1. The
President of India and the Supreme Commander of Indian Armed Forces, Shri
Pranab Mukherjee will be awarding the prestigious President’s Standard to
No. 18 Squadron and No. 22 Squadron, in a grand ceremonial parade, scheduled to
be held at Air Force Station, Hasimara on 28 Nov 2015. Group Captain KJ Singh,
Commanding Officer of No. 18 Squadron and Group Captain Sandeep Singh
Commanding Officer of No. 22 Squadron, will receive the President’s Standards.
2. The
Governor of West Bengal, Raksha Mantri and Raksha Rajya Mantri are also
expected to grace the Ceremony on 28 Nov 2015. Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha
Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vayusena Medal,
Aide-de-Camp, Chief of the Air Staff and Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee,
Air Marshal C Hari Kumar Vayusena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Air Officer
Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal BBP Sinha Ati Vishisht
Seva Medal, Air Officer-in-charge Administration, along
with other senior Defence and Civilian officials would witness the ceremony.
3. 18
Squadron AF was formed at Ambala on 15 April 1965 with five Gnat
aircraft and eleven pilots under the command of Wg Cdr AL Michael. The
Squadron is endowed with a rich history and a formidable operational legacy.
The Squadron took on the role of the ‘Defenders of Kashmir Valley’
during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and carried out extensive flying towards escort
duties and also mounted a near continuous day time Combat Air Patrol. On 14
December 1971, fighting bravely & valiantly, alone in his Gnat, against PAF
Sabres, Flying Officer NJS Sekhon laid down his life. He was decorated
posthumously with the highest gallantry award of
the
nation, the ‘PARAM VIR CHAKRA’ for sublime heroism, supreme gallantry,
flying skill and determination above and beyond the call of duty displayed in
the face of certain death. 18 Squadron remains the only Squadron of the IAF
with a PVC awardee. The Squadron operated an improved version of
Gnat ‘The Ajeet’ from May 1980 onwards. In 1981, Sqn Ldr Rahul Dhar was
awarded ‘SHAURYA CHAKRA’ for carrying out a dead stick landing
after an engine seizure. The Squadron bid farewell to ‘Ajeets’ in
December 1988 at Bagdogra.The Squadron was resurrected at Hindon with the
formidable MiG-27 ML aircraft in June 1989, thus entering the supersonic era.
In 1996 the Squadron moved from Hindon to Kalaikunda and soon after it was
designated as the first dedicated Night Strike Squadron of IAF. In January
2010, Flt Lt M Arora was awarded ‘SHAURYA CHAKRA’ for recovering an
aircraft after a canopy burst at an altitude of 10.5 km during a supersonic
run, despite grievous injuries and hostile environmental conditions in the
cockpit. The Squadron has also participated in several international exercises
at Kalaikunda with the French Air Force, United States’ Air Force, Royal
Singapore Air Force and Royal Air Force. The Squadron remains the only
MiG-27ML Squadron to carry out heavy armament drop at DM range by night. In
the year 2013, the Unit was entrusted with the task of banner target towing for
air to air firing and on 19 September 2014 the Squadron finally moved to its
present location, Hasimara. Since its inception, the ‘Flying Bullets’
have received three Shaurya Chakras, one Vayu Sena Medal
(Gallantry), nine Vayu Sena Medals and four Mention-in-Dispatches in addition
to the Param Vir Chakra awarded to Flying Officer NJS
Sekhon.
4. 22
Squadron Air Force, then called as the ‘Hell’s Angels’ was raised
on 15 Oct 1966 at Air Force Station Bareilly as the eighth Gnat Squadron
of the IAF. In December 1969, the Squadron moved to Kalaikunda where
it was tasked for Air Defence Role during the 1971 war. Here, the Squadron
drew first blood for IAF by shooting down three intruding F-86 Sabre jets in a
single four aircraft mission on 22 Nov 71. Thus the ‘Hell’s Angels’ found
a special niche in the history of Indian Aerial Combat when they proved their
mettle as the most successful and destructive fighter Squadron of the IAF in
the 1971 War. For its daring, the Squadron was re-christened as the ‘Sabre
Slayers’. All three pilots who shot down the F-86 Sabres; Flt Lt MA
Ganapathy, Flt Lt RA Massey and Fg Offr D Lazarus, were awarded Vir Chakras.
The Squadron was awarded Battle Honours during the Indo Pak conflict of 1971
for “Air Offensive for Liberation of Bangladesh”. In April 1986, the Squadron
received its official crest and was renamed as ‘SWIFTS’, the Squadron
motto being “COURAGE TRIUMPHS”. In February 1990, the Squadron converted
onto the MiG-27 ML aircraft at Hasimara. The Squadron was deployed for Op
Vijay in 1999 and for Op Parakram in 2001-02. On 08 August 2001, ‘SWIFTS’
became the first fighter Squadron to land at Lengpui airfield in Mizoram. The
Squadron was relocated to Kalaikunda in the year 2012, but moved back to
Hasimara in August 2014. In the recent years, the Squadron has won various air
to ground gunnery competition trophies and has participated in various
international exercises with foreign Air Forces thus remaining at the forefront
of professional excellence. The number of honours and awards which have been
bestowed on the unit and its personnel bear a testimony to this fact. The
Squadron continues to render yeoman service to the nation in the best
traditions of the Indian Air Force.
Basantkumar B Pande
Group captain
Public Relation Officer