This is an organized list of all of the active aircraft squadrons that currently exist in the Indian Air Force. Squadrons might have changed names and designations many times over the years, so they are listed by their current designation. Expeditionary and provisional units are not listed.
Squadron Name | Insignia | Nickname | Command | Date First Activated | Base | Aircraft | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 78 Squadron | Valarous Mars | Central Air Command | 16 December 2002 | Agra AFS, Uttar Pradesh | Il-78MKI | [78] |
Squadron Name | Insignia | Nickname | Command | Date First Activated | Base | Aircraft | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 50 Squadron | Adwitiya | Central Air Command | 1 October 2008 | Agra AFS, Uttar Pradesh | A-50 | [79] | |
No. 181 Flight | Hawks | Western Air Command | 5 August 1978 | Hindon AFS, Delhi | 737 SIGNIT 748-R | [80] | |
No. 200 Squadron | Netra | Western Air Command | 4 December 2014 | Bathinda AFS, Punjab | ERJ-145SM AEW&C | [81] |
Squadron Name | Insignia | Nickname | Command | Date First Activated | Base | Aircraft | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 52 Squadron | Sharks | Training Command | 1 January 1986 | Bidar AFS, Karnataka | Hawk | [82] | |
No. 151 Helicopter Unit | Sarangs | Southern Air Command | 1 June 1989 | Sulur AFS, Tamil Nadu | Dhruv | [83] |
Squadron Name | Insignia | Nickname | Command | Date First Activated | Base | Aircraft | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 3001 Squadron | Western Air Command | 27 November 2000 | Bathinda AFS, Punjab | Hermes 900 | [84] [77] | ||
No. 3002 Squadron | Cats Eyes | South Western Air Command | 3 December 2003 | Jaisalmer AFS, Rajasthan | Hermes 900 | [85] [77] | |
No. 3003 Squadron | Trinetra | Western Air Command | 1 December 2003 | Jammu AFS, Jammu and Kashmir | Hermes 900 | [86] [77] | |
No. 3004 Squadron | South Western Air Command | 4 December 2014 | Naliya AFS, Gujarat | [87] | |||
No. 3005 Squadron | Western Air Command | 14 June 2005 | Awantipur AFS, Jammu and Kashmir | [88] |
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.
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.
No. 6 Squadron (Dragons) is a fighter squadron and is equipped with Jaguar IM/IS and based at Jamnagar Air Force Station.
No. 4 Squadron IAF (Oorials) is a fighter squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF) equipped with the Su-30 MKI, based at Jodhpur Air Force Station in Jodhpur in, Rajasthan, India. Since its establishment during the South-East Asian theatre of World War II, No. 4 Squadron remains the only fighter squadron other than No. 3 Squadron IAF and No. 7 Squadron IAF to remain continuously in existence in the service of India.
No. 20 Squadron (Lightnings) is a fighter squadron. It is equipped with Sukhoi Su-30MKI and based at Lohegaon Air Force Station, Pune.
Air Force Station 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 55 square kilometres (21 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 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 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).
No. 14 Squadron (Bulls), is a ground attack unit, operating out of AFS Ambala. The squadron currently operates SEPECAT Jaguar IS and IBs, operational since March 1981.
No. 27 Squadron IAF is a Ground-Attack and Close Air Support squadron of the Indian Air Force, operating from Gorakhpur AFS, under Central Air Command.
No. 26 Squadron IAF (Warriors) is a Ground Attack and Close Air Support unit of the Indian Air Force, operating from Pathankot Air Force Station under India's Western Air Command. The squadron was number plated on an unspecified date.
No. 106 Squadron ("Lynxes") is a squadron of the Indian Air Force. It was raised on 1 May 1957 with eight newly inducted PR.57 English Electric Canberras in the strategic photo-reconnaissance role. Initially positioned at Bareilly, later the squadron moved to Agra. When the Canberras were retired in 2007, the squadron was equipped with Hawker Siddeley HS 748 ("Avros"). The motto of the squadron is "Sarva Peshayami".
No. 11 Squadron is a unit of the Indian Air Force assigned to South Western Air Command. The Squadron participates in operations involving air, land and airdrop of troops, equipment, supplies, and support or augment special operations forces, when appropriate.
No. 32 Squadron (Thunderbirds) is a fighter squadron of Indian Air Force. It was equipped with Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21Bison and was based at Jodhpur Air Force Station as part of South Western Air Command. The squadron was number plated in December 2016.
The No. 101 Squadron (Falcons) is an Indian Air Force fighter aircraft squadron which is equipped with the Dassault Rafale and is based at the Hasimara Air Force Station.
No. 220 Squadron is a fighter squadron and is equipped with Su-30 MKIs and based at Halwara Air Force Station.
The Air Headquarters Communication Squadron (Pegasus)(AHQCS) of the Indian Air Force is based at Air Force Station Palam, New Delhi. The Air Headquarters Communication Squadron is a transport squadron which maintains a fleet of aircraft with the primary aim of providing air transport to the President, Vice President and Prime Minister of India, within and outside the country, and to visiting foreign heads of State, categorized as VVIPs.
No. 104 Helicopter Squadron is a fighter squadron and is equipped with Mil Mi-35 and based at Suratgarh Air Force Station.
No. 126 Helicopter Flight (Featherweights) is a helicopter squadron and is equipped with Mil Mi-26 and based at Chandigarh Air Force Station. It received the first four Boeing CH-47 Chinook in service on 25 March 2019.
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.
On 7 February 1968, an Antonov An-12 turboprop transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force piloted by Flight Lieutenant Harkewal Singh and Squadron Leader Pran Nath Malhotra, disappeared while flying to Leh Airport from Chandigarh. Flight 203 was on approach to Leh when the pilot decided to turn back due to inclement weather, the aircraft then went missing with the last radio contact over the Rohtang pass. It was declared missing after the failure to find the wreck.