News Analysis India

Tag: Republic Day flypast

  • 5 Rafale, 70 other aircraft to feature in ‘grandest flypast ever’ on R-Day

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Republic Day parade this year will showcase 75 aircraft as part of the flypast over the Rajpath with the Supreme Commander President Ram Nath Kovind taking the salute from the marching contingents.

    The culmination of the flypast will be with the “Amrit Formation” in which for the first time, 17 Jaguar fighters will fly in the shape of 75, to celebrate Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav. Speaking online to media, IAF’s Western Air Command PRO Wing Commander Indranil Nandi said, “The grandest flypast ever will take place over Rajpath during the Republic Day parade with 75 aircraft including the planes from IAF, Army, and the Navy. This is in line with the Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav celebrations.” 

    Newly-inducted Omni role combat aircraft Rafale will be showcasing its manoeuvers in three formations — Vinash, Baaz, and Vijay. While a total of five Rafale would take off from Ambala airbase to flypast over the Rajpath in Vinash formation, the other two formations will include one Rafale.

    Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier fighter jets — MiG-29K and surveillance aircraft P-8I — will participate in the Varuna formation.

    ALSO READ | Republic Day parade to see 24,000 people in attendance, foreign dignitary as chief guest unlikely

    Of the total of 75 aircraft of the three forces, there will be 28 helicopters including 8 Mi-17s, 14 ALH, 1 Mi-35, 4 Apache and 1 Chinook (transport). Among the eight aircraft in the transport category, one vintage aircraft Dakota, two Dornier 228, three C-130, one P-8I, and one AEW&C will be participating.  

    There will be a total of 39 fighter aircraft flying past — 19 Jaguar, seven Rafale, seven Sukhoi, four MiG-29, and two MiG-29K.

    Of the multiple formations flying on display — Tangail and Meghna formations will be dedicated to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan during the 1971 war and liberation of Bangladesh.

    Meghna Formation, consisting of one Chinook and four Mi-IV, and Tangail formation which will consist of one Dakota flanked by two Dornier 228 will be in the memory of the successful Tangail airdrop of the Indian Army’s second Parachute Battalion at Tangail, in erstwhile East Pakistan on December 11, 1971.

    The battalion group under the command of Lt Col Kulwant Singh Pannu along with an Artillery Battery of 17 Parachute Field Regiment, platoon of 411 (Independent) Parachute Field Company, medical detachment, surgical team, and other administrative troops from the Shatrujeet Brigade was airdropped and tasked to cut off the retreat of the Pakistani troops from the north towards Dhaka.

  • R-Day flypast: Rafale aircraft, first woman fighter pilot to debut

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth will be a part of the Republic Day parade this year to become the first woman fighter pilot to take part in the ceremonial event on January 26

    “I had been watching the Republic Day Parade on television and now now I am going to be a part of it. It is a matter of pride for me,” said Bhawana.

    Bhawana was part of the first batch of three women fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force in 2016. Hailing from Bihar, Bhawana joined the fighter squadron in November 2017 and became operational in March 2018 after her solo flying in a MiG 21 Bison.

    Two of the newly inducted Rafale fighter aircraft will feature in the Republic Day flypast. Each Rafale fighter will be flying in Eklavya Formation and Brahmastra Formation. In Eklavya formation, it will be flanked with two Jaguars and two MiG 29s.

    A total of 42 aircraft (IAF and Army) will be participating in Republic Day flypast this year. There will be 15 fighters, 5 transport aircraft, 17 helicopters, one vintage aircraft, and four Army Aviation helicopters. 

    The flypast will culminate with Rafale fighters carrying out the ‘Vertical Charlie’ formation, the IAF said. 

    In the ‘Vertical Charlie’ formation, the aircraft flies at low altitude pulls up vertically, and conducts rolls before stabilising at higher altitude.

    ALSO READ | Flt Lt Bhawana Kanth becomes first IAF woman pilot to undertake combat missions

    The Bangladesh Army Contingent is participating in the Republic Day Parade as a special invitee to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the 1971 war. The IAF’s vintage Dakota aircraft, flanked with two MI 17 1V helicopters will be flying past in Rudra Formation at the time when the Bangladesh Contingent will be Marching past the President Ram Nath Kovind’s saluting dais.

    The Air Force Marching contingent of 100 personnel will be let by Flt Lt Tanik Sharma. There will be total of four officers and 96 other ranks.

    The IAF Tableaux will display the model of LCA Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter, Rohini Radar, Akash Missile, and Sukhoi 30MKI.

    Rafale multirole fighters were officially inducted into the IAF in September 2020 and eight of the 36 purchased at Rs 59,000cr in 2016 have joined the IAF till now. All Rafale fighters will join the IAF by 2022.