The site was originally established by the British as RAF Peshawar. It was formerly used by the Royal Air Force between 1918 and 1947. The first wing headquarters to arrive appears to have been No. 52 (Corps) Wing in March 1918, and then No. 1 (Indian) Wing from 1921-28.[3] The first flying squadron reported at Peshawar was No. 31 Squadron RAF between 31 October 1921 and 17 April 1923 with the F2B Fighter,[4] which came back between December 1939 and February 1941.
The following other units were here at some point:[5]
One day after the Bacha Khan International Airport attack, on 16 December 2012, an additional six people, including five militants and one police officer died and two police officers were wounded in a gunfight that broke out near the airbase. Pakistani security forces claimed that the militants, who were Uzbeks, were accomplices of the TTP fighters who were killed on 15 December 2012 during the airport attack.[17][18]
Jefford, C. G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN1-85310-053-6.
Sturtivant, Ray; Hamlin, John (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN978-0851-3036-59.