PAF Academy Asghar Khan (Risalpur Air Base)

PAF Academy Asghar Khan is located in Risalpur, Nowshera District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The site originated as an airstrip in 1910 and functioned as a Royal Flying Corps base during the First World War. No. 31 Squadron RAF operated B.E.2c and Farman biplanes from the station starting in 1915, followed by No. 11 Squadron with Westland Wapiti aircraft in 1928. By 1940, the location served as both a training and operational base. Following the independence of Pakistan, the station was formally established on 15 September 1947 as the RPAF Flying Training School under Wing Commander Asghar Khan. The institution was designated a college in 1948 and elevated to academy status in 1967.

The Pakistan Air Force operates the facility as an accredited four-year military academy. Its role involves the undergraduate education and initial training of General Duty Pilots (GDP), aeronautical and avionics engineers, and ground branch cadets. In addition to PAF officer candidates, the academy trains personnel from the Pakistan Army and Navy, as well as international students from nations including China, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

The academy infrastructure is organized into several constituent units, including the College of Flying Training, the College of Aeronautical Engineering, and the Flying Instructors School. The College of Aeronautical Engineering conducts undergraduate and postgraduate programs in aerospace and avionics engineering. The Flying Instructors School trains instructional staff for the three branches of the Pakistan Armed Forces and international partners. The Para Training School, established in 2003, provides instruction in parachuting and para motor gliding.

The base hosts squadrons of MFI-17 Mushshak for primary flying training and T-37 aircraft for basic flying training. An advanced flying training squadron operates K-8 aircraft. Support infrastructure includes an engineering wing for fleet maintenance, aviation science laboratories, the Academy Library, and the Military Training Wing. The campus is centered on a drill square and includes a cadets' mess and the Falcon’s Hearth memorial.