Peshawar Air Station

Not to be confused with Peshawar Airport.

Peshawar Air Station is a former United States Air Force Security Service listening post, used by the 6937th Communications Group from 1958 until January 7, 1970, when the facility was formally closed.^[1] It was located in Badaber, a remote area about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the city of Peshawar, Pakistan.

History

U2 Incident

Peshawar Air Station was used as the communication station for the ill-fated May 1, 1960, flight of a Lockheed U-2 spy plane, piloted by Gary Powers, which was shot down over the Soviet Union.

Afghan War

The former station was later used as a training camp for Afghan mujahideen as part of Operation Cyclone, a CIA-run program to train and arm Afghan mujahideen to fight against the Soviet Union and the Soviet-supported Republic of Afghanistan (RA) in the Soviet war in Afghanistan, 1979 to 1989.^[2] It was the site of the Badaber Uprising of 1985, an armed uprising by Soviet and RA prisoners of war held captive at the camp.^[3]

Current

Currently, the site is known as PAF Camp Badaber, housing Pakistan Air Force's Fazaia Model School.

Coordinates: 33°57′28″N 71°34′25″E / 33.957884°N 71.573653°E / 33.957884; 71.573653

References

1. ^ History of the base during American use. Peshawar Air Station Alumni Association.
2. ^ Eduardo Real. "Zbigniew Brzezinski, Defeated by his Success".
3. ^ Роман Шкурлатов (Roman Shkurlatov). "Архив: Последнее па Пешаварского вальса" ("Archive: Last step of the Peshawar waltz"). Bratishka magazine, July, 2006. (Russian)