CCS is geared primarily towards the mid-career advanced air combat training of PAF fighter squadron commanders, air defence controllers, and instructors and for the development of advanced fighter weapons tactics.
The CCS has its origins in the PAF's Flight Leaders' School (FLS) established at PAF Base Masroor at Karachi in April 1958 under the PAF's first Pakistani Commander-in-Chief, Air Marshal Asghar Khan, with Wing Commander M.Z. Masud (later Air Commodore) as the FLS's first commanding officer. After the 1965 India-Pakistan War, the FLS underwent periodic closures due to various constraints and faded from the scene in the early 1970s.[3]
In late 1974, the PAF decided to establish an institution that would not only revive the FLS but surpass it.[3]
Consequently, the CCS was established on 5 May 1976 at PAF Base Sargodha with Wing Commander Hakimullah (later Air Chief Marshal) as its first commanding officer. It was inaugurated officially by Air Chief Marshal Zulfiqar Ali Khan on 15 August 1977. At its inception, the CCS was equipped with two fighter squadrons comprising Mirage III and F-6 fighters. On 16 July 1988, an F-16 squadron was added. In 1993, the F-6 squadron was re-equipped with F-7Ps. On 26 January 2015, a fourth squadron equipped with JF-17s was raised.[3][7]
In 2016, CCS was made a part of the newly-formed PAF ACE under the CAC.[5]
In 2021, the CCS F-7P Squadron was decommissioned after the retirement of all F-7Ps/FT-7Ps from PAF service.
In February 2023, No. 23 AS Squadron 'Talons', equipped with the more advanced and newer F-7PGs/FT-7PGs, was transferred to CCS from 31 AS Wing (Western Air Command), PAF Base Samungli (Quetta) to serve as the new CCS F-7PG Squadron.
Research and development of advanced air combat tactics
Application of advanced air combat tactics
Training of fighter squadron commanders, air defence controllers, and instructors on advanced air combat tactics
Optimum and effective utilization of weapons systems
Standardisation and evaluation of fighter squadrons
Prescribing minimum standards for fighter squadron training and operational readiness
Training
A CCS Mirage Squadron instructor pilot with his Mirage 5PA fighter
The CCS conducts Combat Commanders' Courses (CCCs) for combat pilots and combat controllers.[9] Previously, Fighter Weapon Instructors' Courses (FWICs) were also conducted for junior leaders. Subsequently, however, FWICs were discontinued to accommodate the more urgent need for imparting training to commanding officers, who would, in turn, impart training to junior officers.[10][4]
As of December 2021, the CCS has conducted 55 CCCs.[9]
Pilots are normally selected to undergo rigorous training at the CCS after around 9 to 12 years of service with the PAF. Once selected by Air Headquarters, they undergo three courses: a 4–5 month Combat Commanders' Course (CCC), a 3 month Weapons Course (WC), and a 4–5 week Fighter Integration Course (FIC). The courses are reputed to be very tough and not all CCS students pass. Successful graduates can go on to attain the rank of Wing Commander and command a squadron.[8]
Dissimilar air combat training (DACT) at the CCS is renowned "throughout the world" for giving complete freedom and responsibility to participating pilots for forming and executing their mission plans. Combat missions are regularly flown at tree-top height and pilots are also responsible for their own post-flight learning. Foreign Chiefs of Air Staff visiting the base have been "most impressed" and "showed surprise at the freedom allotted to the student DACT pilots."[8]
CCS staff pay annual visits to all PAF fighter squadrons to evaluate and enhance combat capabilities and ensure standards. In June 1990, the Squadron Combat Upgradation Programme (SCUP) was initiated and four-month-long cycles were conducted by October 1990, each involving two fighter squadrons, F-16 pilots and ground controllers. In 1992, SCUP was replaced with the regular Exercise Saffron Bandit, which is a more demanding and complicated near-realistic environment for participating fighter pilots and air defence controllers. Exercise Saffron Bandit is still supervised and its syllabus constantly improved by the CCS.[11]
Squadrons
The CCS has four active fighter squadrons under its command:
Active squadrons
Squadron
Nickname
Role
Command
Wing
Date Established
Base
Aircraft
Notes
CCS F-16 Squadron (No. 29 Squadron)
Aggressors
Advanced Air Combat Tactics Development & Training
^"Combat Commanders School". Retrieved 13 June 2011.
