The Pakistan Air Force Academy Asghar Khan (PAFAA) is an accredited four-year military academy which provides undergraduate education to officer candidates of the Pakistan Armed Forces, primarily the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

Eligible and selected candidates from all over Pakistan are sent to the academy for flying training. Located in the town of Risalpur in the Nowshera District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the academy's role is the training of General Duty Pilots (GDP), aeronautical and avionics engineers and the initial training of other Ground Branch cadets. Cadets join the academy following a recommendation by the Inter Services Selection Board (Pakistan) and the AHQ (PAF) Special Selection Board for Short Service Commission candidates. Graduates of the four-year program receive a Bachelor of Science degree and are commissioned as Flying Officers.

The history of Risalpur airbase dates back to 1910 when an airstrip was developed there. During the First World War, the Royal Flying Corps established a base at Risalpur. In December 1915, the newly raised No. 31 Squadron RAF was stationed here, which was later used against troublesome tribesmen of the Tribal areas along the Afghan border. The squadron flew B.E.2c and Farman biplane in ground support missions. On 24 May 1919, Handley Page V/1500 flew its first mission to attack Kabul from the airfield. In 1925 the air fleet of base was tasked to carry out a survey of the about four hundred square miles area of Ravi's old river bed for finding ancient sites. After the First World War, the No. 11 Squadron of Royal Air Force equipped with Westland Wapiti was stationed at the base in 1928, that was also used in the operations in the tribal areas. By 1940, Risalpur had become both a training and an operational base. During the Second World War, an operational training squadron was stationed at Risalpur. The base also conducted fighter conversion courses.

After the departure of the British, Risalpur was like an abandoned airfield. The airfield was formally established after Pakistan became an independent nation on 14 August 1947 with 20 officers, 21 trainees, 23 senior non-commissioned officers (SNCOs) and 257 airmen. The base comprised only a handful of men and some equipment. On 15 September 1947, the RPAF Flying Training School was established at Risalpur, carrying out initial, elementary and advanced flying training. Wing Commander Asghar Khan, took over as the first Officer Commanding of the School, with Harvard and Tiger Moth aircraft in the inventory. Flt Lt M Khyber Khan, and his student, Flight Cadet Akhtar, flew the first training sortie on 22 September 1947. That month, six Harvard aircraft from the Flying Training School of Ambala, that were allocated to Pakistan after partition, reached Risalpur.

During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, the airfield was used to transport personnel and other equipment to the mountainous terrain of Northern Areas.

On 13 April 1948, the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, visited Risalpur Flying Training School and raised its level to that of a college. Risalpur thus became the genesis of PAF pilots. It became the only military academy of Pakistan to be visited by Jinnah. At this ceremony, Jinnah took the General Salute at the parade and fighter aircraft from Peshawar Air base performed aerobatics.

In March 1950, The Shah of Iran, who was the first Head of state to visit Pakistan and a flyer himself, visited the academy.

During Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 a bomber squadron was stationed here after PAF Station Peshawar was hit by IAF. On 21 January 1967 President Ayub Khan elevated the status of the PAF College, Risalpur to that of an academy.