Airstrike heroes, Abhinandan lead fly-past
AIR FORCE CHOPPERS IMPORTED FROM THE US — CH-47F (I) CHINOOK HEAVY-LIFT HELICOPTERS AND APACHE AH-64E ATTACK HELICOPTERS — MAKE THEIR DEBUT
India’s fighter pilots who carried out the Balakot strikes on February 26, and Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who shot down an F-16 in a dogfight with the Pakistan Air Force the following day, led two of the several formations during the ceremonial fly-past in the Indian Air Force (IAF) Day parade at the Hindon air base on Tuesday.
While the Balakot bombers were part of the ‘Avenger’ formation of three Mirage-2000s flanked by two Sukhoi-30 fighter jets, Varthaman led a three-aircraft MiG-21 Bison formation during the ceremonial fly past over the Hindon air base to commemorate the air force’s 87th founding day, an IAF spokesperson said.
The impressive display of the air force’s capabilities also included Jaguars, MiG-29s, C-130J Super Hercules special operations planes, C-17 heavy lifters, vintage Tiger Moth and Harvard aircraft, Tejas light combat aircraft, Dorniers, the Surya Kiran aerobatic team, and the Sarang helicopter stunt team.
IAF’s choppers imported from the United States — CH-47F (I) Chinook heavy-lift and Apache AH-64E attack helicopters— made debut at the parade.
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria awarded coveted unit citations to the No 9 ‘Wolf Pack’ squadron, Varthaman’s No 51 ‘Sword Arms’ squadron, and the 601 Signal Unit, which controlled IAF’s interception package launched to stop Pakistan’s fighter jets on February 27.
“In the year gone by, IAF has demonstrated the resolve and capability in punishing the perpetrators of terrorism... We acknowledge the contribution of all personnel, commands, stations and units who silently and professionally contributed to the success of air strikes at Balakot,” said Bhadauria, who took over as the air force chief on September 30. Army chief General Bipin Rawat and navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh also attended the parade. Experts hailed the move to involve Varthaman and the Balakot bombers in the fly-past.
“Abhinandan leading a MiG-21 Bison formation and the fly-past by a mixed Mirage-Sukhoi formation with call sign Avenger is loaded with significance and symbolism -- that IAF lived up to its role of defending India’s airspace on February 26/27. One can call it a sharp rebuttal of the propaganda war from across the border,” said Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd), additional director general, Centre for Air Power Studies.
Several officers involved in the February 26-27 operations were decorated with gallantry awards on the eve of Independence Day, including a Vir Chakra for Varthaman and Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) for the Balakot bombers. The air strikes against the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror base in Balakot were India’s response to the Pulwama suicide car bomb attack that killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force troopers were killed on February 14.