111-590: Air Force Station Hindon ( Hindon AFS ) (also Hindon) is an Indian Air Force base under the Western Air Command (WAC). It is the biggest and largest air base in Asia. Its area measured 14 km rounded and 10.25 square kilometres (3.96 sq mi). This base celebrates Air Force Day on 8 October. It is located near Loni Ghaziabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh in the National Capital Region on
222-400: A squadron leader . Each flight consists of two sections. The smallest unit is the section, led by a flight lieutenant . Each section consists of three aircraft. Within this formation structure, IAF has several service branches for day-to-day operations. They are: Airports Authority of India The Airports Authority of India ( AAI ) is a statutory body under the ownership of
333-537: A MiG-21 and a Su30MKI were shot down, while India claims that only the MiG-21 was shot down. Indian officials rejected Pakistani claims of shooting down an Su-30MKI stating that it's impossible to hide an aircraft crash as of now in a populated area like Kashmir and said it's a coverup for the loss of F16. While the downed MiG-21's pilot had ejected successfully, he landed in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and
444-469: A flying squadron or unit is a sub-unit of an air force station which carries out the primary task of the IAF. A fighter squadron consists of 18 aircraft; all fighter squadrons are headed by a commanding officer with the rank of wing commander . Some transport squadrons and helicopter units are headed by a commanding officer with the rank of group captain . Flights are sub-divisions of squadrons , commanded by
555-606: A gas plant in Sindh. Similar strategy was also deployed in East Pakistan and as the IAF achieved complete air superiority on the eastern front, the ordnance factories, runways, and other vital areas of East Pakistan were severely damaged. By the time Pakistani forces surrendered, the IAF destroyed 94 PAF Aircraft The IAF was able to conduct a wide range of missions – troop support; air combat; deep penetration strikes; para-dropping behind enemy lines; feints to draw enemy fighters away from
666-518: A good management of logistics came into help. This led to the eruption of full-scale war between India and Pakistan, though there was no formal declaration of war. During the war, the RIAF did not engage the Pakistan Air Force in air-to-air combat; however, a couple of IAF Hawker Tempest fighters did intercept a Pakistani Douglas DC-3 transport aircraft & tried to shoot it down but the pilot of
777-481: A group of PAF Mirage-5 and JF-17 fighters allegedly conducted an airstrike against certain ground targets across the Line of Control . They were intercepted by a group of IAF fighters consisting of Su-30MKI and MiG-21 jets. An ensuing dogfight began. According to India, one PAF F-16 was shot down by an IAF MiG-21 piloted by Abhinandan Varthaman , while Pakistan denied use of F-16s in the operation. According to Pakistan,
888-519: A rebellion against Indian rule. This came to be known as the Second Kashmir War . This was the first time the IAF actively engaged an enemy air force. However, instead of providing close air support to the Indian Army , the IAF carried out independent raids against PAF bases. These bases were situated deep inside Pakistani territory, making IAF fighters vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire. During
999-532: A result, HAL HF-24 Marut , designed by the famed German aerospace engineer Kurt Tank , were inducted into the air force. HAL also started developing an improved version of the Folland Gnat , known as HAL Ajeet . At the same time, the IAF also started inducting Mach 2 capable Soviet MiG-21 and Sukhoi Su-7 fighters. By late 1971, the intensification of the independence movement in East Pakistan lead to
1110-734: A show of force early that morning, making low-level passes over the islands. On 11 May 1999, the Indian Air Force was called in to provide close air support to the Indian Army at the height of the ongoing Kargil conflict with the use of helicopters. The IAF strike was code named Operation Safed Sagar . The first strikes were launched on 26 May, when the Indian Air Force struck infiltrator positions with fighter aircraft and helicopter gunships . The initial strikes saw MiG-27s carrying out offensive sorties, with MiG-21s and later MiG-29s providing fighter cover. The IAF also deployed its radars and
1221-586: A speed of 21.092 km/h thus beating the previous record of 16.53 km/h set by Colin Bodil of the U.K. in 2001. Although the FAI ( Fédération Aéronautique Internationale - world governing body for air sports, aeronautics and astronautics world records) has denied their claim as both the pilots and the Indian Air Force could not furnish any proof for such a feat. In 2007, when the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and
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#17328914249121332-448: A strategic air base to provide air cover to the capital was realised, as Hindon-based fighters could reach the skies over New Delhi within five minutes as compared to the 15-plus minutes it would take from other closest bases, namely Sirsa Air Force Station , Ambala Air Force Base and Chandigarh Air Force Station , and thus Hindon was reactivated and area around it was cleaned up. September 2005, saw Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi becoming
1443-635: A town in the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa . Pakistan claimed that the Indian aircraft had only dropped bombs in the forest area demolishing pine trees near the Jaba village which is 19 kilometres (12 mi) away from Balakot and Indian officials claimed to bomb and kill a large number of terrorists in the airstrike. On 27 February 2019, in retaliation for the IAF bombing of an alleged terrorist hideout in Balakot,
1554-816: Is also conducted at the Defence Services Staff College; specialised advanced flight training schools are located at Bidar , Karnataka and Hakimpet , Telangana (also the location for helicopter training). Technical schools are found at a number of other locations. Note: + = Functional Command A wing is a formation intermediate between a command and a squadron. It generally consists of two or three IAF squadrons and helicopter units, along with forward base support units (FBSU). FBSUs do not have or host any squadrons or helicopter units but act as transit airbases for routine operations. In times of war, they can become fully fledged air bases playing host to various squadrons. In all, about 47 wings and 19 FBSUs make up
