No. 45 Squadron Indian Air Force nicknamed as Flying Daggers is a Fighter Squadron internally based at the Sulur AFS. The squadron operates the indigenous HAL Tejas fighter from 1 July 2016. The squadron was initially based at Bengaluru and later shifted to its main base in Sulur AFS from 1 June 2018.
History The squadron was raised on 15 February 1957, with de Havilland Vampires, as a Ground-Attack and Close Air Support unit. Later The Vampires were replaced by MiG-21Bison. The MiGs which were operated from Naliya were withdrawn from squadron service in 2002. It is the first operational squadron of the indigenous fighter jet HAL Tejas. The squadron operated from HAL Airport, Bangalore for nearly two years before it moved to its designated locations at Sulur near Coimbatore."IAF begins establishing first LCA squadron." Deccan Herald. Retrieved 1 July 2016. It is also the first fighter squadron to be part of the Southern Air Command of IAF headquarters at Thiruvananthapuram. Group Captain Madhav Rangachari is the first commanding officer.
Indo-Pakistan War of 1965
On 1 September 1965, during the Indo-Pakistani War, No. 45 Squadron IAF responded to a request for strikes against a counter-attack by the Pakistan Army (Operation Grand Slam), and twelve Vampire Mk 52 fighter-bombers were successful in slowing the Pakistani advance. However, the Vampires encountered two PAF F-86 Sabres, in the ensuing dogfight, the outdated Vampires were outclassed. One was shot down by ground fire and another three were shot down by Sabres.. The Vampires were withdrawn from front line service after these losses.
Atlantique incident Indian Air Force No.45 Squadron was involved in the Atlantique incident on 10 August 1999. Two MiG-21 Bison from No.45 Squadron IAF equipped with R-60 missiles intercepted and following warnings issued and hostile action shot down a Pakistan Navy reconnaissance plane.IAF Scores a Kill !!! Factual Account of Interception – Indian Air Force official page Retrieved on 26 July 2007
Aircraft Aircraft types operated by the squadron + Aircraft typeFromToAir base de Havilland Vampire 20 November 1959 February 1965 AFS Palam Mig-21 FL February 1966 July 1973 AFS Chandigarh July 1973 May 1978 AFS Bareilly May 1978 April 1982 AFS Hasimara Mig-21 bis April 1982 December 2002 AFS NaliyaHAL Tejas Mk1 1 July 2016 30 June 2018 Bengaluru 1 July 2018 Present AFS Sulur Gallery
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