No. 114 Helicopter Unit, IAF

No. 114 Helicopter Unit
Active	1 April 1964 – present
Country	Republic of India
Branch	Indian Air Force
Garrison/HQ	Leh AFS
Nickname(s)	"Siachen Pioneers"
Motto(s)	Dussadhyam Kimsadhyam Kinnah Nothing is Difficult or Impossible for us
Aircraft flown
Transport	HAL Chetak HAL Cheetah

No. 114 Helicopter Unit (Siachen Pioneers) is a Helicopter Unit and is equipped with HAL Cheetah and based at Leh Air Force Station, ^[1] for operations on the Siachen Glacier.

History

The unit was formed with an establishment of 10 Alouette helicopters. ^[2] This unit had the distinction of being the first all-Chetak unit raised in the IAF.^{[ citation needed ]}

No. 114 Helicopter Unit was raised under the command of Squadron Leader Arvind Dalaya, who had earlier pioneered the IAF's Mi-4 operations in high-altitude terrain. Under his leadership, the unit became India's first dedicated high-altitude helicopter unit, operating extensively in Ladakh and the North-East. ^[3]

Since the mid-1980s, 114 Helicopter Unit has been the IAF's lead operator in the Siachen Glacier region, flying critical resupply and CASEVAC missions under extreme high-altitude conditions. The unit's performance in this hostile environment has earned it the nickname "Siachen Pioneers". ^[4]

The President's Colour Award has been bestowed upon this Unit in recognition of exceptional service rendered to the nation on 13 November 1996. ^[5]

Assignments

• Indo-Pakistani War of 1965

Aircraft

• HAL Chetak
• HAL Cheetah

References

1. "Squadrons and Helicopter Units". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
2. "No.114 Helicopter Unit Siachen Pioneers". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
3. Gupta, Anchit (2 September 2022). "Honouring the First CO of 114 HU: Air Vice Marshal Arvind Dalaya". IAFHistory. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
4. Gupta, Anchit (14 August 2022). "Into the Icy Abyss: The Extraordinary Journey of 114 Helicopter Unit in Siachen". IAFHistory. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
5. "Honour & Awards – Units – President's Standard". Indian Air Force. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2016.