1665-416: Is being supplied to CATC Allahabad and Hyderabad Airport. AAI has a dedicated Flight Inspection Unit (FIU) with a fleet of three aircraft fitted with a flight inspection system to inspect Instrument Landing Systems up to Cat-III, VORs, DMEs, NDBs, VGSI (PAPI, VASI) and RADAR (ASR/MSSR). In addition to in-house flight calibration of its navigational aids, AAI undertakes flight calibration of navigational aids for
1776-521: Is completed around September 2022, all UDAN operations would revert to Delhi Airport. The Uttar Pradesh government gave its approval for the project in March 2018. The enclave is built on 7.5 acres at Sikandarpur village in Sahibabad, adjacent the airbase. The terminal has a capacity of serving 300 passengers an hour. 45.2 crores is being used to build the new civil terminal. Air traffic control will be provided by
1887-619: Is equipped with an ELDIS ASR/MSSR and INDRA MSSR with a range of 250 nautical miles and an automated ATC system developed by INDRA. Specially designed standard procedures like SIDS and STARS are used to complement laid-down ATS routes. To cope with the periods of very low visibility due to fog, special ILS CAT III (B) equipment is installed at NSCBI Airport, Kolkata. The automation of ATS facilities are at Biju Patnaik Airport, Bhubaneswar, Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi, Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport, Patna, Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur and Gaya airports also. Other operational active Airports in
1998-695: Is headed by an Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief with the rank of Air Marshal. The purpose of an operational command is to conduct military operations using aircraft within its area of responsibility, whereas the responsibility of functional commands is to maintain combat readiness . Aside from the Training Command at Bangalore, the primary flight training is done at the Air Force Academy (located in Hyderabad ), followed by operational training at various other schools. Advanced officer training for command positions
2109-635: Is implementing the GAGAN project in technological collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The navigation signals thus received from the GPS will be augmented to achieve the navigational requirement of aircraft. The first phase of the technology demonstration system was completed in February 2008. AAI board consists of a chairman and five whole time members which are appointed by
2220-637: Is provided and maintained by CNS, Kolkata. Facilities provided by CNS Kolkata The Aviation Safety Directorate in the region takes care of many responsibilities which are essential for the functionality of the Airports. Like it performs safety audits of all eastern region airports including RCS airports and CNS vital installation stations and monitors all AVS-ER audit observations. It also conducts yearly Safety Management System (SMS) training and provides assistants to all field stations to conduct safety assessments of different projects whenever required. Apart from this,
2331-464: Is taken as a directive meaning the IAF bears the responsibility of safeguarding Indian airspace and thus furthering national interests in conjunction with the other branches of the armed forces. The IAF provides close air support to the Indian Army troops on the battlefield as well as strategic and tactical airlift capabilities. The Integrated Space Cell is operated by the Indian Armed Forces ,
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#17328914249122442-632: Is the national Commander-in-chief of the Air Force. The Chief of the Air Staff with the rank of Air chief marshal is the Commander In January 2002, the government conferred the rank of Marshal of the Indian Air Force on Arjan Singh making him the first and only Five-star officer with the Indian Air Force and ceremonial chief of the air force. The Indian Air Force is divided into five operational and two functional commands . Each Command
2553-634: The 2019 Pulwama attack that was carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) which killed forty servicemen of the Central Reserve Police Force , a group of twelve Mirage 2000 fighter planes from the Indian Air Force carried out air strikes on alleged JeM bases in Chakothi and Muzaffarabad in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Furthermore, the Mirage 2000s targeted an alleged JeM training camp in Balakot ,
2664-511: The Ashoka Chakra . Around the same time, conflict broke out between them over the control of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir . With Pakistani forces moving into the state, its Maharaja decided to accede to India in order to receive military help. The day after, the Instrument of Accession was signed, the RIAF was called upon to transport troops into the war zone. And this was when
2775-509: The Bangladesh Liberation War between India and Pakistan. On 22 November 1971, 10 days before the start of a full-scale war, four PAF F-86 Sabre jets attacked Indian and Mukti Bahini positions at Garibpur , near the international border. Two of the four PAF Sabres were shot down and one damaged by the IAF's Folland Gnats . On 3 December, India formally declared war against Pakistan following massive preemptive strikes by
2886-503: The Budgam district . It was under the command of squadron leaders Siddarth Vashista and Ninad Mandavgane and crashed within ten minutes of take-off from the Srinagar air base. Four other IAF personnel were flight engineer Vishal Kumar Pandey, sergeant Vikrant Sehrawat, corporals Deepak Pandey and Pankaj Kumars that were killed along with two pilots. In October 2019, IAF confirmed that the helicopter
2997-642: The Burma Theatre IAF pilots participated in air operations in North Africa and Europe . In addition to the IAF, many native Indians and some 200 Indians resident in Britain volunteered to join the RAF and Women's Auxiliary Air Force . One such volunteer was Sergeant Shailendra Eknath Sukthankar, who served as a navigator with No. 83 Squadron. Sukthankar was commissioned as an officer, and on 14 September 1943, received