^ abcPakistan Air Force, The Story of the Pakistan Air Force 1988-1998: A Battle Against Odds, Islamabad: Shaheen Foundation, 2000 (p. 290)
^"Pakistan tries to flex muscles; Creates PAF's "Aggressor Squadron" along the border with India in the Mushaf area". 20 March 2019.
^"Pride of Pakistan JF-17 Thunder inducted into PAF CCS". The Nation. 2015-01-27. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
^"JF-17 Thunder aircraft inducted in PAF Combat Commanders' School". 26 January 2015.
^. [www.f-6fighter.com f-6fighter.com]. Archived from the original on 15 August 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
^. Archived from the original on 2019-09-08. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
March 02, 2023
combat, commanders, school, fighter, weapons, advanced, combat, tactics, development, training, school, pakistan, force, based, base, mushaf, sargodha, pakistan, active5, 1976, presentcountry, pakistanallegiance, pakistanbranch, pakistan, forcetypefighter, wea. The Combat Commanders School or CCS is the fighter weapons and advanced air combat tactics development and training school of the Pakistan Air Force PAF based at PAF Base Mushaf Sargodha Pakistan 2 3 4 Combat Commanders SchoolActive5 May 1976 presentCountry PakistanAllegiance PakistanBranch Pakistan Air ForceTypeFighter Weapons and Advanced Air Combat Tactics Development and Training SchoolRoleAdvanced Air Combat Tactics Development and TrainingSize4 Fighter SquadronsPart ofPAF Airpower Centre of Excellence Central Air CommandGarrison HQPAF Base MushafNickname s Top GunsMotto s Shamsheer o Sana Awal Urdu Translation At first sword and spear Engagements2019 Operation Swift Retort 1 DecorationsSitara i Jurat Tamgha i JuratBattle honours2019 Operation Swift Retort 1 CCS is a part of the PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence PAF ACE under the PAF s Central Air Command CAC 5 Operationally PAF ACE has the status of a Wing under the CAC with four fighter squadrons of the CCS under its command 6 CCS is geared primarily towards the mid career advanced air combat training of PAF fighter squadron commanders air defence controllers and instructors and for the development of advanced fighter weapons tactics Contents 1 History 2 Mission 3 Training 4 Squadrons 4 1 Active squadrons 4 2 Decommissioned squadrons 5 Commanding officers 6 Published sources 7 External links 8 See also 9 ReferencesHistory Edit CCS Patch The CCS has its origins in the PAF s Flight Leaders School FLS established at PAF Base Masroor at Karachi in April 1958 under the PAF s first Pakistani Commander in Chief Air Marshal Asghar Khan with Wing Commander M Z Masud later Air Commodore as the FLS s first commanding officer After the 1965 India Pakistan War the FLS underwent periodic closures due to various constraints and faded from the scene in the early 1970s 3 In late 1974 the PAF decided to establish an institution that would not only revive the FLS but surpass it 3 Consequently the CCS was established on 5 May 1976 at PAF Base Sargodha with Wing Commander Hakimullah later Air Chief Marshal as its first commanding officer It was inaugurated officially by Air Chief Marshal Zulfiqar Ali Khan on 15 August 1977 At its inception the CCS was equipped with two fighter squadrons comprising Mirage III and F 6 fighters On 16 July 1988 an F 16 squadron was added In 1993 the F 6 squadron was re equipped with F 7Ps On 26 January 2015 a fourth squadron equipped with JF 17s was raised 3 7 In 2016 CCS was made a part of the newly formed PAF ACE under the CAC 5 In 2021 the CCS F 7P Squadron was decommissioned after the retirement of all F 7Ps FT 7Ps from PAF service In February 2023 No 23 AS Squadron Talons equipped with the more advanced and newer F 7PGs FT 7PGs was transferred to CCS from 31 AS Wing