New Delhi: On the 90th-anniversary celebrations of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari announced that the government has approved the creation of a weapon system branch for the officers in the Force.
While speaking at the IAF day celebrations, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said, “on this historic occasion, it’s my privilege to announce that govt has approved the creation of a weapon system branch for the officers in the Indian Air Force.”
He also spoke about the induction of Agniveers into the IAF. The IAF chief said, “we’ve changed our operational training methodology to ensure that each Agniveer is equipped with the right skills&knowledge to start a career in IAF. In Dec this yr, we’d be inducting 3,000 Agniveer Vayu for initial training. This number will go up in the years to come.”
“Induction of air warriors into #IndianAirForce through Agnipath scheme is a challenge for all of us. But more importantly, it’s an opportunity for us to harness the potential of India’s youth & channelise it towards service of the nation.”
Nearly 80 military aircraft and helicopters participated in the Air Force Day fly-past at the Sukhna Lake complex in Chandigarh.
Apart from the air warrior drill showcase and aerial displays, Rafale, Jaguar, Tejas and Mirage 2000 will fly in `Sekhon` formation.
A ceremonial parade was organized at the Air Force Station with Chief of Air Staff VR Chaudhari took the salute.
ALH Mk IV chopper will fly past in Rudra formation at the parade event. There will be a demonstration by the mechanical transport team of vehicle dismantling and reassembly in a short time at the event, followed by a performance of the air warrior drill team.
The fly-past will commence with an `Aakash Ganga` team of paratroopers in an AN-32 aircraft. Mi 17 V5 choppers will undertake a fire fighting operation using a `bambi bucket` while Mi17 IV helicopters will be performing helo casting. Later in the afternoon, the fly-past will be held at Sukhna Lake.
Extending greetings, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “On Air Force Day, my greetings to the courageous air warriors and their familiesathe Indian Air Force has shown exceptional dexterity for decades. They have secured the nation and also shown remarkable human spirit during disasters.”
On the occasion, the IAF will unveil new camouflage uniforms for personnel. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh extended greetings and best wishes to all courageous IAF air warriors and their families on the Indian Air Force Day.
“The IAF is known for its valour, excellence, performance and professionalism. India is proud of its men and women in blue. Wishing them blue skies and happy landings,” he said.
It is for the first time that the IAF decided to hold its annual Air Force Day parade and fly-past outside the Delhi-NCR.