SU 30 MKI Inducted

Posted by- Neelam Mathews
Sept 25, 2012

A SU-30 MKI aircraft was inducted into the Western Air Command at Air Force Station Halwara Air Force Station situated south west of Ludhiana in Punjab by Air Marshal Arup Raha, AOC-in-C Western Air Command.

While the first batch of SU-30 MKIs were inducted into IAF in Sep 2002, the 220 Squadron at Halwara known as ‘Desert Tigers’, which flew the MiG-23 aircraft till 2005 is now resurrected with the latest SU-30 MKI Squadron in Western Air Command, says the IAF. “The SU-30 MKI is a frontline all-weather air-dominance fighter with multi-role capability, which can undertake varied air combat and ground attack missions,” adds the IAF. Halwara was chosen to base the first SU-30 MKI Squadron in the Western Air Command in 2011.          

Air Force Station Halwara is one of the oldest frontline Airbases of the IAF. The base has grown since its inception as a forward airfield in 1942. Halwara, due to its strategic location was actively involved in both 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars. Halwara has been home to Spitfires in early 1950s to being the hub of Mig-23 operations till 2009. It was later chosen to base the first SU-30 MKI Squadron in the Western Air Command in 2011.    

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1950s/SR-Halwara01.html