List of active Indian Air Force aircraft squadrons

This is an organized list of all of the active aircraft squadrons that currently exist in the Indian Air Force. Squadrons might have changed names and designations many times over the years, so they are listed by their current designation. Expeditionary and provisional units are not listed.

The Indian Air Force’s squadron strength has evolved over time, shaped by regional conflicts, aircraft retirements, and procurement delays. A comprehensive historical analysis of this trajectory — including the origin and implications of the “42 squadron” benchmark — has been documented.

Combat Squadron NameInsigniaNicknameCommandDate First ActivatedBaseAircraftReferenceNo. 1 SquadronTigersCentral Air Command1 April 1933Maharajpur AFS, Madhya PradeshMirage 2000No. 2 SquadronWinged ArrowsEastern Air Command1 April 1941Tezpur AFS, AssamSu-30MKINo. 4 SquadronOorialsSouth Western Air Command1 February 1942Uttarlai AFS, RajasthanSu-30MKINo. 5 SquadronTuskersWestern Air Command2 November 1948Ambala AFS, HaryanaJaguarNo. 6 SquadronDragonsSouth Western Air Command1 December 1942Jamnagar AFS, GujaratJaguarNo. 7 SquadronBattle AxesCentral Air Command1 December 1942Maharajpur AFS, Madhya PradeshMirage 2000No. 8 SquadronEight PursootsCentral Air Command1 December 1942Bareilly AFS, Uttar PradeshSu-30MKINo. 9 SquadronWolfpackCentral Air Command4 January 1944Maharajpur AFS, Madhya PradeshMirage 2000No. 14 SquadronBullsWestern Air Command15 August 1951Ambala AFS, HaryanaJaguarNo. 15 SquadronFlying LancersWestern Air Command20 August 1951Sirsa AFS, HaryanaSu-30MKINo. 16 SquadronBlack CobrasCentral Air Command1950Gorakhpur AFS, Uttar PradeshJaguarNo. 17 SquadronGolden ArrowsWestern Air Command1 October 1951Ambala AFS, HaryanaRafaleNo. 18 SquadronFlying BulletsSouth Western Air Command15 April 1965Naliya AFS, GujaratTejasNo. 20 SquadronLightningsSouth Western Air Command1 June 1956Lohegaon AFS, MaharashtraSu-30MKINo. 24 SquadronHawksCentral Air Command19 February 1962Bareilly AFS, Uttar PradeshSu-30MKINo. 27 SquadronFlaming ArrowsCentral Air Command15 February 1957Gorakhpur AFS, Uttar PradeshJaguarNo. 28 SquadronFirst SupersonicsWestern Air Command23 March 1963Adampur AFS, PunjabMiG-29No. 30 SquadronRhinosSouth Western Air Command1 November 1969Lohegaon AFS, MaharashtraSu-30MKINo. 31 SquadronLionsSouth Western Air Command1 September 1963Jodhpur AFS, RajasthanSu-30MKINo. 45 SquadronFlying DaggersSouthern Air Command20 November 1959Sulur AFS, Tamil NaduTejasNo. 47 SquadronBlack ArchersWestern Air Command18 December 1959Adampur AFS, PunjabMiG-29No. 101 SquadronFalconsEastern Air Command1 May 1949Hasimara AFS, West BengalRafaleNo. 102 SquadronTrisonicsEastern Air Command25 August 1981Chabua AFS, AssamSu-30MKINo. 106 SquadronLynxesEastern Air Command11 December 1959 Tezpur AFS, AssamSu-30MKINo. 220 SquadronDesert TigersWestern Air Command23 December 1957Halwara AFS, PunjabSu-30MKINo. 221 SquadronValiantsWestern Air Command14 February 1963Halwara AFS, PunjabSu-30MKINo. 222 SquadronTigersharksSouthern Air Command15 September 1969Thanjavur AFS, Tamil NaduSu-30MKINo. 223 SquadronTridentsWestern Air Command10 May 1982Srinagar AFS, Jammu and KashmirMiG-29No. 224 SquadronWarlordsSouth Western Air Command4 October 1983Jamnagar AFS, GujaratJaguar

