Squadron 18
"Flying Bullets"
On 27 May 2020, the Second Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Squadron- No. 18 Squadron, Flying Bullets was inducted into the Indian Air Force. The Squadron was earlier resurrected in April 2020, at Sulur, Tamil Nadu.
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.
In the year 2013, the Unit was additionally entrusted with the task of towing the banner target for air to air firing and on 19 September 2014 the Squadron finally moved to Hasimara. Since its inception, the ‘Flying Bullets’ 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.
The Hon’ble President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, awarded the prestigious President’s Standard to No 18 Squadron and No 22 Squadron 28 November 2015 at a grand and befitting ceremonial parade at Air Force Station Hasimara. The President’s Standard is awarded to operational Units based on their past record and achievements during peace as well as hostilities. The Commanding Officer of No 18 Squadron, Group Captain KJ Singh and the Commanding Officer of No 22 Squadron Group Captain Sandeep Singh received the Standards. The Parade was commanded by Group Captain KJ Singh, CO 18 Sqn.
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘Tejas’ was inducted into No. 45 Squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on 01 July 2016. The Squadron would operate from Bangalore for nearly two years, before it was to move to its designated location at Sulur near Coimbatore. It was the first fighter Squadron to be a part of the Southern Air Command of IAF headquartered at Thiruvananthapuram.
The five day 12th edition of the Aero India that concluded on February 24, 2019 proved to be significant for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the defence aviation major in public sector, which is the one of the key organisers of Aero India. During the five day air show, HAL secured the Final Operational Clearance for Tejas aircraft, moving ahead for the induction of the multi role light combat aircraft to join the IAF fleet which has its initial base in Sulur near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
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