3108-724: The DFC . Squadron Leader Sukthankar eventually completed 45 operations, 14 of them on board the RAF Museum's Avro Lancaster R5868 . Another volunteer was Assistant Section Officer Noor Inayat Khan a Muslim pacifist and Indian nationalist who joined the WAAF, in November 1940, to fight against Nazism. Noor Khan served bravely as a secret agent with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in France, but
3219-615: The Dominion of Pakistan . Along the lines of the geographical partition, the assets of the air force were divided between the new countries. India's air force retained the name of the Royal Indian Air Force, but three of the ten operational squadrons and facilities, located within the borders of Pakistan, were transferred to the Royal Pakistan Air Force . The RIAF Roundel was changed to an interim 'Chakra' roundel derived from
3330-671: The East Pakistan Operations 1971 it flew in on 6 December 1971. Prior to the No. 3 Squadron moved here in July 1971 and was operating Mystère IVAs at the time. After the war it moved back to Hindon, until it shifted base to Pathankot in 1975. In the mid-1980s, it was identified by ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali among the 10 air bases in India prone to bird hits , due to the presence of slaughterhouses and dumping grounds in its vicinity being close to
3441-504: The F-86 Sabres of the PAF earning it the nickname "Sabre Slayers". By the time the conflict had ended, the IAF lost 60–70 aircraft, while the PAF lost 43 aircraft. More than 60% of IAF's aircraft losses took place in ground attack missions to enemy ground-fire, since fighter-bomber aircraft would carry out repeated dive attacks on the same target. According to, Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh of
Hindan Air Force Station - Misplaced Pages Continue
3552-560: The Ghaziabad industrial city. In the coming years, the number of accidents increased. Finally in 1997, when three plane crashes occurred within a span of few days, Hindon was abandoned as a fighter base and remained home to Avros and Mi-17 helicopters and transport aircraft in the following years, apart from being used by the IAF Aircrew Examination Board. However, in 2003, with growing terrorist threats, its importance as
3663-672: The Indian Air Force , Indian Navy , Indian Coast Guard and other private airfields in the country. The Eastern region of AAI controls 20 airports (including 12 non-operational airports) and four aeronautical communications stations. Eastern regional headquarters located in Kolkata, West Bengal, coordinates and controls the entire activities of all the airports and aeronautical communication stations listed below. The ANS infrastructure and data/voice connectivity (i.e. Communication, Navigation, Surveillance, and Automation) to manage this coverage
3774-408: The Indian Air Force . It was inaugurated by prime minister Narendra Modi on 8 March 2019. Indian Air Force 8 October 1932 ; 92 years ago ( 1932-10-08 ) ( as Royal Indian Air Force ) 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
3885-534: The Indian Air Force . The Airports Authority of India (AAI) operates a civil enclave at Hindon as part of the government's Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). Originally the base was home to a squadron each of MiG-23s single-engine fighters and MiG-27s single-engine ground-attack aircraft. After the 1965 war, No. 7 Squadron IAF moved to Hindon along with Hawker Hunters , and stayed here till 1969, when it moved to Bagdogra in West Bengal , subsequently during
3996-595: The Line of Control in the Kel sector, following inputs about Pakistani military buildup near the sector. On 20 August 2013, the Indian Air Force created a world record by performing the highest landing of a C-130J at the Daulat Beg Oldi airstrip in Ladakh at the height of 5,065 metres (16,617 ft). The medium-lift aircraft will be used to deliver troops, supplies and improve communication networks. The aircraft belonged to
4107-539: The MiG-29 fighters in vast numbers to keep check on Pakistani military movements across the border. Srinagar Airport was at this time closed to civilian air-traffic and dedicated to the Indian Air Force. On 27 May, the Indian Air Force suffered its first fatality when it lost a MiG-21 and a MiG-27 in quick succession. The following day, while on an offensive sortie, a Mi-17 was shot down by three Stinger missiles and lost its entire crew of four. Following these losses
4218-672: The Ministry of Civil Aviation , Government of India . It is responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining, and managing civil aviation infrastructure in India . It provides Communication Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) services over the Indian airspace and adjoining oceanic areas. AAI currently manages a total of 137 airports, including 34 international airports, 10 Customs Airports , 81 domestic airports, and 23 Civil enclaves at Defense airfields. AAI also has ground installations at all airports and 25 other locations to ensure
4329-619: The Portuguese Air Force , but to no avail. On 18 December, two waves of Canberra bombers bombed the runway of Dabolim airfield taking care not to bomb the Terminals and the ATC tower. Two Portuguese transport aircraft (a Super Constellation and a DC-6 ) found on the airfield were left alone so that they could be captured intact. However the Portuguese pilots managed to take off the aircraft from
4440-538: The Sri Lankan Civil War , and to provide humanitarian aid through an unarmed convoy of ships, the Indian Government decided to carry out an airdrop of the humanitarian supplies on the evening of 4 June 1987 designated Operation Poomalai ( Tamil : Garland) or Eagle Mission 4. Five An-32s escorted by four Mirage 2000 of 7 Sqn AF, 'The Battleaxes', carried out the supply drop which faced no opposition from
4551-593: The Veiled Vipers squadron based at Hindon Air Force Station . On 13 July 2014, two MiG-21s were sent from Jodhpur Air Base to investigate a Turkish Airlines aircraft over Jaisalmer when it repeated an identification code , provided by another commercial passenger plane that had already entered Indian airspace before it. The flights were on their way to Mumbai and Delhi, and the planes were later allowed to proceed after their credentials were verified. Following heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after
Hindan Air Force Station - Misplaced Pages Continue
