IAF resurrects 17 Squadron 'Golden Arrows' for Rafale

Ambala, September 11: Respecting the participation of Squadron in various operations,  a Resurrection ceremony for 17 Squadron, AF was held at Air Force Station Ambala. Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa PVSM AVSM YSM VM ADC Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of the Air Staff presented a memento to Group Captain Harkirat Singh SC to commemorate the occasion. The ceremony was attended by various dignitaries from the Indian Air Force and Indian Army on Tuesday.

 

17 The squadron was formed at Ambala on 01st Oct 1951 under the command of Flight Lieutenant DL Springett and was then equipped with Harvard-II B aircraft. By Nov 1955, Squadron converted fully to De Havilland Vampire and by 1957, Hawker Hunter aircraft were flown by the ‘Golden Arrows’. The Squadron converted to the Mig-21 M in 1975.

On Nov 1988, the Squadron was presented ‘Colours’ by then honourable President of India, R Venkataraman. Under the command of then Wing Commander BS Dhanoa VM, Golden Arrows participated actively in Operation ‘Safed Sagar’ in 1999.

In the near future, 17 Squadron will be the first Squadron to be equipped with the State of the art Rafale aircraft, which is an extremely capable, fourth generation, multirole aircraft with advanced weapons.