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| No. 45 Squadron IAF | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | No. 45 Squadron |
| Caption | A fighter aircraft in squadron colours |
| Country | India |
| Branch | Indian Air Force |
| Role | Air superiority |
| Garrison | Varied |
| Nickname | Flying Daggers |
No. 45 Squadron IAF is a fighter squadron of the Indian Air Force formed to provide air superiority, interception, and tactical support. The unit has operated several aircraft types and participated in conflicts and peacetime operations involving the Indian subcontinent, regional neighbors such as Pakistan and China, and multinational exercises with states like Russia and United States. Its history intersects major events including the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the Kargil War, and Cold War era procurements from the Soviet Union.
The squadron traces origins to post-World War II reorganization within the Royal Indian Air Force era and early decades of the Republic of India. During the 1950s–1970s period it was involved in air defence modernization driven by tensions with Pakistan and the 1962 border conflict with China. Procurement relationships with the United Kingdom, United States, and the Soviet Union influenced equipment transitions and doctrinal shifts. The unit has periodically re-roled in response to evolving threats from theater-level crises such as the 1971 Bangladesh liberation campaign and later high-altitude operations in the Himalayas.
Assigned primarily an air superiority and interception role, the squadron undertakes combat air patrols, escort missions, ground attack support, and quick reaction alerts for strategic sectors including the Western Air Command and the Eastern Air Command. It has participated in bilateral exercises such as Operation Meghdoot-adjacent support tasks, combined drills with the Russian Air Force and exchanges under the Indo-US defense cooperation framework. The squadron also contributes to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief during events like cyclones affecting the Bay of Bengal and rescue operations in the Ladakh region.
Over its service life the unit flew a succession of types reflecting procurement and modernization cycles: early jet and piston types obtained from the United Kingdom and United States in the 1950s, transition to Sukhoi designs and indigenous upgrades in the later 20th century, and operation of fourth-generation fighters during the 1990s–2000s period. Specific types associated with contemporary air superiority include variants of the MiG-21, MiG-29, and upgraded multi-role platforms acquired via deals with Rosoboronexport and licensed upgrade programmes involving Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The squadron has been based at several forward and main operating bases across the subcontinent to meet strategic requirements: airfields in the Western Sector facing Srinagar and Jammu, high-altitude detachments near Leh supporting counter-infiltration operations, and temporary deployments to eastern bases to deter threats along the Line of Actual Control. It has also undertaken expeditionary deployments to participate in multilateral exercises at facilities like Bareilly Air Force Station and Hindon AFS, and staging for overseas ferry flights via waypoints including Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah.
The squadron's operational record includes sorties during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 providing air cover for ground offensives and interdiction missions, high-altitude combat air patrols during the 1999 Kargil War supporting the Indian Army's recapture of occupied heights, and peacetime intercepts of intruding aircraft along the Western borders. It has been tasked for quick reaction alerts during crises like the 1965 conflict, air policing during tense standoffs with China in the Eastern Sector, and participation in large-scale trilateral exercises involving the United States Air Force and the Royal Air Force.
The squadron badge and insignia incorporate motifs reflecting its nickname "Flying Daggers" and symbolize speed, precision, and vigilance, drawing on heraldic conventions used across the Indian Air Force and Commonwealth air arms. Traditions include squadron day commemorations tied to its stand-up date, formation signs displayed on aircraft tails, and ceremonial links with regional civic institutions near bases such as local municipal authorities and veterans' associations. Annual exercises and exchange visits with squadrons from the Pakistan Air Force and Bangladesh Air Force have contributed to shared professional customs.
Leadership has included career officers trained at establishments like the Air Force Academy and graduates of staff courses at the Defence Services Staff College. Commanding officers rotated through ranks from Wing Commander to Group Captain, with notable commanders often moving on to senior appointments in the Air Headquarters or joint staff. The unit's personnel profile comprises fighter pilots, weapon system officers, ground crew from Maintenance Command units, and support staff seconded from organisations like Central Air Command logistics wings.
The squadron and its members have received unit citations and individual decorations for operational service, including gallantry awards conferred during wartime sorties and peacetime interceptions. Honours awarded have paralleled recognition patterns seen across the Indian Armed Forces, with personnel decorated by the President of India and mentioned in dispatches for acts during major engagements such as the 1971 campaign and the Kargil operations. The unit's battle honours reflect its contribution to sovereignty and air defence in multiple campaigns.
Category:Indian Air Force squadrons