4662-545: The Area Control Centers. The Nodal Centre of NOTAM is also at NSCBI Airport, Kolkata. c. Alerting Service (Search and Rescue): All the airports have established alerting posts, and the specific Alerting Services are provided by the concerned Area Control centers. For this purpose, close liaison is maintained with agencies like INMCC, THE INDIAN AIR FORCE, and the adjacent Search and Rescue coordination centers. The distress signals picked by SARSAT and COSPAS are linked to
4773-522: The Aviation Safety Directorate also conducts the quarterly Regional Safety Committee meeting, and yearly Aviation Safety Week and is responsible for the vetting of safety assessment documents of all Eastern Region Airports among others. Operations Department consists of: Management of Air-side, Terminal/City side, Slot Allocation & Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC), Public Grievances, RTI and Quality Management Issues Functions of
4884-842: The Chinese; especially in Jammu and Kashmir . On 24 April 1965, an Indian Ouragan strayed over the Pakistani border and was forced to land by a Pakistani Lockheed F-104 Starfighter , the pilot was returned to India; however, the captured aircraft would be kept by the Pakistan Air Force(PAF) and ended up being displayed at the PAF museum in Peshawar . Three years after the Sino-Indian conflict, in 1965, Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar , strategy of Pakistan to infiltrate Jammu and Kashmir, and start
4995-478: The DC-3 ( Mukhtar Ahmad Dogar ) managed to evade the fighters. Other than that, it also provided effective transport and close air support to the Indian troops. When India became a republic in 1950, the prefix 'Royal' was dropped from the Indian Air Force. At the same time, the current IAF roundel was adopted. The IAF saw significant conflict in 1960, when Belgium's 75-year rule over Congo ended abruptly, engulfing
5106-456: The Eastern Region are Jharsuguda, Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport, Durgapur (Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Limited), Pakyong, Cooch Behar, Port Blair (Civil Enclave), Darbhanga (Civil Enclave) and Bagdogra (Civil Enclave). b. Flight Information Service: The Aircraft operating beyond the radar coverage and outside the control areas are provided with flight information service and advisory service by
5217-787: The Hindon runway was extended and modern hangars, servicing and operations facilities suitable for the C-130J aircraft were added. Hindon currently hosts 18 C-130J's. In June 2011, the IAF signed a contract with the USAF to purchase 10 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III 's. With the No. 81 Squadron bed down, the contract includes a dual-bay hangar, squadron operations facility, and other facilities and utilities to support aircraft operations. Deliveries began in June 2013 and are to continued through December 2014. The Garud Commando Force of
5328-534: The IAF aircraft more air space during the air show, till then was uses primarily as a helicopter base. After that it has become an annual event at the station. On 1 June 2007, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal F. H. Major flagged off a microlight expedition, part of the IAF's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, aiming to creating a record by completing the expedition, Around the World in 80 Days. Wing Commanders Rahul Monga and Anil Kumar reached Hindon back on 19 August, and covering 40,497 km in 80 days they achieved
5439-417: The IAF has decreased to 33 squadrons during this period because of the retirement of older aircraft. Still, India maintains the fourth largest air force in the world. The IAF plans to raise its strength to 42 squadrons. Self-reliance is the main aim that is being pursued by the defence research and manufacturing agencies. On 10 August 1999, IAF MiG-21s intercepted a Pakistan Navy Breguet Atlantique which
5550-423: The IAF immediately withdrew helicopters from offensive roles as a measure against the threat of Man-portable air-defence systems (MANPAD). On 30 May, the Mirage 2000s were introduced in offensive capability, as they were deemed better in performance under the high-altitude conditions of the conflict zone. Mirage 2000s were not only better equipped to counter the MANPAD threat compared to the MiGs, but also gave IAF
5661-678: The IAF played an instrumental role in halting the advance of the Japanese army in Burma , where the first IAF air strike was executed. The target for this first mission was the Japanese military base in Arakan , after which IAF strike missions continued against the Japanese airbases at Mae Hong Son , Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in northern Thailand . The IAF was mainly involved in strike , close air support , aerial reconnaissance , bomber escort and pathfinding missions for RAF and USAAF heavy bombers. RAF and IAF pilots would train by flying with their non-native air wings to gain combat experience and communication proficiency. Besides operations in
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#17328914249125772-416: The IAF. Wings are typically commanded by an air commodore . Within each operational command are anywhere from nine to sixteen bases or stations. Smaller than wings, but similarly organised, stations are static units commanded by a group captain . A station typically has one wing and one or two squadrons assigned to it. Squadrons are the field units and formations attached to static locations. Thus,
5883-410: The Indian Air Force (IAF) launched a pilot project to test joint management of the airspace, Hindon was opened to civilian flights, though its open for flights only during stipulated hours of the day. After the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks IAF moved MiG-29s to the air base in order "to protect the capital from aerial threats." Hindon was amongst nine airfields in the Western Air Command (WAC) for
5994-400: The Indian Air Force are trained at this base. The Ministry of Civil Aviation proposed the idea of a civil enclave at Hindon, built and operated by the AAI, because slot constraints at the Indira Gandhi International Airport prevented the operation of flights under the government's Regional Connectivity Scheme called UDAN . The Indian Air Force permitted the Civil Aviation ministry to use
6105-535: The Indian Air Force, despite having been qualitatively inferior, IAF achieved air superiority in three days in the 1965 War . After the 1965 war, the IAF underwent a series of changes to improve its capabilities. In 1966, the Para Commandos regiment was created. To increase its logistics supply and rescue operations ability, the IAF inducted 72 HS 748s which were built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under licence from Avro . India started to put more stress on indigenous manufacture of fighter aircraft . As
