Pakistan Army Armoured Corps
| Pakistan Army Armoured Corps | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1947-Present |
| Country |
 Pakistan |
| Size | 45 armoured regiments |
| Regimental Centre | Nowshera |
| Colors | Red and Yellow |
| Engagements |
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Operation Desert Storm UN Peacekeeping Missions |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Gen Zia-ul-Haq Gen Jehangir Karamat Lt Gen Gul Hassan Khan |
Pakistan Army Armoured Corps (Urdu: ﺁرمى ﺁرمرڈ كور) is a combatant branch of Pakistan Army, tasked with the armoured warfare. Equipped with more than 3000 Main Battle Tanks, the corps is based at the old garrison town of Nowshera and is organized into two armoured divisions and a number of independent armoured brigades. The Pakistan Armoured Corps has a proud history going back to 1773, when its oldest unit was raised in British India. The corps maintains a number of legendary units on its order of battle, who earned fame in numerous wars and engagements of British Indian Army including the two World Wars. At the time of the independence, Pakistan inherited six armoured regiments from the old British Indian Army.[1]
Since then, the corps has expanded into more than forty regiments. Many of these new regiments have also earned accolades for their performance in the wars fought with India. Prominent among them is 25 Cavalry( Men Of Steel), who beat back the invading Indian Armoured Division at Phillaurah during the Battle of Chawinda in 1965.[2]
Regiments in the Corps
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*The President's Body Guard was formed at independence from the Governor General's Bodyguard, which was successor to the Governor's Troop of Mughals raised in 1773.
*5 Horse is the successor to the 1st Sikh Irregular Cavalry (Wales's Horse), and the 2nd Sikh Irregular Cavalry, both raised in 1857.
*6 Lancers is the successor to The Rohilkhand Horse raised in 1857, and the 4th Sikh Irregular Cavalry raised in 1858.
*Guides Cavalry (Frontier Force) is the successor to the Corps of Guides raised in 1846.
*11 Cavalry (Frontier Force) is the successor to 1st and 3rd Regiments of Punjab Cavalry, both raised in 1849.
*12 Cavalry (Frontier Force) is the successor to 2nd and 5th Regiments of Punjab Cavalry, both raised in 1849.
*13th Lancers is successor to the 1st and 2nd Native Troops of Bombay Cavalry, raised in 1804 and 1816 respectively. It is the senior-most armoured regiment of Pakistan.
Coloured lithograph by Richard Simkin, 1885.
*15th Lancers is successor to the Muttra Horse and 7th Bombay Cavalry, raised in 1857 and 1885 respectively.
*19th Lancers is successor to the 2nd Mahratta Horse (Tiwana Horse) raised in 1858, and Fane's Horse raised in 1860.
*25 Cavalry (Frontier Force) is the famous regiment which stopped the Indian Army's armoured thrust during the Battle of Chawinda in 1965.
The regiment was given the sobriquet " Men of Steel" by the then Chief of Army staff
*Al-Khalid Main Battle Tank (MBT) is a joint Sino-Pakistani production with a 125 mm smoothbore gun.
*T-80UD is of Ukrainian origin with a 125 mm smoothbore gun.
*T-85III is an upgraded version of Chinese T-85AP with a 125 mm smoothbore gun.
*Al-Zarrar is an upgraded Pakistani version of the Chinese T-59II with a 125 mm smoothbore gun.
*T-69II is a Chinese MBT with a 105 mm gun.
Notes
- ↑ Riza, Maj Gen Shaukat. (1989). The Pakistan Army 1947-49. Rawalpindi: Services Book Club
- ↑ Ahmed, Lt Gen Mahmud. (2006). History of Indo-Pak War – 1965. Rawalpindi: Services Book Club.
- ↑ The Sabre & Lance: Journal of the Pakistan Armoured Corps. (1997). Nowshera: The School of Armour & Mechanised Warfare.
External links
- Pakistan Armoured Corps on www.regiments.org
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