No. 4 Squadron PAF

The No. 4 AWACS Squadron is a squadron of the Pakistan Air Force's Southern Air Command. It is currently deployed at Masroor Airbase and operates the ZDK-03 radar surveillance aircraft.

History
The No. 4 Squadron was raised at PAF Base Mauripur in January 1957 as a search and rescue flight of the No. 12 Composite Squadron consisting of two SA-16 Albatross hydroplanes. In 1959, its fleet was expanded with additional SA-16s, Bristol Freighters, HH-43 and H-19D helicopters which enabled it to function as a separate squadron undertaking the roles of search and rescue, maritime recce and casualty evacuation.

On the outbreak of the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war, the squadron was put on maritime patrol operations working besides the Pakistan Navy tracking Indian ship movements in the Arabian Sea particularly the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier. Additionally, it undertook counter intelligence operations in Karachi with the army.

By 1968, the Freighters were retired and the SA-16s put in storage, however the helicopter fleet continued to fly till March 1969 when the squadron was number plated.

In 2011, the squadron was re-raised with 4 new ZDK-03s. Besides being assigned the role of airborne command and control it was also assigned maritime support duties to the Pakistan Navy. It later participated in various national and international military exercises. In 2019, the squadron flew round the clock surveillance missions as part of Operation Swift Retort.

In 2024, it was reported that the PAF was retiring its ZDK-03 fleet, though the fate of the squadron remains remains unknown.

Exercises
Throughout its service the No. 4 squadron participated in several military exercises both at national and international levels.

National

 * Exercise Sea Spark
 * Exercise Burq
 * Exercise Ribat
 * Exercise Hawkeye
 * Exercise Mountain Ops
 * Exercise Sea Hawk

International

 * Exercise Midlink VII (9-21 November 1964)
 * Exercise Shaheen
 * Indus Viper
 * ACES Meet