6216-462: The International Airports Authority of India (IAAI) in 1972 to manage the nation's international airports while the National Airports Authority of India (NAAI) was constituted in 1986 to look after domestic airports. The organizations were merged in April 1995 by an Act of Parliament , namely, the Airports Authority of India Act, 1994 and has been constituted as a Statutory Body and was named as Airports Authority of India (AAI). This new organization
6327-405: The Modernization of Air Field Infrastructure programme (MAFI), started in 2009. Due its proximity to the Delhi, work at the station which included equipping it with sensitive radars was to commence first. This work completed in 2011 when the first of six C-130J Hercules tactical transport aircraft arrived from the US. Hindon was designated to become home base for these aircraft and for this purpose,
6438-410: The Operations Department include: To ensure serviceability of all operational/Passenger Facilities at all times at AAl Airports Airside Management at all AAl Airports Terminal Management of all AAl Airports Commissioning and operationalization of AOCC at AAl Airports Safety Management and coordination with all AAl Airports Plan and project the requirements regarding construction/up-gradation of
6549-490: The PAF against Indian Air Force installations in Srinagar, Ambala, Sirsa, Halwara and Jodhpur. However, the IAF did not suffer significantly because the leadership had anticipated such a move and precautions were taken. The Indian Air Force was quick to respond to Pakistani air strikes, following which the PAF carried out mostly defensive sorties . Within the first two weeks, the IAF had carried out almost 12,000 sorties over East Pakistan and also provided close air support to
6660-411: The Portuguese surrendered the former colony was integrated into India. In 1962, border disagreements between China and India escalated to a war when China mobilised its troops across the Indian border. During the Sino-Indian War , India's military planners failed to deploy and effectively use the IAF against the invading Chinese forces. This resulted in India losing a significant amount of advantage to
6771-562: The President of India on one occasion in history, to Arjan Singh . On 26 January 2002, Singh became the first and so far, only five-star rank officer of the IAF. The IAF's mission is defined by the Armed Forces Act of 1947 , the Constitution of India , and the Air Force Act of 1950. It decrees that in the aerial battlespace : Defence of India and every part there of including preparation for defence and all such acts as may be conducive in times of war to its prosecution and after its termination to effective demobilisation. In practice, this
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#17328914249126882-475: The Sri Lankan Armed Forces. Another Mirage 2000 orbited 150 km away, acting as an airborne relay of messages to the entire fleet since they would be outside radio range once they descended to low levels. The Mirage 2000 escort formation was led by Wg Cdr Ajit Bhavnani, with Sqn Ldrs Bakshi, NA Moitra and JS Panesar as his team members and Sqn Ldr KG Bewoor as the relay pilot. Sri Lanka accused India of "blatant violation of sovereignty". India insisted that it
6993-551: The Terminal & Related buildings and Vital Installation, Fire Service Personnel & Equipment and monitor the performance & ensure compliance with necessary remedial measures wherever required. The department deals with print and electronic media and is responsible for the media briefing, arranging press conferences, analysis of media reports, managing the social media accounts, NlTs, publishing of in-house Journals of AAI, and also dealing with matters concerning AAl's branding. The Corporate Communication (CC) Department deals with
7104-431: The UN ground forces with its only long-range air support force. In late 1961, the Indian government decided to attack the Portuguese colony of Goa after years of disagreement between New Delhi and Lisbon . The Indian Air Force was requested to provide support elements to the ground force in what was called Operation Vijay . Probing flights by some fighters and bombers were carried out from 8–18 December to draw out
7215-401: The ability to carry out aerial raids at night. The MiG-29s were used extensively to provide fighter escort to the Mirage 2000. Radar transmissions of Pakistani F-16s were picked up repeatedly, but these aircraft stayed away. The Mirages successfully targeted enemy camps and logistic bases in Kargil and severely disrupted their supply lines. Mirage 2000s were used for strikes on Muntho Dhalo and
7326-523: The actual target; bombing; and reconnaissance. In contrast, the Pakistan Air Force, which was solely focused on air combat, was blown out of the subcontinent's skies within the first week of the war. Those PAF aircraft that survived took refuge at Iranian air bases or in concrete bunkers, refusing to offer a fight. Hostilities officially ended at 14:30 GMT on 17 December, after the fall of Dacca on 15 December. India claimed large gains of territory in West Pakistan (although pre-war boundaries were recognised after
7437-419: The advancing Indian Army. IAF also assisted the Indian Navy in its operations against the Pakistani Navy in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea . On the western front, the IAF destroyed more than 20 Pakistani tanks, 4 APCs and a supply train during the Battle of Longewala . The IAF undertook strategic bombing of West Pakistan by carrying out raids on oil installations in Karachi , the Mangla Dam and
7548-455: The aerodrome and related facilities for safe aircraft operations To advise and assist top management in framing corporate policies on Terminal Management of all AAl airports. Monitoring implementation of ICAO standards and recommended practices (SARP's), and Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR's) formulated by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for Aerodrome Operations and Airport Management. Coordinate with DGCA for safety assessment on
