Pathankot Air Force Station

Pathankot Air Force Station
पठानकोट हवाई अड्डा
ਪਠਾਨਕੋਟ ਹਵਾਈ ਅੱਡਾ

IATA: IXPICAO: VIPK

IXP
Location of airport in India

Summary
Airport type Military
Owner Government of India
Operator Indian Air Force
Serves Pathankot
Location Pathankot, Punjab, India
Opened November 21, 2006 (civil)
Elevation AMSL 1,017 ft / 310 m
Coordinates 32°14′01″N 075°38′04″E / 32.23361°N 75.63444°E / 32.23361; 75.63444
Website www.aai.aero/allAirports/pathankot.jsp
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
01/19 8,970 2,734 Asphalt

Pathankot Air Force Station (IATA: IXP, ICAO: VIPK) is a military airport located 3 km from Pathankot, India, on the Pathankot – Majra Road. It is part of the Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force and covers an area of approximately 2000 acres (809.3 hectares).

Civil enclave

The civil enclave at the airport was inaugurated by the civil aviation minister at the time, Praful Patel, on November 21, 2006.[1] The facility was created by the efforts of Gurdaspur Member of Parliament, Bollywood film actor Vinod Khanna,[2][3] who had planned to make Pathankot a tourist spot and industrial hub.[4] No domestic flights operate to the airport.[4][5]

Incidents

Main article: 2016 Pathankot attack

On 2 January 2016, six heavily armed terrorists suspected to belong to Islamist militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed attacked the Air Force Station. The terrorists were wearing Indian Army fatigues and rode a stolen car of a superintendent of the Punjab Police. All six terrorists and seven security forces personnel were killed in the gun battle on 4th January.[6]

References

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