No.22 Squadron, Indian Air Force
Encyclopedia
No. 22 Squadron Indian Air Force
(Swifts) is a CAS
unit based out of Hasimara
AFS. Along with No. 222 Squadron Tiger Sharks, No. 22 Squadron forms a part of the 16 Wing of the IAF.
was raised on 15 October 1966 at Airforce Station Bareilly
under the command of Wg Cdr PP Singh as a part of Eastern Air Command
. The unit was at the time equipped with Gnat Mk-I ac
and assigned to Ground attack and Air defence. It moved to Kalaikunda AFB
under Eastern Air Command
in September 1968, forming a part of the 5 Wing. It was re-equipped in March 1982 with HAL
Ajeet
Mk-I ac. It currently operates Miyokan MiG-27ML aircraft and is assigned solely to Ground attack role. It has been based at AF stn
Hasimara
since 5 February 1990.
The squadron
, following its operations in the Bangladesh War
of 1971 came to be noted for the ferocity with which it successfully engaged its adversary.
On 20 December 1985, the unit was awarded the present crest of the Swift
by the then Indian President
, R. Venkataraman
.
of the war
, three intruding Sabre
s of the PAF were shot down by the Squadron Pilots.Through the war, Gnats from No.22 repeatedly engaged the PAF
Sabres
with devastating effect.
In the first engagement that signified the opening of all out war in 1971, four Gnats operating from Dum Dum
on 22 November shot down three sabres over Boyra salient
. All three PAF pilots were taken POWs.
Ground Attack
No. 22 did not fly iagainst ground targets till three days after the formal declaration of war
. First of these was on 6 December, against Brisal Airfield, south of Dhaka
. A four ship formation carried out a successful strike, destroying the hangar
s and hitting the defensive bunker
s around the airfield. No. 22 would subsequently carry out a number of strikes on Ishurdi airfield between 6th and 8 December. It would also strike, with devastating effects, the Army Brigade
HQs at Khulna
on the 7th of December.Jessore was struck on the 8th of December.
Close Air Support
The most extensive ground support missions were flown against the Pakistani Army positions in Jessore.The Indian Army
faced its most difficult task in the capture of Jessore, were the Pakistani Army had dug-in in concrete defences and defended every inch and were also aided by an effective artillery barrage. No 22 Sqn would strike these positions with Iron Bombs, destroying the defences in pinpoint attacks. Jessore would fall after this bloody confrontation.
Bomber and transport escort
No. 22 provided crucial fighter escort to the Hunter
s and Canberra
s on strikes against positions deep inside East Pakistan
.
Gnats from No 22 would also provide fighter escort to the An-12s and Dakota
s during the Tangail Airdrop
on the 11 December, 1971.
In addition, No 22 would also strike Khulna, Banisol and Godanand between 7th and 15th of December in Anti shipping operations that effectively stopped elements of the retreating Pakistani Army to make for West Pakistan
by sea.
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
(Swifts) is a CAS
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
unit based out of Hasimara
Hasimara
Hasimara is a small but significant town in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal state, India. It is located at 26° 45' 0N latitude and 89° 20' 60E longitude at an altitude of 245 metres above sea level and has a population of about 40,000 ....
AFS. Along with No. 222 Squadron Tiger Sharks, No. 22 Squadron forms a part of the 16 Wing of the IAF.
History
No. 22 Sqn, IAFIndian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
was raised on 15 October 1966 at Airforce Station Bareilly
Bareilly
Bareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
under the command of Wg Cdr PP Singh as a part of Eastern Air Command
Eastern Air Command
Eastern Air Command may refer to the following military formations:* Eastern Air Command, Indian Air Force* a former home defence command of the Royal Canadian Air Force* Allied air force units under South East Asia Command, during 1944–45...
. The unit was at the time equipped with Gnat Mk-I ac
Folland Gnat
The Folland Gnat was a small, swept-wing British subsonic jet trainer and light fighter aircraft developed by Folland Aircraft for the Royal Air Force, and flown extensively by the Indian Air Force....
and assigned to Ground attack and Air defence. It moved to Kalaikunda AFB
Air Force Base
An Air Force Base is a military airbase of any of a number of air forces, such as the United States Air Force or South African Air Force ....
under Eastern Air Command
Eastern Air Command
Eastern Air Command may refer to the following military formations:* Eastern Air Command, Indian Air Force* a former home defence command of the Royal Canadian Air Force* Allied air force units under South East Asia Command, during 1944–45...
in September 1968, forming a part of the 5 Wing. It was re-equipped in March 1982 with HAL
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited based in Bangalore, India, is one of Asia's largest aerospace companies. Under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence, this state-owned company is mainly involved in aerospace industry, which includes manufacturing and assembling aircraft, navigation and...