7659-444: The air base for civil operations in August 2017. Since the government has an agreement with the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the operators of Delhi airport, prohibiting operations of another airport within a radius of 150 kilometres from Delhi airport, the MoCA negotiated with DIAL for permissions. DIAL gave approval in September 2017 for temporary civil operations from Hindon. When DIAL's on-going expansion of Delhi Airport
7770-477: The airports. Finalizing training programs for staff and officers of the Operations Department in coordination with the Indian Aviation Academy (IAA). Handling of VVIP / VIP Movements and aircraft emergencies. For any association Engineering Department is the spine that plane and executes different common and electrical attempts to give the infrastructural offices required. Here in the eastern Region Engineering Department does likewise for ATC/NAV-AIDS according to
7881-702: The allocation of Media for AAl's Advertisements through the empaneled Agencies while maintaining the implementation of Raj Bhasha Guidelines applicable in this regard. CC Department also deals with matters concerning Sponsorships, Exhibitions, Seminars, etc. within the preamble of CC Policy. Operations include Air Traffic Services (like Air Traffic Control, Landing & Takeoff, en route flying, search and rescue services, aeronautical information services, etc.), Communication, and Navigation & Surveillance (CNS). This also includes Aviation Security Services, Fire Services at airports, and Passenger Facilitation in Airport Terminals. Traffic statistics of various active airports of
7992-549: The capacity to provide rapid response evacuation, search-and-rescue (SAR) operations, and delivery of relief supplies to affected areas via cargo aircraft. The IAF provided extensive assistance to relief operations during natural calamities such as the Gujarat cyclone in 1998 , the tsunami in 2004 , and North India floods in 2013. The IAF has also undertaken relief missions such as Operation Rainbow in Sri Lanka . The Indian Air Force
8103-589: The central government. Director General of Civil Aviation is an ex-officio member of AAI board. Apart from this, AAI board also has part-time members. AAI is divided into five administrative regions, each headed by a Regional Executive Director (RED).AAI having its corporate headquarters at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, New Delhi is operating from its five regional headquarters namely- AAI has five training establishments, including three ATS training organizations (ATSTO) viz. An Aerodrome Visual Simulator (AVS) has been provided at CATC and non-radar procedural ATC simulator equipment
8214-549: The civilian Department of Space , and the Indian Space Research Organisation . By uniting the civilian run space exploration organisations and the military faculty under a single Integrated Space Cell the military is able to efficiently benefit from innovation in the civilian sector of space exploration, and the civilian departments benefit as well. The Indian Air Force, with highly trained crews, pilots, and access to modern military assets provides India with
8325-411: The course of the conflict, the PAF enjoyed technological superiority over the IAF and had achieved substantial strategic and tactical advantage due to the suddenness of the attack and advanced state of their air force. The IAF was restrained by the government from retaliating to PAF attacks in the eastern sector while a substantive part of its combat force was deployed there and could not be transferred to
8436-403: The development stage. Notwithstanding green practices like water reaping and a decrease in power load from 9,200 kW to 4,800 kW, the structure will likewise have a 31,000sqft green region. While the pinnacle tallness will increment from 34m to 51.4m, the floor region of the complicated will go up from 75,500 sqm to 2,84,000 sqm. The specialized square will house around 750 individuals, for
8547-407: The eastern region. Flying clubs / casual operators Air traffic services The Air Traffic Services consist of the following services: a. Air Traffic Control Services: The Air Traffic Control Services i.e. Aerodrome Control, Surface Movement Control, Approach Control at terminal airports, and Area Control Center are provided by personnel stationed in the concerned Air Traffic Control positions of
8658-540: The efforts of mutual aid agencies within the airport and its immediate vicinity. The Rescue and Fire Services is responsible for managing the Airport Emergency Plan and deal the situation accordingly at the aircraft accident or incident as well as the safety of the occupants and avoidance of the fire risks in the terminal building & other vital installations at the airport. Maintain the level of Fire protection at airports, Fire Prevention & Fire Protection at
8769-499: The end of the war, IAF's transport planes dropped leaflets over Dhaka urging the Pakistani forces to surrender, demoralising Pakistani troops in East Pakistan. In 1984, India launched Operation Meghdoot to capture the Siachen Glacier in the contested Kashmir region. In Op Meghdoot, IAF's Mi-8 , Chetak and Cheetah helicopters airlifted hundreds of Indian troops to Siachen. Launched on 13 April 1984, this military operation
8880-544: The first Chief of Air Staff to earn para wings while in office, as he finished his fifth and final para jump at Air Force Station Hindon. In 2006, Indian Air Force shifted its 74th-anniversary celebration venue from Palam Airport in Delhi, to Hindon to avoid airspace closure for commercial traffic, where the Air Force Day Parade cum investiture ceremony was held on 8 October, and an air display by 66 aircraft. This also gave
8991-521: The ground forces and also provided air transportation to the Sri Lankan civil administration during the elections. Mi-25s of No. 125 Helicopter Unit were utilised to provide suppressive fire against militant strong points and to interdict coastal and clandestine riverine traffic. On the night of 3 November 1988, the Indian Air Force mounted special operations to airlift a parachute battalion group from Agra , non-stop over 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) to
9102-459: The heavily defended Tiger Hill and paved the way for their early recapture. At the height of the conflict, the IAF was conducting over forty sorties daily over the Kargil region. By 26 July, the Indian forces had successfully repulsed the Pakistani forces from Kargil. Since the late 1990s, the Indian Air Force has been modernising its fleet to counter challenges in the new century. The fleet size of
