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Somalia, the horn of Africa, became the focal point of the UN operations from September 1992, due to an ongoing civil war resulting in indiscriminate killing of thousands of Somalis. Responding to the UN call, Pakistan sent a brigade size force of ground troops to Somalia. In an encounter, on 5 th June 1993 twenty three Pakistani peacekeepers were killed in an ambush followed by shooting down of two American Black-Hawk gunships. Therefore it was decided to have a combat squadron from Pakistan Army Aviation.
After completing formalities within the country, the advance party consisting of eleven officers and 146 other ranks left Rawalpindi on 4 th March 1994 for Mogadishu via Dijibouti on a special UN flight. They were seen off by Major General Rahmat Ullah (General Officer Commanding Army Aviation) and other senior officers. On the same day a US Mobile Training Team (MTT) also went into position for necessary training even before the arrival of Pakistani Advance Party. The flying training commenced on 7 th March 1994 and six pilots of Advance Party were trained by the US MTT and remaining pilots were trained by Pakistani instructors. The maintenance training was also imparted by the US experts on the aircraft and armament systems to the technicians of the advance party.
First BlackHawk Mission
On 8 th March 1994, Pakistani pilots undergoing conversion training were being flown on an area- familiarisation sortie in a UH-60 (Black Hawk) helicopter around Mogadishu city. This by chance provided the first feel of impending tasks when the mission was abruptly converted into an aerial support sortie to rescue a truck being hijacked by Somali gunmen.
Subsequently the pilots of the advance party flew the first mission on 9th March with the MTT instructors and first night mission was undertaken on 10th March.
On 14th March, under-training pilots came under indiscriminate Somali fire while returning to the home base. Only one engine was damaged with no other casualty.
On 18th March, the graduation ceremony of flying and technical trainees was held in the US camp.
On 25th March, first operational mission was undertaken exclusively by Pakistani pilots after the withdrawal of US troops.
The main body of Combat Group with 17 officers and 244 other ranks left Rawalpindi for Mogadishu on 26th March. The transition training of pilots and maintenance technicians commenced on 27th March.
Sufficient practice was given in aerial firing.
In this regard a special mention must be made about the dedicated efforts made be Lieutenant Colonels Arshad Farooq and Dawood Ahmed, the two instructor pilots converted by the American MTT, had to fly almost non-stop to accomplish the assigned task of making all other pilots operational within ten days of their arrival.
Kiowa Missions
In April, five OH-58C Kiowa scout helicopters were acquired on lease by the UN from USA for increasing the daylight scout and reconnaissance capability of the UN troops. The helicopters were to be airlifted from Ramstien Air Base in Germany to Mogadishu after initial training of instructor pilots and maintenance team in Germany.
To undertake this additional responsibility, ten scout pilots with the required team of technicians joined the combat group on 2nd and 3rd May by special UN flight.
Scout pilots included Majors Razaq Chaudhry, Muhammad Tahir Raja, Tariq Saleem Khan, Syed Tassalimoon Tauqir, Muzzamil Tajmmul, Mirza Muhammad Aslam, Basharat Aman and Captain Anjum Hussain.
Originally the training was scheduled from 14th June to 7th July in Germany. But due to certain sensitive issues, it could not be under taken and the UN decided to organize it at Mogadishu under a civilian contractor. On 30 th August, three Pakistani pilots started their training and also qualified as instructor pilots, They later converted seven other pilots and within ten days all pilots became proficient to carry out mission on this new type of helicopter, KIOWA. Their task was clearance of main supply routes, keeping an eye on suspected hostile groups and acting as eyes and ears of the gunship in addition to liaison functions.
Assistance for Moroccan Troops
On 10 April, a combat mission was sent to Marka to help Moroccan troops busy in controlling the law
and order situation in the city. Arrival of the armed helicopters had an instantaneous effect and the situation was restored to normal in no time.
On 25 May, a UN Bell-212 forced-landed in an area of hostile Somalis which could have resulted in
an ugly situation if not reacted swiftly. Helicopters of the Combat Group moved quickly and cordoned off
the area till the technicians repaired the fault on the ground and then all returned safely together.
