. 14 Squadron attacked the IAF bases at Kalaikunda and Bagdogra. In two strikes that day, PAF claimed to have destroyed fourteen Canberras and one C-119. Additionally, the PAF claimed four Canberras and three hunters damaged. IAF is circumspect about its losses and maintains that PAF destroyed less than half as many aircraft, mostly Vampires, and one Canberra. IAF claims that during the PAF's raid on Kalaikunda, Indian pilot Flight Lieutenant A T Cooke engaged 3 PAF Sabres, shooting down one and badly damaging the second Sabre,

After their respective major offensives failed to take out their rivals, the two air forces avoided challenging each other in broad daylight and resorted to actions at night. According to Singh, Rikhye, and Steinem (1992), “ The PAFs job was very limited: keep the larger Indian Air Force out of Pakistan airspace as much as possible, and keep it off the back of the Pakistan Army. This it did well”. 

We have mentioned earlier how, as mentioned by Singh, Rikhye . and Steinem (1992) on 6^th September PAF No. 19 Squadron had prevented the Indian 15 Division’s leading brigade from establishing a bridgehead across BRB Canal, delaying the Indian advance and allowing Pakistan’s 10 Division to occupy forward positions in the face of the enemy onslaught. 

According to the same authors, other PAF missions, which deserve special mention were: 1) PAF’s successful defence of Sargodha on 7^th September; 2) No. 14 Squadron’s attacks on Kalaikunda on 7^th September, destroying numerous Canberras lined up on the tarmac; 3) No.19 Squadron’s raid on Pathankot in which IAF MiG 21’s, Gnats, and Mysteres were caught off guard on the ground; 4) No. 4 Squadron’s ill-fated strike over Halwara 6^th September which ended in the loss of Squadron Leader Rafiqui but had far-reaching consequences.

Pakistan claimed to have destroyed 104 enemy aircraft against its own losses of 19, while India claimed to have destroyed 73 enemy aircraft and lost 35 of its own.^[4] Despite the intense fighting, the conflict was effectively a stalemate.

Saleem Akhtar Malik

September 21, 2021