Skip to main content

First woman fighter pilot, Rafale jets to make Republic Day debut

India's first woman fighter pilot, Rafale jets along with vintage Dakota aircraft will be part of Republic Day this year for the first time.

Indian Air Force

Flt Lt Bhawna Kanth, amongst the first three women fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) will be part of the Republic Day parade this January 26. This will be the first time a woman fighter pilot will be part of the parade.

She will be the part of IAF tableaux contingent that will showcase the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

“Since my childhood, I have been watching Republic Day parade on television and it’s a matter of pride that now I’m participating in it. I would love to fly other fighter jets, including Rafale and Sukhoi," she said.

Flt Lt Kanth was part of the first batch of three women fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force who joined in 2016.

She will be part of IAF Tableaux with a Make in India theme that will display the model of LCA Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter, Rohini Radar, Akash Missile and Sukhoi 30MKI.

Rafale jets to debut in R-Day this year

Meanwhile, the newly inducted Rafale fighter aircraft will also feature in the Republic Day parade for the first time this year. The fighter jet will culminate the flypast by carrying out the ''Vertical Charlie'' formation, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said on Monday.

Vintage Dakota aircraft to be part of R-Day parade

The Dakota aircraft played an important role during the 1971 war and will be part of the display when a Bangladesh military contingent is also participating to commemorate the 50th year of Indian victory over Pakistan.

The IAF's vintage Dakota aircraft, flanked with two Mi-17 1V helicopters will be flying in Rudra formation at the time when the Bangladesh contingent will be marching past President Ram Nath Kovind's dais.

The IAF marching contingent will comprise four IAF officers and 96 air warriors. There will be 42 IAF aircraft and four Army Aviation helicopters taking part in the parade.

For the first time, the Republic Day parade at the historic Rajpath will culminate at the National Stadium instead of Red Fort and the number of spectators has also been reduced drastically to 25,000.

Labels:
Location: bendre layout, Gubbi cross, DR Bendre Layout, Kothanur, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560077, India

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Explained: What is Army Aviation Corps, the youngest Corps of the Indian Army

A look at the Army Aviation Corps’ history and its relevance in modern day battlefields, including in Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorism (CI-CT) operations. Representative Image The Army Aviation Corps (AAC), the youngest Corps of the Indian Army, celebrated its 35th Corps Day on November 1. We take a look at the arm that adds an air dimension to the Army’s capabilities, its history, and its relevance in modern day battlefields, including Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorism (CI-CT) operations. The roots of Army Aviation Corps The origin of the AAC can be traced back to the raising of the Army Aviation wing of the Royal Air Force in India in 1942, and the subsequent formation of the first Indian Air Observation Post in August 1947. The Air Observation Post units primarily acted as artillery spotters – which are the elements that help the artillery in directing the fire and also giving air support to ground forces. In the wars of 1965 and 1971, the Air Observation Post helicop...
Post a Comment
Read more

Explained: India-US defence deals - BECA, LEMOA & COMCASA

At 2+2 meeting next week, the two countries will look to push intelligence sharing pact BECA . With key deals LEMOA and COMCASA already signed, what does it mean for defence, particularly in light of LAC standoff? India and US have signed the LEMOA in 2016, COMCASA in 2018 and BECA is scheduled for the third 2+2 ministerial meeting (on November 3rd) India and the US are preparing for the third 2+2 ministerial meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh , and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark T Esper in New Delhi on October 26-27. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E Biegun visited India last week to lay the groundwork for the high-level visits 2+2 in 2018. One of the items on the agenda will be the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) — a pact with deep military implications. In the last two meetings, agreements known as LEMOA and COMCASA were signed; now, with BECA, these have been dubbed the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

India's S-400, Nuke Subs, Rafales pose a serious threat to Pak - FM Qureshi

India’s purchase of Russian S-400 air defence systems, via a deal signed last year and worth $5.43 billion, has unnerved Pakistan, with Foreign Minister Shah Mohammed Qureshi describing the S-400s as destabilising weapon systems which could affect the region's strategic stability. Delivery of the first S-400 system is likely to take place in 2020. Expressing his apprehension about the arms purchase by India, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mohammed Qureshi has called on global powers to be "mindful" of their responsibility in terms of arms supplies to the region. "The introduction of new destabilising weapon systems, such as the S-400 anti-ballistic missile system, could further accentuate challenges to strategic stability. They can encourage a misadventure by an adversary, under a false sense of security," FM Shah Mohammed Qureshi said on Wednesday in Islamabad. Last October, India inked a $5.43 billion defence contract with Russia to purchase of five S-400 air...
Post a Comment
Read more