President honour for Halwara fighter squadron

Vijay Mohan

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Chandigarh, February 23

A Punjab-based frontline squadron operating Sukhoi-30 aircraft is among the four IAF units that will be presented the President’s Standard and Colour.

Raised in 1963

• Also known as the ‘Valiants’, 221 Squadron was raised as an offensive fighter unit on February 14, 1963, at Barrackpore
• The Squadron’s Su-7 aircraft saw action during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War over Bangladesh
• It also took active part in the 1999 Kargil conflict, with its MiG-23 being among the first aircraft to engage ground targets on the icy heights

The Standard will be conferred on No. 221 Squadron-based at Halwara and No. 45 Squadron-based at Sulur, while the Colours will be awarded to No.11 Base Repair Depot located at Nashik and 509 Signals Unit, by President Droupadi Murmu at the Hindon Airbase on March 8. In the IAF, the President’s Standard is presented to flying units while Colour is presented to static establishments.

Also known as the ‘Valiants’, 221 Squadron was raised as an offensive fighter unit on February 14, 1963, at Barrackpore, West Bengal.

It was initially equipped with Supermarine Spitfire and de Havilland Vampire aircraft and then operated the Russian Su-7 from January 1968 till February 1979. Thereafter, it converted to the MiG-23 BN strike aircraft. In April 2017, it was resurrected with the Su-30 MKI.

The Squadron’s Su-7 aircraft saw action during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War over Bangladesh. It also took active part in the 1999 Kargil conflict, with its MiG-23 being among the first aircraft to engage ground targets in the icy heights.

No. 45 Squadron, called the Flying Daggers, is the first IAF unit to be equipped with the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft.