Please read: A personal appeal from Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales Indian Air Force From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Indian Air force Ensign of the Indian Air Force Active 8 October 1932 – present Country India Branch Air Force Size 170,000 active personnel 1300 aircraft [1] Part of Ministry of Defence Indian Armed Forces Headquarters New Delhi, India Motto नभःसपृशं दीपतम् Sanskrit: Nabhaḥ -Sp ṛ śa ṃ Dīptam "Touch the Sky with Glory"[2] Colour Navy blue, Sky blue & White Anniversaries Air Force Day: 8th October[3] Engagements World War II Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Congo Crisis Operation Vijay Sino-Indian War Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Bangladesh Liberation War Operation Meghdoot Operation Poomalai Operation Pawan Operation Cactus Kargil War Decorations Indian Military Honour Awards Battle honours Param Vir Chakra Website indianairforce.nic.in Commanders Chief of the Air Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Staff Naik Vice Chief of the Air Marshal Pranab Kumar Air Staff Barbora Insignia Crest Roundel Fin flash Aircraft flown Attack Jaguar, MiG-27, Harpy Electronic IAI Phalcon warfare Fighter Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000, MiG- 29,MiG-21 Helicopter Dhruv, Chetak, Cheetah, Mi-8, Mi- 17, Mi-26, Mi-25/35 Reconnaissance Searcher II, Heron Trainer HPT-32 Deepak, HJT-16 Kiran, Hawk Mk 132 Transport Il-76, An-32, HS 748, Do 228,Boeing 737, ERJ 135, Il- 78MKI The Indian Air Force (IAF; Devanāgarī: भारतीय वायु सेना, Bhartiya Vāyu Senā) is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict. It was officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the Indian Empire and the prefix Royal was added in 1945 in recognition of its services during World War II. After India achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, the Royal Indian Air Force served the Union of India , with the prefix being dropped when India became a republic in 1950. Since independence, the IAF has been involved in four wars with neighbouring Pakistan and one with the People's Republic of China. Other major operations undertaken by the IAF include Operation Vijay - the invasion of Goa , Operation Meghdoot and Operation Cactus . Apart from conflicts, the IAF has been an active participant in United Nations peacekeeping missions. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the IAF. The Chief of Air Staff, an Air Chief Marshal (ACM), is a four star commander and commands the Air Force. There is never more than one serving ACM at any given time in the IAF. One officer has been conferred the rank of Marshal of the Air Force, a 5-star rank and the officer serves as the ceremonial chief. With strength of approximately 170,000 personnel and 1,300 aircraft, the Indian Air Force is the world's fourth largest air force after the United States Air Force, Russian Air Force and China's People's Liberation Army Air Force.[4][5] In recent years, the IAF has undertaken an ambitious expansion and modernisation program to replace its aging Soviet-era fighter jets. Contents [hide] • 1 Mission • 2 History ○ 2.1 Formation and Pre-Independence years (1932–1947) ○ 2.2 First years of Independence (1947– 1950) ○ 2.3 Congo Crisis and liberation of Goa (1960–1961) ○ 2.4 Border disputes and changes in IAF (1962–1971) ○ 2.5 Bangladesh Liberation War (1971) ○ 2.6 Incidents before Kargil (1984– 1988) ○ 2.7 Kargil War (1999) ○ 2.8 Post Kargil incidents (1999– present) • 3 Structure ○ 3.1 Commands and structure ○ 3.2 Bases ○ 3.3 Wings ○ 3.4 Squadrons ○ 3.5 Garud Commando Force ○ 3.6 Integrated Space Cell ○ 3.7 Display Teams • 4 Personnel ○ 4.1 Officers ○ 4.2 Airmen ○ 4.3 Non Combatants Enrolled and civilians ○ 4.4 Training • 5 Aircraft inventory ○ 5.1 Fighter and multi-role combat aircraft ○ 5.2 Strike, attack and close support aircraft ○ 5.3 Airborne Early Warning aircraft ○ 5.4 Tanker aircraft ○ 5.5 Transport aircraft ○ 5.6 Training aircraft ○ 5.7 Helicopters ○ 5.8 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles • 6 Land-Based Air Defence ○ 6.1 Surface-to-Air Missile systems ○ 6.2 Ballistic missiles ○ 6.3 Anti-Ballistic missile systems • 7 Future ○ 7.1 Upgrades ○ 7.2 Under Procurement ○ 7.3 Under development • 8 See also • 9 Notes • 10 References • 11 External links [edit]Mission The IAF's mission is defined by the Armed Forces Act of 1947, Constitution of India and the Air Force Act of 1950,[6] in the aerialbattlespace, as: Thus, the IAF has the primary objective of safeguarding Indian territory and national interests from all threats in conjunction with the other branches of the armed forces by defending Indian airspace. The IAF provides close air support to the Indian Army troops in the battlefield and also provides strategic and tactical airlift capabilities. The IAF also operates the Integrated Space Celltogether with the other two branches of the Indian Armed Forces, the civilian Department of Space and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to utilize more effectively the country's space-based assets for military purposes and to look into threats to these assets.