Western Air Command PAF Base Samungli Quetta to serve as the new CCS F 7PG Squadron Mission EditThe CCS has the following mission 8 Research and development of advanced air combat tactics Application of advanced air combat tactics Training of fighter squadron commanders air defence controllers and instructors on advanced air combat tactics Optimum and effective utilization of weapons systems Standardisation and evaluation of fighter squadrons Prescribing minimum standards for fighter squadron training and operational readinessTraining Edit A CCS Mirage Squadron instructor pilot with his Mirage 5PA fighter The CCS conducts Combat Commanders Courses CCCs for combat pilots and combat controllers 9 Previously Fighter Weapon Instructors Courses FWICs were also conducted for junior leaders Subsequently however FWICs were discontinued to accommodate the more urgent need for imparting training to commanding officers who would in turn impart training to junior officers 10 4 As of December 2021 the CCS has conducted 55 CCCs 9 Pilots are normally selected to undergo rigorous training at the CCS after around 9 to 12 years of service with the PAF Once selected by Air Headquarters they undergo three courses a 4 5 month Combat Commanders Course CCC a 3 month Weapons Course WC and a 4 5 week Fighter Integration Course FIC The courses are reputed to be very tough and not all CCS students pass Successful graduates can go on to attain the rank of Wing Commander and command a squadron 8 Dissimilar air combat training DACT at the CCS is renowned throughout the world for giving complete freedom and responsibility to participating pilots for forming and executing their mission plans Combat missions are regularly flown at tree top height and pilots are also responsible for their own post flight learning Foreign Chiefs of Air Staff visiting the base have been most impressed and showed surprise at the freedom allotted to the student DACT pilots 8 CCS staff pay annual visits to all PAF fighter squadrons to evaluate and enhance combat capabilities and ensure standards In June 1990 the Squadron Combat Upgradation Programme SCUP was initiated and four month long cycles were conducted by October 1990 each involving two fighter squadrons F 16 pilots and ground controllers In 1992 SCUP was replaced with the regular Exercise Saffron Bandit which is a more demanding and complicated near realistic environment for participating fighter pilots and air defence controllers Exercise Saffron Bandit is still supervised and its syllabus constantly improved by the CCS 11 Squadrons EditThe CCS has four active fighter squadrons under its command Active squadrons Edit Squadron Nickname Role Command Wing Date Established Base Aircraft NotesCCS F 16 Squadron No 29 Squadron Aggressors Advanced Air Combat Tactics Development amp Training Central Air Command PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence 16 July 1988 PAF Base Mushaf F 16A B MLU 12 5 13 CCS JF 17 Squadron Fierce Dragons Advanced Air Combat Tactics Development amp Training Central Air Command PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence 26 January 2015 PAF Base Mushaf JF 17A B 14 15 7 5 CCS Mirage Squadron Sky Bolts Advanced Air Combat Tactics Development amp Training Central Air Command PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence 5 May 1976 PAF Base Mushaf Dassault Mirage IIIEA Dassault Mirage 5PA 12 5 CCS F 7PG Squadron No 23 Squadron Talons Advanced Air Combat Tactics Development amp Training Central Air Command PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence 16 March 1961 transferred to CCS from 31 AS Wing Western Air Command PAF Base Samungli Quetta in February 2023 PAF Base Mushaf F 7PG FT 7PGDecommissioned squadrons Edit Squadron Nickname Role Command Wing Date Established Base Aircraft NotesCCS F 7 Squadron Dashings Advanced Air Combat Tactics Development amp Training Central Air Command PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence Raised as CCS F 6 Squadron on 5 May 1976 Re equipped with F 7Ps in 1993 and name changed to CCS F 7 Squadron PAF Base Mushaf F 7P FT 7P Squadron decommissioned in 2021 after retirement of all PAF F 7Ps FT 7Ps in 2020 16 12 5 Commanding officers EditGroup Captain Hakimullah 5 May 1976 January 1978 later Air Chief Marshal Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry January 1978 January 1979 17 Group Captain Abbas H Mirza Group Captain Dilawar Hussain Group Captain Aliuddin Group Captain Muhammad Abbas Khattak later Air Chief Marshal Group Captain Muhammad Arshad Chaudhry Group Captain Abdul Sattar Alvi Group Captain Zahid Anis Group Captain Shahid Javed Group Captain Riffat Munir Group Captain Abdul Razzaq Group Captain Khalid Chaudhry Group Captain Abdul Hameed Qadri Group Captain Sabeeh Hussain Group Captain Faaiz Amir Group Captain Atique Rafiq Group Captain Raja Rizwanullah Khan Group Captain Sohail Aman later Air Chief Marshal Group Captain Javaid Ahmed Group Captain Muhammad Azam Group Captain Abdul Jabbar Khan Group Captain Syed Nomaan Ali Group Captain Muhammad Suleman Aziz Group Captain Zahid Mehmood Group Captain Abdul Moeed Khan Group Captain Nadeem Akhtar Group Captain Muhammad Zaeem AfzalPublished sources EditDowning Mke Pakistan s Top Gun Base Air Forces Monthly April 1992 Pakistan Air Force The Story of the Pakistan Air Force 1988 1998 A Battle Against Odds Islamabad Shaheen Foundation 2000 pp 289 292 Pakistan Air Force The Story of the Pakistan Air Force A Saga of Courage and Honour Islamabad Shaheen Foundation 1988 pp 534 589 590 Warnes Alan The Pakistan Air Force 1998 2008 A New Dawn 2009 Chapter 3 Training for Combat p 48 External links EditDunya News TV Report on CCS Urdu 2 April 2016 See also EditPakistan Air Force Academy Risalpur PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence PAF ACE Sargodha PAF Air War College Karachi List of Pakistan Air Force squadronsReferences Edit a b How Pakistan planned to hit India back for Balakot the mission the fighters the tactics 14 September 2019 Pakistan Air Force Combat Commanders School CCS 16 October 2016 a b c d Pakistan Air Force The Story of the Pakistan Air Force A Saga of Courage and Honour Islamabad Shaheen Foundation 1988 pp 589 590 a b http www paf gov pk press release uploaded ccsgraduation27 11 2010 pdf bare URL PDF a b c d e f Orbats Orbats www scramble nl a b JF 17 Thunder inducted in PAF Combat Commanders School SAMAA a b c Pakistan s Top Gun Base Air Forces Monthly April 1992 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Missing or empty url help a b Graduation Ceremony of No 55 Combat Commanders course held at Airpower Centre of Excellence 20 December 2021 PAF Combat Commanders graduation ceremony Combat Commanders School Retrieved 13 June 2011 a b c Pakistan Air Force The Story of the Pakistan Air Force 1988 1998 A Battle Against Odds Islamabad Shaheen Foundation 2000 p 290 Pakistan tries to flex muscles Creates PAF s Aggressor Squadron along the border with India in the Mushaf area 20 March 2019 Pride of Pakistan JF 17 Thunder inducted into PAF CCS The Nation 2015 01 27 Retrieved 2020 04 04 JF 17 Thunder aircraft inducted in PAF Combat Commanders School 26 January 2015 History of F 6 www f 6fighter com f 6fighter com Archived from the original on 15 August 2011 Retrieved 9 June 2011 Remembering our warriors Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry SJ Archived from the original on 2019 09 08 Retrieved 2021 03 31 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Combat Commanders 27 School amp oldid 1140964835, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
