IAF to operationalise second Tejas squadron in Sulur in Tamil Nadu on May 27

The Sulur Air Force Station near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu will on Wednesday become the second squadron of the Indian Air Force to induct the fourth-generation LCA Tejas aircraft.

IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria will operationalise the squadron “Flying Bullets” on Wednesday. The Squadron will be equipped with LCA Tejas FOC Aircraft and will be the second IAF Squadron to fly LCA Tejas.

The Squadron was flying MiG 27 aircraft before it got number plated on 15 Apr 2016, while it was resurrected on April 1 this year at Sulur. The aircraft is equipped with a fly-by-wire flight control system, integrated digital avionics, multimode radar, and its structure is made out of composite material.

It is the lightest and smallest in its group of fourth-generation supersonic combat aircraft, an official release said. The squadron, which actively participated in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, was formed on 15 Apr 1965 with the motto ‘Teevra aur Nirbhaya’ meaning ‘Swift and Fearless’.

“The Squadron actively 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,” the release added.

The squadron earned the sobriquet of ‘Defenders of Kashmir Valley’ by being the first to land and operate from Srinagar, while it was presented with President’s Standard in November 2015.