Transport Squadron NameInsigniaNicknameCommandDate First ActivatedBaseAircraftReferenceNo. 11 SquadronCharging RhinosSouth Western Air Command15 November 1951Makarpura AFS, GujaratAirbus C-295No. 12 SquadronYaksCentral Air Command1 December 1945Agra AFS, Uttar PradeshAn-32N/A Flying SquadronCentral Air CommandAgra AFS, Uttar PradeshAirbus C-295No. 19 SquadronSouthern Air Command24 May 1960Port Blair AFS, Andaman and NicobarDo-228No. 25 SquadronHimalayan EaglesSouth Western Air Command1 March 1963Makarpura AFS, GujaratAn-32No. 33 SquadronHimalayan GeeseSouthern Air Command9 January 1963Sulur AFS, Tamil NaduAn-32No. 41 SquadronOttersWestern Air Command1 March 1958Palam AFS, DelhiHS 748 Do-228No. 43 SquadronIbexEastern Air Command20 January 1958Jorhat AFS, AssamAn-32No. 44 SquadronMighty JetsWestern Air Command31 March 1961Chandigarh AFS, ChandigarhIl-76No. 48 SquadronCamelsWestern Air Command15 November 1959Chandigarh AFS, ChandigarhAn-32No. 49 SquadronParaspearsEastern Air Command2 February 1960Jorhat AFS, AssamAn-32No. 59 SquadronHornbillsEastern Air Command14 February 1960Guwahati AFS, AssamDo-228No. 77 SquadronVeiled VipersWestern Air Command5 February 2011Hindon AFS, DelhiC-130JNo. 81 SquadronSky LordsWestern Air Command1 September 2013Hindon AFS, DelhiC-17No. 87 SquadronRaiding RaptorsEastern Air Command6 May 2016Panagarh AFS, West BengalC-130J

Helicopter Squadron NameInsigniaNicknameCommandDate First ActivatedBaseAircraftReferenceNo. 125 Helicopter SquadronGladiatorsWestern Air Command31 December 1983Pathankot AFS, PunjabAH-64No. 137 Helcopter SquadronVulcansWestern Air Command21 October 2019Pathankot AFS, PunjabAH-64No. 104 Helicopter SquadronFirebirdsSouth Western Air Command25 August 1992Suratgarh AFS, RajasthanMi-35No. 105 Helicopter UnitDaring EaglesCentral Air Command23 November 1959Gorakhpur AFS, Uttar PradeshMi-17No. 107 Helicopter UnitDesert HawksSouth Western Air Command1 January 1960Jodhpur AFS, RajasthanMi-17No. 109 Helicopter UnitKnightsSouthern Air Command26 August 1961 Sulur AFS, Tamil NaduMi-17No. 110 Helicopter UnitVanguardsEastern Air Command10 August 1963Kumbhigram AFS, AssamMi-17No. 111 Helicopter UnitSnow TigersCentral Air Command1 August 1963Bareilly AFS, Uttar PradeshDhruvNo. 112 Helicopter UnitThoroughbredsTraining Command1 August 1963Yelahanka AFS, KarnatakaMi-17No. 114 Helicopter UnitSiachen PioneersWestern Air Command1 April 1964Leh AFS, LadakhCheetahNo. 115 Helicopter UnitHovering AngelsEastern Air Command1 April 1967Tezpur AFS, AssamDhruvNo. 116 Helicopter UnitTankbustersSouth Western Air Command1 January 1970Jodhpur AFS, RajasthanHAL RudraNo. 117 Helicopter UnitHimalayan DragonsCentral Air Command1 February 1971Saraswa AFS, Uttar PradeshDhruvNo. 118 Helicopter UnitChallengersEastern Air Command22 November 1971Guwahati AFS, AssamMi-17No. 119 Helicopter UnitStallionsSouth Western Air Command3 March 1972Jamnagar AFS, GujaratMi-17No. 127 Helicopter UnitFirst RanasEastern Air Command10 January 1985Mohanbari AFS, AssamMi-17No. 128 Helicopter UnitSiachen TigersEastern Air Command30 December 1985Mohanbari AFS, AssamMi-17No. 129 Helicopter UnitNubra WarriorsCentral Air Command1 July 1987Hindon AFS, DelhiMi-17No. 130 Helicopter UnitCondorsWestern Air Command15 February 1988Leh AFS, LadakhMi-17No. 143 Helicopter UnitDhanushSouth Western Air Command1 June 2022Jodhpur AFS, RajasthanPrachandNo. 152 Helicopter UnitMighty ArmoursCentral Air Command14 September 1988Saraswa AFS, Uttar PradeshMi-17No. 153 Helicopter UnitDaring DragonsWestern Air Command1 November 1988Udhampur AFS, Jammu and KashmirMi-17No. 154 Helicopter UnitSnow LeopardsWestern Air Command8 March 2012Srinagar AFS, Jammu and KashmirMi-17No. 155 Helicopter UnitKirpansSouth Western Air Command14 January 2011Suratgarh AFS, RajasthanMi-17No. 156 Helicopter UnitArmoured KestralsEastern Air Command23 January 2012 Bagdogra AFS, West BengalMi-17No. 157 Helicopter UnitTarkshyaEastern Air Command9 April 2012Barrackpore AFS, West BengalMi-17No. 158 Helicopter UnitSilver FalcionsSouth Western Air Command10 December 2012Phalodi AFS, RajasthanMi-17No. 159 Helicopter UnitRudrakshSouth Western Air Command11 February 2013Nagpur AFS, MaharashtraMi-17No. 121 Helicopter FlightSea EaglesSouth Western Air Command7 January 1973 Mumbai, MaharashtraMi-17No. 122 Helicopter FlightFlying DolphinsSouthern Air Command26 September 1981Car Nicobar AFS, Andaman and NicobarMi-17No. 126 Helicopter FlightFeatherweightsWestern Air Command15 May 1986Chandigarh AFS, ChandigarhCH-47No. 131 Helicopter FlightEagle EyesSouthern Air Command2 August 1974 Thanjavur AFS, Tamil NaduCheetah ChetakNo. 132 Helicopter FlightHovering HawksWestern Air Command10 April 1986Udhampur AFS, Jammu and KashmirCheetah Chetak

