From Operation Sindoor To JD Vance's Visit: 5 Things To Know About Pakistan's Nur Khan Airbase

US Vice President JD Vance landed at Pakistan’s Nur Khan airbase on Saturday to lead the American delegation in high-profile talks with Iran aimed at ending the war in the Gulf region. Vance was accompanied by President Donald Trump’s son Jared Kushner, and US special envoy Steve Witkoff.

The location is particularly significant, as Nur Khan is a major Pakistan Air Force facility that was struck by Indian armed forces during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. India’s precision strikes on the base’s hangars, runways, and radar sites disrupted the operations of VIP transport fleets, drones, and surveillance aircraft, degrading 20% of Pakistan’s air force infrastructure.

Nur Khan is a major logistics hub for Pakistani troops and equipment movement. It

houses critical assets like Saab Erieye airborne early warning systems, C-130 transporters and IL-78 refuelling aircraft, which are vital for surveillance and aerial coordination.

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Five Facts About Nur Khan Airbase

1. The Nur Khan Airbase, previously called RAF Station Chaklala, is located in Chaklala, a suburb of Rawalpindi in Pakistan’s Punjab province. It was built in 1935 during British colonial rule and was actively used during World War II for parachute training by Allied forces.
2. It serves as the headquarters of the Pakistan Air Force’s Air Mobility Command, making it one of Pakistan’s main facilities for transport, logistics, and VIP movements.
3. Until recently, it also housed the Benazir Bhutto International Airport with a runway length of about 3,291 metres, before airport operations were moved to the new Islamabad International Airport.
4. After the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the base has played a key role in supporting US operations in Afghanistan to help with logistics and intelligence coordination during Washington’s War on Terror.
5. It is located close to the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters and the Strategic Plans Division, which manage the country’s nuclear arsenal. After India’s attack, reports surfaced that Pakistan was considering shifting its General Headquarters from Rawalpindi to Islamabad.