Air Chief Marshal activates 'Squadron-18' with indigenous fighter aircraft 'Tejas'

Another squadron including light combat aircraft Tejas made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited: Coconut Growing Wheel Irrigated!

(PTI) Coimbatore, Ta. 27 May 2020, Wednesday

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria today activated Air Force Squadron No. 18 at Sulur Airbase near Coimbatore. The Indian-made Tejas Mark-1 fighter jet was also included in the squadron's operation. The occasion was auspiciously started by growing coconuts. The Air Force also flew a short flight of the single-seater light combat aircraft Tejas before the operation. This is the second squadron to have an indigenous Tejas aircraft. Earlier, LCA Tejas was also included in Squadron 2.

Squadron 12 was formed in the 19th century. It then included British-made net aircraft. This squadron played a decisive role during the war of 181. Not only that, Squadron Flying Officer Nirmal Jis Senkhon was posthumously awarded India's highest military honor, the Paramvir Chakra, for his outstanding performance. After being disbanded in April 2016, the squadron was restructured in April 2020. It was then activated today.

The Managing Director of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) presented the aircraft documents to the Air Chief Marshal on the occasion. The Air Chief Marshal also handed over the symbolic key of the aircraft to Squadron Commanding Officer Group Captain Manish Tolani. A total of 30 Tejas will be added to the squadron in the coming days. On this occasion, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said that private industries have to come forward to manufacture arms as per the defense needs of the country.

This aircraft is the fourth generation, which is as modern as most of the aircraft used in the world today. Not only that, as the name implies, the light is light in weight and small in size, so that it can operate more efficiently after flying in the sky. Mark-1 means that this version is more advanced than the initial version of the Tejas, which includes communication technology, armament, air-to-air refueling facility, etc. The fact that Air Chief Marshal himself flew the aircraft will boost the confidence of the world in this aircraft made in India. Many countries, including Malaysia, have shown interest in buying these Indian aircraft from the very beginning.

Flying in the Tejas of the Air Chief Marshal

Chief of the Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria boarded a single-seater light Tejas fighter jet and flew from Suluru Air Force Station near Coimbatore. The Tejas has been developed by the Aeronautics Development Agency and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria has worked with the team that designed the Tejas jet. Indigenous Jet Tejas is part of the Indian Air Force's 3rd Squadron. The Chief of Air Staff arrived at Sulur for the operational operations of the 18th Squadron of the Indian Air Force. Whose code name is 'Flying Bullets'. It will be the second squadron of the Indian Air Force to fly Tejas jets.