New Delhi: Marching contingent of IAF for the Republic Day parade will be led by a woman officer of the Indian Air Force, Sqn Ldr Sindhu Reddy.
Comprising four officers and 144 air warriors marching in a box formation, the contingent will be led by Sqn Ldr Reddy, along with three supernumerary officers — Flt Lt Ayush Agarwal, Flt Lt Tanuj Mailk and Flt Lt Pradhan Nikhil.
According to the Indian Air Force on Wednesday, the fly-past will comprise 45 IAF aircraft, including 9 Rafal Jets and four helicopters from the IA. The IL 38 Jet of the Indian Air Force will take part for the last time in the parade. The flypast would comprise formations of Dhwaj, Rudra, Baaz, Tiranga Garuda Bheem Amrit Thriul and Vijay.
The IAF won the Best Marching Contingent trophy in the years 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2020. The award of the Best Marching Contingent in the popular choice category in 2022 was also won by it.
The marching tunes for the contingent will be played by the Air Force Band contingent consisting of 72 musicians and three drum majors. The band would be led by Warrant Ashok Kumar who has the distinction of participating in the RD Parade Airforce band contingent for the past 26 years and leading the contingent for the past 16 years.
As per the IAF, the famous martial tune, ‘Sound Barrier’ composed by MWO J.A. George V.S.M. and Ladakoo composed by Flt Lt L.S. Rupachandra would be played on ‘Quick March’ while the contingent marches past the President. The Band would also play other martial tunes like Astronaut, Vijay Bharat, Space Flight, Vayu Shakti, Benihal, Saare Jahaan Se Accha, Northern Border, Tiger Hill and Nidar Yodha.
The theme of the IAF Tableau is ‘Indian Air Force Power, Beyond Boundaries’. A Rotating Globe placed on the Tableau highlights the IAF’s expanded reach whereby it has been able to render humanitarian aid across borders, as also flying exercises conducted with Air Forces of Friendly Foreign Countries.
‘Netra’ is an Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft that carries indigenous payloads. Having enmeshed linkages with the GSAT-7A, the IAF’s IACCS (as depicted by the operator on the console) and other flying platforms depicts truly how well the IAF has embraced NCW across multiple domains.
The LCA Tejas MK-II is a single engine canard Delta wing, Multi role Combat Aircraft designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency. The Fighter which will have a more powerful engine & more potent sensors is being designed and developed to replace fighter aircraft of the IAF.
LCH Prachand recently inducted into the IAF is capable of high altitude operations and is armed with Anti-Tank Guided Missiles which can be carried along with a 20 mm turret gun, air-to-air missiles and 70 mm rockets.
Airbus C-295 aircraft will be a replacement of the Avro aircraft and will bolster the logistics capability of the IAF. All aircraft are planned to be fitted with indigenous electronic warfare suites. The Manufacturing facility in India would not only cater for IAF’s requirement but would also make India a net defence exporter.
The IAF has also transcended traditional boundaries by inducting women who undertake all tasks equally with their male counterparts. In doing so, the IAF has become the lead Service in promoting Naari Shakti in its true spirit.
The Special Forces (Garuds) and their specialist equipment have added strength to the IAF’s combat capability. Their performance proved crucial in the safe recovery of Indians from a disturbed country in the recent past, the IAF said.
After the Republic Day parade, the Beating the Retreat ceremony will be held at Vijay Chowk 29 January 29. As many as 120 musicians of the IAF will participate in the event. The Conductor for the ceremony will be the IAF’s Director of Music, Flt Lt L.S. Rupachandra.