[7][8] The Indian Air Force along with the other branches of the Indian Armed Forces provide assistance in disaster relief such as during natural calamities by undertaking evacuation or search-and- rescue (SAR) operations and air dropping relief supplies in affected areas.[9] The IAF provided extensive assistance to relief operations during natural calamities such as the Gujarat cyclone in 1998 and the Tsunami in 2004.[9] The IAF also provides assistance to other countries during relief activities such as Operation Rainbow in Sri Lanka.[9] [edit]History Main article: History of the Indian Air Force [edit]Formation and Pre-Independence years (1932–1947) A Westland Wapiti, one of the first aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The Indian Air Force was established in British India as an auxiliary air force[10] of the Royal Air Force with the enactment of the Indian Air Force Act 1932 on 8 October that year[11][12] and adopted the Royal Air Force uniforms , badges, brevets and insignia.[13] On 1 April 1933, the IAF commissioned its first squadron, No.1 Squadron, with four Westland Wapiti biplanes and five Indian pilots. The Indian pilots were led by Flight Lieutenant (later Air Vice Marshal) Cecil Bouchier .[14] Until 1938, No. 1 Squadron remained the only squadron of the IAF, though two more flights were added.[14] IAF Roundels over the years: 1)1933-1942 2)1942-1945 3)1947-1950 4)1950-Present During World War II, the red blob was removed from the IAF roundel to eliminate confusion with the Japanese Red Sun Emblem.[13] The Air Force grew to seven squadrons in 1943 and to nine squadrons in 1945.[14] The IAF helped in blocking the advance of the Japanese army inBurma, where its first air strike was on the Japanese military base in Arakan. It also carried out strike missions against the Japanese airbases at Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. In recognition of the crucial role played by the IAF, King George VI conferred it the prefix "Royal" in 1945.[12][15] During the war, many youth joined the Indian National Army. Forty five of them (known as the Tokyo Boys ) were sent to train as fighter pilots at the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Academy in 1944 by Subhas Chandra Bose.[16] After the war, they were interned by the Allies and were court- martialled . After Indian independence, some of them rejoined the IAF for service.[16] [edit]First years of Independence (1947–1950) When British India was granted its independence in 1947, it was partitioned into the new states of the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The armed forces were similarly divided. India's air force retained the name of the Royal Indian Air Force, but three of the ten operational squadrons and facilities, located within the new borders of Pakistan, were transferred to the Royal Pakistan Air Force.[17] The RIAF Roundel was changed to an interim 'Chakra' roundel derived from the Ashoka Chakra.[13] Around the same time, conflict broke out between them over the control of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir. With Pakistani forces moving into the state, its Maharaja decided to accede to India in order to receive military help.[18] The day after instrument of accession was signed, the RIAF was called upon to transport troops into the war-zone.[18] This led to the eruption of full scale war between India and Pakistan, though there was no formal declaration of war.[19] During the war, the RIAF did not engage the Pakistan Air Force in air-to-air combat; however, it did provide effective transport and close air support to the Indian troops.[20] When India became a republic in 1950, the prefix 'Royal' was dropped from the Indian Air Force.[12] At the same time, the current IAF roundel was adapted.[13] [edit]Congo Crisis and liberation of Goa (1960–1961) The IAF saw significant conflict in 1960, when Belgium's 75-year rule over Congo ended abruptly, engulfing the nation in widespread violence and rebellion.[21] IAF sent No. 5 Squadron, equipped with English Electric Canberra, to support United Nations Operation in the Congo. The squadron started undertaking operational missions in November.[22] The unit remained there until 1966, when the UN mission ended.[22] Operating from Leopoldville and Kamina, the Canberras soon destroyed the rebel Air Force and provided the UN ground forces with its only long- range air support force.[23] In late 1961, the Indian government decided to deploy the armed forces in an effort to evict the Portuguese out of Goa and other Enclaves after years of negotiation.[24] The Indian Air Force was requested to provide support elements to the ground force in what was called Operation Vijay.