No. 51 Squadron IAF
| No. 51 Squadron | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1 February 1985- Present[1] |
| Country |  Republic of India |
| Branch |  Indian Air Force |
| Role | Fighter |
| Garrison/HQ | Srinagar AFS |
| Nickname(s) | Sword Arms |
| Motto(s) | Yudhya Mahaspara Bhayankara which means "valour for victory" |
No. 51 Squadron "Sword Arms" is a fighter squadron of Indian air force, based in Srinagar air force station.[2] The squadron is under the western command of Indian air force.
History[]
No.51 Squadron was initially raised in AFS Chandigarh in 1985, then being equipped with Mig-21 Type 75 variant which later went on to be upgraded to the Mig-21 Bison variant. The squadron was shortly relocated to AFS Srinagar.[3]
Notable Incidents[]
No. 51 Squadron "Sword Arms"On 27 February 2019, Varthaman was flying a MiG-21 as a part of a sortie that was scrambled to intercept an intrusion by Pakistan aircraft into Jammu and Kashmir. In the dogfight that ensued, he crossed into Pakistan territory in Sabzkot sector where he managed to Shoot down a PAF F-16, whose pilot, while safely ejecting, was mistakenly beaten up by the locals and ultimately died due of injuries in a Pakistan Military Hospital. Meanwhile, Abhinandan after getting shot down by a PAF JF-17, safely ejected and descended in the village of Horran in Pakistan administered Kashmir, approximately 7km from the Line of Control.
It was claimed by local villagers that Varthaman could be identified as an Indian pilot by the Indian flag on his parachute. Upon landing, Varthaman asked the villagers if he was in India. The locals responded with pro-Pakistan slogans, after which Varthaman began to run while firing warning shots. He ran for approximately 500 metres, to a small pond, where he attempted to sink and swallow some of his documents. Subsequently, he was captured and manhandled by the villagers before being rescued by the Pakistan Army.
Later that day, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that IAF had shot down a Pakistani F-16 and an Indian pilot was missing in action after a MiG-21 Bison fighter plane was lost while engaging with Pakistani jets.
Aircraft[]
| Aircraft | From | To | Air Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| MiG-21 Bis | 1 February 1985 | January 2004 | AFS Chandigarh[1] |
| MiG-21 Bison | January 2004 | Present | AFS Srinagar |
References[]
- ^ a b "No.51 Squadron Sword Arms". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ "No.51 Squadron, Indian Air Force - Database". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Units/51 Sqn
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