Air Force Day: What will be on display at IAF flypast in Chandigarh

Nearly 80 military aircraft and helicopters will be participating in the Air Force Day fly-past on Saturday at the Sukhna Lake complex in Chandigarh.

President Droupadi Murmu and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be present at Sukhna Lake to witness the aerial show. The fly-past will be held at Sukhna Lake in the afternoon.

• The fly-past will commence with an 'Aakash Ganga' team of paratroopers in an AN-32 aircraft.
• "Prachand" - the recently inducted indigenously-built Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) - will showcase its aerial prowess in a three aircraft formation. The 5.8-tonne twin-engine LCH is armed with air-to-air missiles, 20 mm turret guns and rocket systems. It is capable of destroying enemy tanks, bunkers, drones and other assets in high-altitude regions. Prachand is developed by the state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
• Among other helicopters, Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv, Chinook, Apache and Mi-17 will be part of the aerial display.
• Mi 17 V5 choppers will undertake a fire fighting operation using a 'bambi bucket' while Mi17 IV helicopters will be performing helo casting.
• US-made Chinook choppers, which are used for transporting troops, artillery etc will perform Bhim formation.
• Three Mi-17 V5 helicopters will fly in an 'Ensign' formation after the arrival of Chief Guest President Murmu.
• Several other aircraft including Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Sukhoi, Mig-29, Jaguar, Rafale, IL-76, C-130J and Hawk will be part of the fly-past.
• Rafale, Jaguar, Tejas and Mirage 2000 will fly in 'Sekhon' formation - the formation dedicated to the IAF officer and Param Vir Chakra recipient, late Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon.
• C-17 heavy lift aircraft and nine Hawk- 132 jets trained from the Surya Kiran display team will be part of the Globe formation.
• An Mi-35 aircraft in lead with two Apache and ALH Mk IV helicopters will be part of the Eklavya formation.
• An IL-76 and two AN-32 aircraft, will be part of the Big Boy formation.
• C-130 J and Sukhoi-30 will be part of the Vajraang formation.
• Airborne early warning and control aircraft and Sukhoi-30 and Mig 29 fighter jets will be part of the Netra formation.
• IAF's vintage aircraft Harvard and Dakota will also make an appearance in the air show.
• The Surya Kiran team comprising nine Hawk and Sarang helicopter display team comprising four Dhruv choppers will also perform.

It is for the first time that the IAF decided to hold its annual Air Force Day parade and fly-past outside the Delhi NCR. Tight security arrangements have been made ahead of the Air Force Day celebrations.