The Indian Air Force displayed its strength during a full dress rehearsal, ahead of the 83rd Air Force Day celebrations slated for October 8, at Ghaziabad's Hindon air base on Tuesday.
IAF paratroopers perform during the the full dress rehearsal for the Air Force Day function at Air Force Station Hindon in Ghaziabad on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI
Hundreds of children from various schools, the families of air force officers and senior governmental dignitaries were in attendance at the rehearsal.
One of the central attractions at the rehearsal was the display of IAF’s aircraft inventory, which included the latest Airborne Warning and Control System, a multi-role French fighter Mirage-2000, deep penetration striker Jaguar and Russian fighters Mig-21, Mig-29 and the Sukhio-30 MKI which carries the Brahmos supersonic missile system.
IAF personnel perform with their guns during the full dress rehearsal for the Air Force Day function at Air Force Station Hindon in Ghaziabad on Tuesday. PTI Photograph: Shirish Shete/ PTI
Aside from the fighter aircraft, the IAF also displayed several choppers, light aircraft, advanced jet trainer Hawk, Pilatus PC-7 turbo jet trainer and the indigenously-developed Rohini and the Indian Doppler Radar Mark II system that has the ability to detect enemy aircraft.
AJT Hawk planes fly parallelly. Photograph: PTI
The rehearsal parade commenced with a HALO jump by sky divers of the Akash Ganga team. The daring divers took off from an AN-32 transport aircraft at an altitude of 8,000 feet.
An added attraction was the ‘Vayu Sena band’ and the marching parade by officers and 253 air personnel, including female officers.
Spectators were thrilled to witness complex mid-air manoeuvers and were stunned at the skill of the pilots.
The rifle drills were carried out with 5.5-kg bayonet-topped rifles, showcasing the precision and timing of the participants.