Ajeet
Folland Gnat
The Folland Gnat was a small, swept-wing British subsonic jet trainer and light fighter aircraft developed by Folland Aircraft for the Royal Air Force, and flown extensively by the Indian Air Force....
Mk-I ac. It currently operates Miyokan MiG-27ML aircraft and is assigned solely to Ground attack role. It has been based at AF stn
Airbase
An airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
Hasimara
Hasimara
Hasimara is a small but significant town in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal state, India. It is located at 26° 45' 0N latitude and 89° 20' 60E longitude at an altitude of 245 metres above sea level and has a population of about 40,000 ....
since 5 February 1990.
The squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
, following its operations in the Bangladesh War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
of 1971 came to be noted for the ferocity with which it successfully engaged its adversary.
On 20 December 1985, the unit was awarded the present crest of the Swift
Swift
The swifts are a family, Apodidae, of highly aerial birds. They are superficially similar to swallows, but are actually not closely related to passerine species at all; swifts are in the separate order Apodiformes, which they share with hummingbirds...
by the then Indian President
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
, R. Venkataraman
R. Venkataraman
Ramaswamy Venkataraman was an Indian lawyer, Indian independence activist and politician who served as a Union minister and as the eighth President of India....
.
Sabre Slayers
The Squadron earned its name of Sabre Slayers, during Operations in December 1971. In the opening engagementBattle of Boyra
The Battle of Boyra, on 22 November 1971, was the first engagement between the Air Forces of India and Pakistan of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971...
of the war
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
, three intruding Sabre
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
s of the PAF were shot down by the Squadron Pilots.Through the war, Gnats from No.22 repeatedly engaged the PAF
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
Sabres
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
with devastating effect.
1971 operations
Air DefenseIn the first engagement that signified the opening of all out war in 1971, four Gnats operating from Dum Dum
Dum Dum
Dum Dum is a city and a municipality in North 24 Parganas district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is a neighbourhood in North-west Kolkata and the location of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, formerly Dum Dum Airport.Dum Dum is a well known place in greater Kolkata...
on 22 November shot down three sabres over Boyra salient
Battle of Boyra
The Battle of Boyra, on 22 November 1971, was the first engagement between the Air Forces of India and Pakistan of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971...
. All three PAF pilots were taken POWs.
Ground Attack
No. 22 did not fly iagainst ground targets till three days after the formal declaration of war
Operation Chengiz Khan
Operation Chengiz Khan was the code name assigned to the pre-emptive strikes carried out by the Pakistani Air Force on the forward airbases and radar installations of the Indian Air Force on the evening of 3 December 1971, and marked the formal initiation of hostilities of the Indo-Pakistani war...
. First of these was on 6 December, against Brisal Airfield, south of Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
. A four ship formation carried out a successful strike, destroying the hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
s and hitting the defensive bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
s around the airfield. No. 22 would subsequently carry out a number of strikes on Ishurdi airfield between 6th and 8 December. It would also strike, with devastating effects, the Army Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
HQs at Khulna
Khulna
Khulna is the third largest city in Bangladesh. It is located on the banks of the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers in Khulna District. It is the divisional headquarters of Khulna Division and a major industrial and commercial center. It has a seaport named Mongla on its outskirts, 38 km from Khulna...
on the 7th of December.Jessore was struck on the 8th of December.
Close Air Support
The most extensive ground support missions were flown against the Pakistani Army positions in Jessore.The Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
faced its most difficult task in the capture of Jessore, were the Pakistani Army had dug-in in concrete defences and defended every inch and were also aided by an effective artillery barrage. No 22 Sqn would strike these positions with Iron Bombs, destroying the defences in pinpoint attacks. Jessore would fall after this bloody confrontation.
Bomber and transport escort
No. 22 provided crucial fighter escort to the Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
s and Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
s on strikes against positions deep inside East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
.
Gnats from No 22 would also provide fighter escort to the An-12s and Dakota
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
s during the Tangail Airdrop
Tangail Airdrop
The Tangail Airdrop was an airborne operation mounted on 11 December 1971 by the 2nd Parachute Battalion Group of the Indian Army during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The main objective of the operation was the capture of Poongli Bridge on the Jamuna which would cut off the 93 Brigade of...
on the 11 December, 1971.
In addition, No 22 would also strike Khulna, Banisol and Godanand between 7th and 15th of December in Anti shipping operations that effectively stopped elements of the retreating Pakistani Army to make for West Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
by sea.
Awards
- Flt Lt RA Massey F(P) Vr CVir ChakraVir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration carried with it the right to use Vr.C. as a postnominal abbreviation Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration...
- 1971 opeartions - Flt Lt MA Ganapathy F(P) Vr C - 1971 operations
- Flt Lt D Lazarus F(P) Vr C - 1971 Operations