Regarding AH-1 operations while rescuing Indian and Bengali troops, read more here:
https://defence.pk/threads/history-operations-of-cobra-ah-1-in-pakistan-army.448791/
TEXT is Copied from:
History of Pakistan Army Aviation 1947-2007
written by: Aamir Cheema, Muhammad Azam, Mushtaq Madni
Images from Google.
After completing formalities within the country, the advance party consisting of eleven officers and 146 other ranks left Rawalpindi on 4 th March 1994 for Mogadishu via Dijibouti on a special UN flight. They were seen off by Major General Rahmat Ullah (General Officer Commanding Army Aviation) and other senior officers. On the same day a US Mobile Training Team (MTT) also went into position for necessary training even before the arrival of Pakistani Advance Party. The flying training commenced on 7 th March 1994 and six pilots of Advance Party were trained by the US MTT and remaining pilots were trained by Pakistani instructors. The maintenance training was also imparted by the US experts on the aircraft and armament systems to the technicians of the advance party.
First BlackHawk Mission
On 8 th March 1994, Pakistani pilots undergoing conversion training were being flown on an area- familiarisation sortie in a UH-60 (Black Hawk) helicopter around Mogadishu city. This by chance provided the first feel of impending tasks when the mission was abruptly converted into an aerial support sortie to rescue a truck being hijacked by Somali gunmen.
Subsequently the pilots of the advance party flew the first mission on 9th March with the MTT instructors and first night mission was undertaken on 10th March.
On 14th March, under-training pilots came under indiscriminate Somali fire while returning to the home base. Only one engine was damaged with no other casualty.
On 18th March, the graduation ceremony of flying and technical trainees was held in the US camp.
On 25th March, first operational mission was undertaken exclusively by Pakistani pilots after the withdrawal of US troops.
The main body of Combat Group with 17 officers and 244 other ranks left Rawalpindi for Mogadishu on 26th March. The transition training of pilots and maintenance technicians commenced on 27th March.
Sufficient practice was given in aerial firing.
In this regard a special mention must be made about the dedicated efforts made be Lieutenant Colonels Arshad Farooq and Dawood Ahmed, the two instructor pilots converted by the American MTT, had to fly almost non-stop to accomplish the assigned task of making all other pilots operational within ten days of their arrival.
Kiowa Missions
In April, five OH-58C Kiowa scout helicopters were acquired on lease by the UN from USA for increasing the daylight scout and reconnaissance capability of the UN troops. The helicopters were to be airlifted from Ramstien Air Base in Germany to Mogadishu after initial training of instructor pilots and maintenance team in Germany.
To undertake this additional responsibility, ten scout pilots with the required team of technicians joined the combat group on 2nd and 3rd May by special UN flight.
Scout pilots included Majors Razaq Chaudhry, Muhammad Tahir Raja, Tariq Saleem Khan, Syed Tassalimoon Tauqir, Muzzamil Tajmmul, Mirza Muhammad Aslam, Basharat Aman and Captain Anjum Hussain.
Originally the training was scheduled from 14th June to 7th July in Germany. But due to certain sensitive issues, it could not be under taken and the UN decided to organize it at Mogadishu under a civilian contractor. On 30 th August, three Pakistani pilots started their training and also qualified as instructor pilots, They later converted seven other pilots and within ten days all pilots became proficient to carry out mission on this new type of helicopter, KIOWA. Their task was clearance of main supply routes, keeping an eye on suspected hostile groups and acting as eyes and ears of the gunship in addition to liaison functions.
Assistance for Moroccan Troops
On 10 April, a combat mission was sent to Marka to help Moroccan troops busy in controlling the law
and order situation in the city. Arrival of the armed helicopters had an instantaneous effect and the situation was restored to normal in no time.
On 25 May, a UN Bell-212 forced-landed in an area of hostile Somalis which could have resulted in
an ugly situation if not reacted swiftly. Helicopters of the Combat Group moved quickly and cordoned off
the area till the technicians repaired the fault on the ground and then all returned safely together.
Regarding AH-1 operations while rescuing Indian and Bengali troops, read more here:
https://defence.pk/threads/history-operations-of-cobra-ah-1-in-pakistan-army.448791/
TEXT is Copied from:
History of Pakistan Army Aviation 1947-2007
written by: Aamir Cheema, Muhammad Azam, Mushtaq Madni
Images from Google.