9213-465: The implementation of recommendations made by various courts of inquiries in respect of aircraft incidents/accidents. Slot Management-Slot allocation for all the airlines operating domestic/ international flights. Coordinate with Dept. of Engg. / Planning/ lT/ Security w.r.t. all planned/modification/repair works in the terminals. Preparation of guidelines for MESS / ESS contracts. Comprehensive/third-party liability insurance coverage for all assets at
9324-422: The most part, regulators and designers. Likewise, there will be an office to leave 200 vehicles and 100 bikes. The principal objective of Airport Rescue and Fire Services is to “Save lives in the event of an aircraft accident or incident” occurring at, or near, an airport. The Rescue and Fire Services are provided to create and maintain survivable conditions, to provide egress routes for occupants, and to initiate
9435-635: The nation in widespread violence and rebellion . The IAF activated No. 5 Squadron , equipped with English Electric Canberra , to support the United Nations Operation in the Congo . The squadron started undertaking operational missions in November. The unit remained there until 1966, when the UN mission ended. Operating from Leopoldville and Kamina , the Canberras soon destroyed the rebel Air Force and provided
9546-416: The necessity alongside legitimate checking and control of development and upkeep of runways/Taxiways/Apron and different structures and workplaces according to the prerequisite. At present work on the 51.4m-high ATC tower and 33.2-m key position in addition to a five-level specialized block at NSCBI Airport, Kolkata is under development. The ATS complex will be a 4-star Griha-evaluated green structure right from
9657-610: The outskirts of Delhi , close to the Hindon River. Starting 2006, the annual Air Force Day Parade venue was shifted from Palam Airport to Hindon. There is one runway, aligned east–west (09-27), of 9,000 feet (2,700 m) length x 150 feet (46 m) width. The military airbase serves as the home of the IAF C-17 Globemaster and the IAF C-130J Super Hercules , the backbone of Strategic Heavy Air Lift division of
9768-515: The planning, construction& commissioning of changes to airport infrastructure, and maintenance programs. Liaise at the apex level with the various ministries, regulatory bodies like DGCA and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and Immigration and Customs on issues related to Airport Management (Operations) and Aviation Security. Allocating night parking stands to domestic flight operators at AAl Airports. Drafting and issuance of Operational Circulars and Operational Instructions. Monitoring
9879-418: The rank of Supreme Commander of the IAF. As of 1 July 2017 , 170,576 personnel are in service with the Indian Air Force. The Chief of the Air Staff , an air chief marshal , is a four-star officer and is responsible for the bulk of operational command of the Air Force. There is never more than one serving ACM at any given time in the IAF. The rank of Marshal of the Air Force has been conferred by
9990-530: The remote Indian Ocean archipelago of the Maldives in response to Maldivian president Gayoom 's request for military help against a mercenary invasion in Operation Cactus . The IL-76s of No. 44 Squadron landed at Hulhule at 0030 hours and the Indian paratroopers secured the airfield and restored Government rule at Male within hours. Four Mirage 2000 aircraft of 7 Sqn, led by Wg Cdr AV 'Doc' Vaidya, carried out
10101-471: The rescue of those occupants unable to make their escape without direct aid. This also applies to any other incident where life and property can be saved. The safety of the passengers is paramount at airports run by the Airports Authority of India. AAI's highly trained Rescue and Fire Services stand ready to provide rescue and fire protection at all times. There is an airport emergency plan to coordinate
10212-678: The respective airports and on designated frequencies. The terminal airports operate in coordination with the Area Control Center in Kolkata. The communication with the Aircraft is mostly through two-way VHF R/T and a supplementary cover is provided by CPDLC, H/F, and AFTN network. The Area Control Center provides the Area Control Service, Flight Information Service, and the Alerting Service. The Area Control centers are connected to
10323-459: The safety of aircraft operations. AAI covers all major air routes over the Indian landmass via 29 Radar installations at 11 locations along with 700 VOR /DVOR installations co-located with Distance Measuring Equipment (DME). 52 runways are provided with Instrument landing system (ILS) installations with Night Landing Facilities at most of these airports and an Automatic Message Switching System at 15 Airports. The Government of India constituted
10434-434: The six Jordanian F-104s which failed to return to their donors. But the imbalance in air losses was explained by the IAF's considerably higher sortie rate, and its emphasis on ground-attack missions. On the ground Pakistan suffered most, with 9,000 killed and 25,000 wounded while India lost 3,000 dead and 12,000 wounded. The loss of armoured vehicles was similarly imbalanced. This represented a major defeat for Pakistan. Towards
10545-457: The still damaged airfield and made their getaway to Portugal . Hunters attacked the wireless station at Bambolim. Vampires were used to provide air support to the ground forces. In Daman , Mystères were used to strike Portuguese gun positions. Ouragans (called Toofanis in the IAF) bombed the runways at Diu and destroyed the control tower, wireless station and the meteorological station. After
10656-612: The terminal airports and adjacent Area Control Centers by Direct Speech Circuits. Area Control Center receives feed from 11 radars (ARSR/MSSR) with a range of 250 nautical miles and 9 ADS-B Ground Stations covering the entire continental airspace and portion of Oceanic airspace (the portion of Bay of Bengal) under its jurisdiction. The major routes transiting through the FIR are R460, L759, A465, A791, G450, R581, R325, R344, L507, P646, M770, M773, N895, G472, L301, L510, N877, L524, M875 and P628. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata
10767-619: The three main passes of the Saltoro Ridge immediately west of the glacier— Sia La , Bilafond La , and Gyong La . Pakistan controls the glacial valleys immediately west of the Saltoro Ridge. According to the TIME magazine , India gained more than 3,000 square kilometres (1,000 sq mi) of territory because of its military operations in Siachen. Following the inability to negotiate an end to
