IAF operationalises second squadron of Tejas fighter jets: All you need to know

NEW DELHI: IAF chief RKS Bhadauria on Wednesday operationalised a new squadron armed with the indigenous fighter aircraft Tejas.

Here is all you need to know about IAF's new squadron —

• The No. 18 Squadron is known as 'Flying Bullets'.
• The Squadron is armed with newly-inducted, indigenous fighter aircraft LCA Tejas in fully operational capability (FOC).
• This is the second IAF squadron to be equipped with the Tejas fighter jets.
• The Squadron is based at Sulur airbase near Coimbatore.
• This makes Sulur the only airbase in the country to operate two squadrons of Tejas.
• No. 45 squadron ‘Flying Daggers’ at the station was the first squadron armoured with Tejas.
• No. 18 Squadron was formed on April 15, 1965, with the motto Teevra aur Nirbhaya (swift and fearless).
• The squadron was flying MiG 27 fighters before they were decommissioned on April 15, 2016.
• The squadron was resurrected on April 01, 2020, at the Sulur station.
• The squadron participated in the 1971 war with Pakistan and was decorated with the highest gallantry award Param Vir Chakra awarded to flying officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon posthumously.
• It also earned the sobriquet of ‘Defenders of Kashmir Valley’ by being the first to land and operate from Srinagar.
• The squadron was awarded the prestigious President's Standard in November 2015.
• In 2016, Tejas became a part of the IAF after it was formally inducted in No. 45 Squadron.
• The fourth-generation fighter aircraft is developed by Aeronautical Development Agency and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the IAF and Indian Navy.
• The Initial Operational Capability (IOC) aircraft are armed with close combat air-to-air missiles, helmet-mounted display and precision-guided weapons like laser-guided bombs. These aircraft are also capable of dropping unguided bombs with greater accuracy due to highly advanced indigenous mission computer.
• Aircraft with Final Operational Clearance (FOC) would incorporate beyond visual range (BVR) missiles, improved and better stand-off weapons and air-to-air refuelling capability.