Coimbatore, May 25: Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) squadron no. 18, also known as “Flying Bullets”, will be made operational at Air Force Station in Sulur on Wednesday. The squadron will be equipped with Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. IAF’s sole Param Vir Chakra recipient, Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, was part of the “Flying Bullets”. The squadron was resurrected on April 1, 2020, at Sulur Air Force station. LCA Tejas Mark II to be Unveiled in 2022 on 75th Independence Day: Reports.

The “Flying Bullets” will be the second IAF squadron to fly LCA Tejas. It was first raised in April 1965. The squadron was flying MiG-27 aircraft and remained decommissioned for about four years. It was number-plated at Hasimara airbase in 2016 after MiG-27 aircraft were decommissioned from the IAF. The “Flying Bullets” will be made operational by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. IAF Displays Flying Power of LCA Tejas During LIMA 2019 in Malaysia, Watch Video.

It actively participated in the 1971 war with Pakistan. Flying Officer Nirmaljeet Singh Sekhon of the “Flying Bullets” was awarded Param Veer Chakra posthumously. It is the first IAF squadron to land and operate in Kashmir, due to which it earned the nickname of ‘Defenders of Kashmir Valley’ In 2015, was presented with President’s Standard.

LCA Tejas aircraft received its final operational clearance (FOC) during the Aero India 2019 which was held in Bengaluru in 2019. The FOC Certificate and Release to Service Document (RSD) were handed over to the then Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on the opening day of Aero India 2019. It is the fourth generation indigenously-built aircraft. It is also equipped with a fly-by-wire flight control system.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 25, 2020 06:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).