10878-536: The valiant service by the IAF, King George VI conferred the prefix "Royal" in 1945. Thereafter the IAF was referred to as the Royal Indian Air Force . In 1950, when India became a republic, the prefix was dropped and it reverted to being the Indian Air Force. After it became independent from the British Empire in 1947, British India was partitioned into the new states of the Dominion of India and
10989-475: The war), and the independence of Pakistan's East wing as Bangladesh was confirmed. The IAF had flown over 16,000 sorties on both East and West fronts; including sorties by transport aircraft and helicopters. while the PAF flew about 30 and 2,840. More than 80 per cent of the IAF's sorties were close-support and interdiction, and according to neutral assessments about 45 IAF Aircraft were lost while, Pakistan lost 75 aircraft. Not including any F-6s, Mirage IIIs, or
11100-418: The western sector, against the possibility of Chinese intervention. Moreover, international (UN) stipulations and norms did not permit military force to be introduced into the Indian state of J&K beyond what was agreed during the 1949 ceasefire. Despite this, the IAF was able to prevent the PAF from gaining air superiority over conflict zones. The small and nimble IAF Folland Gnats proved effective against
11211-716: Was acting only on humanitarian grounds. In 1987, the IAF supported the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in northern and eastern Sri Lanka in Operation Pawan . About 70,000 sorties were flown by the IAF's transport and helicopter force in support of nearly 100,000 troops and paramilitary forces without a single aircraft lost or mission aborted. IAF An-32s maintained a continuous air link between air bases in South India and Northern Sri Lanka transporting men, equipment, rations and evacuating casualties. Mi-8s supported
11322-708: Was captured by the Pakistan military. Before his capture he was assaulted by a few locals. After a couple of days of captivity, the captured pilot was released by Pakistan per Third Geneva convention obligations. While Pakistan denied involvement of any of its F-16 aircraft in the strike, the IAF presented remnants of AMRAAM missiles that are only carried by the F-16s within the PAF as proof of their involvement. Unnamed US officials told Foreign Policy magazine in April 2019 that an audit didn't find any Pakistani F-16s missing. However, this
11433-799: Was established on 8 October 1932 in British India as an auxiliary air force of the Royal Air Force . The enactment of the Indian Air Force Act 1932 stipulated out their auxiliary status and enforced the adoption of the Royal Air Force uniforms, badges, brevets and insignia. On 1 April 1933, the IAF commissioned its first squadron, No.1 Squadron, with four Westland Wapiti biplanes and five Indian pilots. The Indian pilots were led by British RAF Commanding officer Flight Lieutenant (later Air Vice Marshal) Cecil Bouchier . During World War II ,
11544-649: Was eventually betrayed and captured. Many of these Indian airmen were seconded or transferred to the expanding IAF such as Squadron Leader Mohinder Singh Pujji DFC who led No. 4 Squadron IAF in Burma. During the war, the IAF experienced a phase of steady expansion. New aircraft added to the fleet included the US-built Vultee Vengeance , Douglas Dakota , the British Hawker Hurricane , Supermarine Spitfire , and Westland Lysander . In recognition of
11655-453: Was flying over Sir Creek , a disputed territory. The aircraft was shot down killing all 16 Pakistani Navy personnel on board. India claimed that the Atlantic was on a mission to gather information on IAF air defence, a charge emphatically rejected by Pakistan which argued that the unarmed aircraft was on a training mission. On 2 August 2002, the Indian Air Force bombed Pakistani posts along
11766-508: Was not confirmed by the United States, which cited it as bilateral matter between US and Pakistan. Various international military observers reject Indian claim of shooting down PAF F-16. IAF also lost a MI-17 helicopter during Indo-Pakistan standoff 2019. On the same day of 27 February 2019, around twenty minutes before the MiG-21 downing, an Indian Mil Mi-17 helicopter crashed, killing six Indian Air Force personnel and one civilian in
11877-398: 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
11988-458: Was removed. Since 1950, the IAF has been involved in four wars with neighbouring Pakistan. Other major operations undertaken by the IAF include Operation Vijay , Operation Meghdoot , Operation Cactus and Operation Poomalai . The IAF's mission expands beyond engagement with hostile forces, with the IAF participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions . The President of India holds
12099-657: Was shot down by an Indian SPYDER surface-to-air missile mistaking it as an PAF aircraft and said that five personnel were held guilty for the lapses. IAF dismissed Group Captain Suman Roy Choudhry Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the Srinagar Air Force Station from his service in 2023 for his negligence during PAF strikes. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of all Indian armed forces and by virtue of that fact
12210-722: Was to be responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure both on the ground and air space in the country. AAI's implementation of the Automatic Dependence Surveillance System (ADSS) at Kolkata and Chennai Air Traffic Control Centers, made India the first country to use this technology in the Southeast Asian region thus enabling Air Traffic Control over oceanic areas using satellite mode of communication. Performance Based Navigation (PBN) procedures have already been implemented at Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad Airports. AAI
12321-449: Was unique because of Siachen's inhospitable terrain and climate. The military action was successful, given the fact that under a previous agreement, neither Pakistan nor India had stationed any personnel in the area. With India's successful Operation Meghdoot , it gained control of the Siachen Glacier . India has established control over all of the 70 kilometres (43 mi) long Siachen Glacier and all of its tributary glaciers, as well as
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