Aerial Refueling Squadron NameInsigniaNicknameCommandDate First ActivatedBaseAircraftReferenceNo. 78 SquadronValarous MarsCentral Air Command16 December 2002Agra AFS, Uttar PradeshIl-78MKI

Electronic warfare/Airborne early warning(AWS) Squadron NameInsigniaNicknameCommandDate First ActivatedBaseAircraftReferenceNo. 50 SquadronAdwitiyaCentral Air Command1 October 2008Agra AFS, Uttar PradeshA-50No. 181 FlightHawksWestern Air Command5 August 1978Hindon AFS, Delhi737 SIGNIT 748-RNo. 200 SquadronNetraWestern Air Command4 December 2014Bathinda AFS, PunjabERJ-145SM AEW&C

Aerobatics display Squadron NameInsigniaDisplay LogoNicknameCommandDate First ActivatedBaseAircraftReferenceNo. 52 SquadronSharks / Suryakiran Aerobatics Team (SKAT)Training Command1 January 1986Bidar AFS, KarnatakaHawk Mark-132No. 151 Helicopter UnitSarangsSouthern Air Command1 June 1989Sulur AFS, Tamil NaduHAL Dhruv

Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) Squadron NameInsigniaNicknameCommandDate First ActivatedBaseAircraftReferenceNo. 3001 SquadronWestern Air Command27 November 2000Bathinda AFS, PunjabNo. 3002 SquadronCats EyesSouth Western Air Command3 December 2003Jaisalmer AFS, RajasthanNo. 3003 SquadronTrinetraWestern Air Command1 December 2003Jammu AFS, Jammu and KashmirNo. 3004 SquadroncheetahSouth Western Air Command4 December 2014Naliya AFS, GujaratNo. 3005 SquadronWarden of the NorthWestern Air Command14 June 2005Awantipur AFS, Jammu and KashmirIAI Heron Mk 2

See also List of active Indian military aircraft List of Indian Air Force bases List of Indian naval air squadrons

References