No. 18 Squadron IAF

Last updated

No. 18 Squadron
Crest of the Flying bullets.jpg
Active
  • 15 April 1965 – 15 April 2016
  • 1 April 2020 – present
Country Flag of India.svg Republic of India
BranchAir Force Ensign of India (2023).svg  Indian Air Force
Role Air Defense
Ground attack
Base Sulur Air Force Station
Nickname(s)Flying Bullets
Motto(s)Theevra aur Nirbhaya [1]
Fast and Fearless [1]
Decorations
Battle honours Indo-Pakistan War of 1971
Commanders
Current
commander		Group Captain Dinesh Dhankhar [2]
Aircraft flown
Fighter HAL Tejas

No. 18 Squadron (Flying Bullets), is an air-defence unit of the Indian Air Force, flying from Sulur Air Force Station. The squadron is equipped with indigenous HAL Tejas MK1 in FOC configuration . [3]

Contents

The squadron was resurrected on 1 April 2020, at Sulur, Tamil Nadu following which on 27 May 2020, the FOC variant of Tejas Mk 1 has been inducted into the squadron. [4] [5]

History

The squadron was formed on 15 April 1965, with five Folland Gnats and eleven pilots, it operated out of Srinagar AFS. [6] Although it existed during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, it did not officially participate in the conflict. A few pilots from this squadron flew operations with 9 Squadron, and 2 Squadron. Squadron Leader K.L. Khanna, was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal during the war. [7]

The squadron first saw action during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, with the task of defending the Kashmir Valley. It operated out of AFS Srinagar, consisting of four aircraft, 17 officers and 72 men commanded by Wing Commander P Raina. On 4 December, it scrambled to intercept an approaching raid. The raid was never carried out, but the squadron kept flying Combat Air Patrols all day. [7]

It fought its first dogfight, on 6 December, where Flight Lt. Bopaya and Squadron Leader Pathania got on the tail of four Sabres, despite heavy anti-aircraft fire. Bopaya realised that both he and Pathania were tailing the same Sabre, so he broke off and chased another, though he failed to damage any. Pathania managed to damage one of the Sabres, but his gun jammed and he failed to shoot down the plane. The Sabres managed to damage the Srinagar runway, and the pair of fighters were forced to land. On the same day Flight Lt. B.S. Ghuman, and Flying Officer R.V. Padkhe escorted Vampires into Hajira and destroyed a Brigade HQ. Flight Lt. Naliyan and Flying Officer V.K. Sharma flew their squadron's first mission into enemy territory, in the Poonch sector, escorting Vampires on their bombing raids successfully. [7]

On 7 December, Bopaya and Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon escorted another raid into the Poonch sector, and strafed enemy positions after the Vampires had delivered their weapons. On the 8th, Raina and Ghuman escorted another raid into Kargil, and strafed enemy bunkers after the bombs were delivered. [7]

On 14 December, no patrols had taken place due to poor visibility. On seeing enemy Sabres in the sky, Ghuman and Sekhon were scrambled, without any Air Traffic Controller clearance. The Sabres successfully bombed the runway and turned back. Sekhon chased them and moved out of sight of Ghuman and the ground controllers. One Sabre was seen going out of control in the sky, but while Sekhon chased the second, a third Sabre shot him down. His parachute failed to deploy, and he was killed. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra. [7]

After the war, in February 1975, the Gnats were phased out, and replaced by HAL Ajeets. In May 1989, when the squadron was at Hindon, they were replaced with MiG 27s. Its former role of Air Defence was changed to Ground-attack. [7]

The squadron received the Presidential Standard Award in 2015. [8] The squadron was re-formed with the indigenous HAL Tejas on 27 May 2020. [9] [4]

No. 18 Squadron (Flying Bullets), is the only unit in the Indian Air Force to have been awarded the esteemed Param Vir Chakra, the highest gallantry medal awarded during times of war.

Aircraft

AircraftFromToAir Base
Folland Gnat 15 April 1965February 1975 Srinagar AFS [6]
HAL Ajeet February 1975May 1989 Hindon AFS
MiG-27 ML May 198915 April 2016 Kalaikunda AFS [3]
HAL Tejas 27 May 2020Till Date Sulur AFS [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Air Force</span> Aerial service branch of the Indian Armed Forces

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire which honoured India's aviation service during World War II with the prefix Royal. After India gained independence from United Kingdom in 1947, the name Royal Indian Air Force was kept and served in the name of the Dominion of India. With the transition to a republic in 1950, the prefix Royal was removed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folland Gnat</span> Type of aircraft

The Folland Gnat is a British compact swept-wing subsonic fighter aircraft that was developed and produced by Folland Aircraft. Envisioned as an affordable light fighter in contrast to the rising cost and size of typical combat aircraft, it was procured as a trainer aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as well as by export customers, who used the Gnat in both combat and training capacities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HAL Tejas</span> Indian lightweight multirole fighter

The HAL Tejas is an Indian single-engine, advanced 4th generation delta wing multirole combat aircraft designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy. Tejas made its first flight in 2001 and entered into service with the IAF in 2015. In 2003, the aircraft was officially named "Tejas". Currently Tejas is the smallest and lightest in its class of supersonic combat aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HAL HF-24 Marut</span> 1961 fighter aircraft family by Hindustan Aircraft Limited

The HAL HF-24 Marut was an Indian jet fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) during the 1960s and early 70s. The Marut was designed by the German aeronautical engineer Kurt Tank, with the Project Engineer being George William Benjamin. The aircraft was the first Indian-developed jet fighter and the first in Asia, outside the Soviet Union, to go beyond the test phase and into serial production and active service. On 17 June 1961, the type conducted its maiden flight; on 1 April 1967, the first production Marut was officially delivered to the IAF.

