The complex was originally built by the Royal Air Force and is located in Sargodha, Punjab Province, Pakistan.
From 1965 to 1971, many disused airstrips were rehabilitated to be fitted with dummy aircraft, and occasionally operated North American F-86 Sabres.
After the Second World War, the disused Sargodha airstrip was first occupied by a PAF Care and Maintenance Party.
In 1965, PAF Station Sargodha proved to be the most important airbase in Pakistan’s Defense during the Indo-Pakistani war.
It was a category C airfield by the Pakistan AF, that it runway maintenance was put on furtherer notice.
[2][3] On August 9, 2011, a Pakistan Air Force Mil Mi-171 made an emergency landing on the abandoned airfield during routine flight training.
The unit was hooked up to a makeshift Sector Operations Centre located at the Tiwana House in Sargodha cantonment.
Bhagatanwala Airstrip was commonly mistaken as Sargodha (Main) during the Indo-Pakistani air war of 1965, and subsequently received many bombings on its dummy planes.
[7] [2] Chota Sargodha, Wagowal, and Bhagatanwala’s runways, revetments, and circular dispersals appear to remain intact, but in a state of disrepair.
1 Squadron IAF attacked Sargodha Main, leaving over seven aircraft destroyed or burning.