No. 23 Squadron (Panthers) was a fighter squadron in the Indian Air Force and it was equipped with MiG-21Bison, based at AFS NAL. The Squadron was number-plated on 26 September 2025, following the decommissioning of MIG-21 Bison from active service.
History
The squadron was raised in the year 1956 and it became the first squadron in Indian Air Force to be commissioned with Folland Gnat.
The squadron was relocated to AFS NAL in June 2024 and will be in use with its sister squadron No. 3 Squadron. The move was done to streamline the maintenance and operability of the MiG-21. Both the squadrons will transition to the newly ordered Tejas Mk1A.
The Indian Air Force officially decommissioned the MiG-21 Bison from active service in 2025. An official farewell ceremony was held at Chandigarh Air Force Station on 26 September 2025. The last of the aircraft are from this squadron.
Assignments Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Operation Sindoor
Aircraft + Aircraft From To Air Base de Havilland Vampire November 1956 January 1960 Folland Gnat February 1960 January 1978 MiG-21 bis February 1978 July 2005 MiG-21 Bison July 2005 June 2024 AFS Suratgarh June 2024 26 September 2025 AFS NAL
References