Pakistan Air Force has marked the anniversary of No. 15 Squadron “Cobras”, established on June 5, 1956, at PAF Base Mauripur.
The squadron recorded PAF’s first aerial kill in 1959 by shooting down an Indian Canberra at 47,500 feet near Rawat.
During the 1965 war, Flt Lt Imtiaz Bhatti downed two Indian Vampire jets in air-to-air combat.
In the 1980s, the Cobras were on high alert during the Soviet-Afghan war.
In 2019, the squadron took part in Operation Swift Retort when the PAF shot down an India aircraft inside Pakistan airspace. Mirage jets from the squadron executed airstrikes in response to India’s Balakot strike.
In 2019, On Feb. 27, 2019, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) downed an Indian MiG-21 aircraft and captured Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman after the plane crashed in Azad Kashmir region.
No. 15 Squadron is now equipped with J-10C fighters, as this squadron was previously equipped with the French-made Mirage jets.
During the recent Pakistan-India conflict codenamed “Marka-e-Haq,” J-10Cs from the squadron shot down six Indian Air Force aircraft. These included three Rafales, one MiG-29, one Mirage 2000, and one SU-30.
PAF said the Cobras remain a key part of Pakistan’s air defence and are known for operational resilience and precision.
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) said the squadron continues to evolve in response to new strategic needs.
The official account of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) by the username DGPR AIR FORCE wrote, “No. 15 Squadron “Cobras” established on 05 June, 1956 at PAF Base Mauripur has remained a cornerstone of Pakistan Air Force’s operational strength. The Squadron etched its name in history by achieving PAF’s first-ever aerial kill in 1959, shooting down an intruding Indian Canberra at 47,500 feet near Rawat.”