The Battle of Boyra was a ground and aerial battle that was fought on 22 November 1971 between the India and Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon</span> Recipient of Param Vir Chakra

Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC was an officer of the Indian Air Force. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military decoration during war time, in recognition of his lone defence of Srinagar Air Base against a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) air raid during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He is the only member of the Indian Air Force to be honoured with the PVC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 22 Squadron IAF</span> Military unit

No. 22 Squadron (Swifts) was a CAS unit based out of Hasimara AFS. Along with No. 222 Squadron IAF Tiger Sharks, No. 22 Squadron forms a part of the 16 Wing of the IAF. The squadron operated MiG-27 till December 2017 and the squadron number-plated since then.


The No.3 Squadron (Cobras) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) operates as a Close Air Support (CAS) and reconnaissance unit. Currently based at NAL Air Force Station, No. 3 Sqn falls under the Western Air Command, forms the 46 wing of the IAF.

The Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932 independently of the army and navy and in a similar format to the British Royal Air Force. It had been a recommendation of the Skeen Committee, which had been tasked to look into demands for the Indianisation of the Indian army. Its first squadron was raised on 1 April 1933.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indo-Pakistani air war of 1965</span> Armed conflict between India and Pakistan

During the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965, the Indian and Pakistani Air Forces engaged in large-scale aerial combat for the first time. In the air war, which took place in September, both air forces conducted thousands of defensive and offensive sorties over Indian and Pakistani airspace. Both India and Pakistan claimed victory in the air war; Pakistan claimed to have destroyed 104 Indian aircraft and lost 19, and India claimed to have destroyed 73 Pakistani aircraft and lost 35 of its own. The air war ended in a stalemate.

The Southern Air Command (SAC) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) is headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, which is on the southwestern side of India. This is one among the seven commands of IAF. This command was started on 19 July 1984 and is relatively new among the other commands. The conflicts in Sri Lanka and the need for establishing a strong base over the Indian Ocean resulted to the formation of this new command. The SAC was inaugurated by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of HAL Tejas</span>

This is a timeline of the development of the HAL Tejas, a light-weight, multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

Sulur Air Force Station is an air base of the Indian Air Force located at Sulur near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu and is India's second largest air base after Hindon AFS. It is the base which is responsible for protection of India's sea area. It is the only base in India which handles both fighter and transport flights at one location; no other base in India is equipped to do so. It is also the only IAF base in India to have all Departments at one location: fighters, carrier planes, carrier helicopters, attack helicopters, a repair and overhauling depot, TETTRA school, Garud Force, Air Force Hospital, Southern Command Sub Headquarters, & ECHS. It is a former Royal Navy and Indian Navy base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 21 Squadron IAF</span> Unit of the Indian Air Force

No. 21 Squadron IAF (Ankush), is an Air Defence and Ground Attack unit of the Indian Air Force, operating from Sirsa AFS, as part of 12 Wing of Western Air Command. The squadron was number plated on an unspecified date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 24 Squadron IAF</span> Military unit

No. 24 Squadron (Hawks) IAF is an Air Defence squadron of the Indian Air Force, operating from Bareilly AFS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hrushikesh Moolgavkar</span> Indian Air Chief Marshal (1920–2015)

Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar, PVSM, MVC was a former Air officer in the Indian Air Force. He served as the 9th Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force from 1 February 1976 till 31 August 1978.

No. 23 Squadron (Panthers) is a fighter squadron and is equipped with MiG-21Bison and based at Suratgarh Air Force Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 45 Squadron IAF</span> Military unit

No. 45 Squadron Indian Air Force is a Fighter Squadron internally based at Sulur AFS, Tamil Nadu. The squadron operates the indigenous HAL Tejas fighter from 1 July 2016. The squadron was initially based at Bangalore, Karnataka and later shifted to its main base in Sulur from 1 June 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virendera Singh Pathania</span> Indian Air Force fighter pilot

Group Captain Virendera Singh Pathania, VrC, VM, was an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter pilot reputed for making the first confirmed aerial dogfight kill of independent India when he shot down a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Sabre Jet with his Folland Gnat on 4 September 1965. For this action, he was awarded the Vir Chakra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amar Jit Singh Sandhu</span> Indian Air Force fighter pilot

Wing Commander Amar Jit Singh Sandhu VrC, VM was an Indian Air Force officer and fighter pilot. He was awarded the Vir Chakra and the Vayusena Medals. He is credited with shooting down a Pakistan Air Force North American F-86 Sabre in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

References

  1. 1 2 "Squadrons 18-33". IAF Unit Crests. Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  2. ↑ Anantha Krishnan M. "Big day for IAF, HAL as new Tejas Squadron takes off today". OnManorama. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 "No. 18 Squadron numberplated". Times Of India. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "IAF set to raise second LCA squadron in Sulur". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  5. ↑ "Historic IAF Squadron Revived As 2nd LCA Tejas Unit". Livefist. 25 May 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  6. 1 2 "Squadron of IAF's sole PVC recipient Nirmaljit Sekhon to take to the skies again". The Tribune. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "No 18 Squadron (Flying Bullets)". Squadrons of the Indian air Force. Official Website of the Indian Air Force. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  8. ↑ "Squadron 18-22 honoured". Citations for Presidential Honour to IAF Squadrons. Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  9. ↑ "PVC recipient Sekhon's squadron to fly again".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.