North Waziristan operations

After the independence of Pakistan, several armed militant groups in the North-West Frontier Province which were previously engaged in an armed conflict with the British Raj turned against Pakistan. This time backed by the Kingdom of Afghanistan, the armed groups started a rebellion against the Dominion of Pakistan. Resultantly, the No. 14 squadron was deployed at Miranshah airfield at North Waziristan for counter insurgency operations during which it bombed several rebel targets. In 1953–54, the Squadron also launched a bombing operation on Faqir of Ipi's strongholds at Gurwek.^[7][4][8]

1965 Indo-Pakistani war

During the 1965 war, the No. 14 Squadron was deployed at Tejgaon Air Base and initially operated 12 North American F-86F Sabres but one was lost to a bird strike on 4 September so it operated 11 units throughout the war. The Squadron didn't participate in any offensive operations during the rise in hostilities over the disputed Indian Administered Kashmir region but it had been on high alert since the Rann of Kutch conflict before the invasion. In retaliation for the Indian invasion, the PAF launched an aggressive airstrike campaign on several IAF bases.^[9][4]

Pakistani civil conflict and subsequent Indo-Pakistani war of 1971

The map shows Pakistan and East Pakistan; between them was 1,600 km (1,000 mi) of Indian territory.

The No. 14 squadron carried out numerous CAS missions all around then East Pakistan during the civil uprising in 1971. After India intervened in the Conflict, the Squadron was the sole squadron of Pakistan defending East Pakistani airspace from the numerically superior Indian forces. It fought until the final days of the war until subsequently the Dhaka Airbase was destroyed by Indian Bombers and overrun by the invading Indian forces alongside Bengali rebels. By the end of the war, the squadron along with the Dhaka Airbase's ack-ack guns had destroyed 23 IAF warplanes.^[13] According to the neutral sources, India flew 1,978 sorties in the East and about 4,000 in West Pakistan, while the PAF flew about 30 and 2,840 at the respective fronts.^[14] By the end of the war, India had overall lost 45 aircraft while Pakistan lost 75.^[15]

At the end of the war with the surrender of Pakistani forces to the Indian forces, PAF pilots made successful escapes from East Pakistan to neighbouring Burma; many PAF personnel had already left the East for Burma on their own before Dacca was overrun by the Indian military in December 1971.^[16]

Aerial Engagements with Soviet & Afghan Jets

During the Soviet-Afghan war, Soviet and Afghan jets would bomb Afghan refugee camps and Mujahideen camps in the then North West Frontier Province (presently Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). Resultantly, the No. 14 Squadron, while operating the F-16 Fighting Falcon, was deployed at PAF Base Minhas at Kamra from where they carried out Combat Air Patrol missions on the Western Borders where they would eventually dogfight with Soviet and Afghan jets.^[17][4][18]

On 16 April 1987, Squadron Leader Badar Islam from the Tail Choppers shot down an Afghan Su-22 with an AIM-9L Sidewinder. On 4 August 1987, Squadron Leader Athar Bukhari shot down a Soviet Su-25 near Miranshah, the Soviet pilot, Colonel Alexander Rutskoy, safely ejected and was arrested by Pakistani authorities. He was later handed back to the Soviets on 16 August 1988.^[19] Later, on 12 September 1988, Flight Lieutenant Khalid shot down two Mig-23. The squadron scored its last kill on 3 November 1988, when Flight Lieutenant Khalid Mehmood shot down an Afghan Su-22.^{[17][20][18][21]}

War on Terror

During Operation Black Thunderstorm, an F-7P of the Tail Choppers performed a Sonic boom over the Peochar valley before Pakistani forces were inserted into the area. This was to create fear amongst the militants occupying the area.