No. 45 Squadron Indian Air Force (Flying Daggers) is a Fighter Squadron internally based at Sulur AFS, Tamil Nadu.[1] The squadron operates the indigenous HAL Tejas fighter from 1 July 2016.[4] The squadron was initially based at Bangalore, Karnataka and later shifted to its main base in Sulur from 1 June 2018.[1]
History
The squadron was raised on 15 February 1957,[5] 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 The MiGs which were operated from Naliya were withdrawn from squadron service in 2002.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.[4] The squadron operated from HAL Airport,[6] Bangalore for nearly two years before it moved to its designated locations at Sulur near Coimbatore.[7] 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
Wreckage of one of the No. 45 Squadron Vampires which were shot down by PAF F-86 Sabres.
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 However, the Vampires encountered two PAF F-86 Sabres, in the ensuing dogfight, the outdated Vampires were outclassed. One was shot down by ground fire and another three were shot down by Sabres.[8][9] The Vampires were withdrawn from front line service after these losses.
Atlantique incident
Indian Air ForceNo.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.[10][11]
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