IAF Chief to operationalize Second LCA Tejas Squadron at Sulur
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New Delhi, May 26: The Indian Air Force stated it will operationalize a second squadron of the indigenously built Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). This squadron will be operationalized by the IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria will at Sulur in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.
The IAF stated, "18 Squadron 'Flying Bullets' of Indian Air Force will be operationalised with indigenously built LCA Tejas at Air Force Station Sulur near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on 27 May 2020."
18 Sqn 'Flying Bullets' of @IAF_MCC will be operationalise with indigenously built LCA Tejas at AF Stn Sulur, by #CAS Air Chief Mshl RKS Bhadauria on 27 May 2020.
— PRO Shillong, Ministry of Defence (@proshillong) May 25, 2020
Resurrected on 01 Apr 20, the Sqn was flying MiG-27s before it got number plated on 15 Apr 16.@SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/kPJ42Fkyyk
The IAF’s Number 18 Squadron, “Flying Bullets”, will be raised with Tejas aircraft in the Final Operational Configuration. The squadron will be equipped with LCA Tejas FOC Aircraft and will be the second IAF Squadron to fly LCA Tejas while the first squadron was the Number 45 the Flying Daggers which was formed in 2016.
The 18 Squadron which was formed on April 15, 1965, had immensely contributed in the 1971 India-Pakistan war with Pakistan. Late Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, the only IAF personnel to be honoured with gallantry award 'Param Vir Chakra' was part of this squadron.
The 18 Squadron was flying the MiG 27 aircraft before it was number plated on April 15, 2016. The squadron was resurrected on April 1 this year
The fourth-generation Tejas has been indigenously designed by the Aircraft Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Defence Acquisition Council in March had approved the procurement of 83 of the more advanced Mk1A version of the aircraft from HAL estimated to be Rs 38,000 crore by finalising the contract.
The Mk1A version will have an active electronically scanned array radar, beyond visual range missiles and an electronic warfare suite. The raising of new squadrons is crucial for the IAF because it is faced with a depleting strength of fighter squadrons from an authorised strength of 42 down to around 30.