This is an account of the operations at 14 C&MU Jaisalmer. The IAF's victory at Longewala was achieved from Jaisalmer Air Force Base during the 1971 War under the leadership of then Wg Cdr M S Bawa (4494) F(P). This article provides a "War Diary" style narration of the day by day events as they unfolded.
The recent air strikes on Balakot and the subsequent air battle near Naushera will be fodder for discussions for years to come. Lost in the hyperbole of claims and counter-claims on both sides are some glaring issues on which questions should be asked. And the lessons should be recorded for future conficts. Air Marshal Harish Masand shares his thoughts on various aspects of the recent events.
AVM Manmohan Bahadur writes about a recovery operation at 19,500 feet that saved a valuable Cheetah helicopter of No.114 Helicopter Unit.
In this short piece, Air Vice Marshal C V Parker MVC VM (4346 F(P)) narrates the last mission of his squadron - No.20 "Lightnings" - that could not beat the ceasefire clock!
Air Cmde PD 'Jeya' Jeyasingh 10923 F(N) passed away at 2330 hrs on 18 Oct 2018 at the Command Hospital Air Force Bangalore. He was admitted on 05 October after being diagnosed with pneumonia and other complications. He was veteran of the 1971 war, who flew on bombing sorties with the Canberra bombers. He was also known as an old comrade who refuses to let the nation forget about his comrades. K S Nair writes about the annual commemoration that Air Commodore Jeyasingh started - and which continues today even in his absence.
Coming on the heels of our recent update - Ejected over no-man's land - Maj Gen Syed Ali Hamid of the Pakistan Army shared his experience coming across the wreckage of the Sukhoi 7 B907 - He had procured several photographs of the wreckage that are shared on this page.
Gp Capt Gurdeep Singh Samra 8695 F(P) was a young Flight Lieutenant with No.101 Squadron operating from Adampur. He narrates the harrowing tale of ejecting over No-Mans land in the Chamb sector - and enduring severe injuries. He would later be rescued by Indian Army troops and underwent a full recovery back to flying fit status for a fruitful and rewarding career in the IAF.
Landing a jet fighter on its belly is not a task for the faint hearted. This is the story of one young pilot who walked away from one - and the story of an aircraft that refused to go to the scrapyard.
A program update on the LCA
Group Captain Patri Jayarao (7708 F(P)) , a Transport veteran of the 1971 war was commissioned on 28 Oct 1963 as part of the 85 Pilot's Course. For the first time he reveals an incident that occurred during the Tangail Para drop that could have had dire consequences.
In October 1962, Air Commodore Y V Malse (1616 GD(P)) was with the National Defence College when he got urgent instructions to go to Eastern Air Command HQ as Air HQ's Special Liason officer. The Indo-China war had broken out at that time. His observations from that era are narrated here in an oral interview from 2003.