IAF to operationalise No.18 Squadron at Coimbatore
Chennai, May 25: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will operationalise its No.18 Squadron at Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu on May 27, equipping it with the fourth generation LCA Tejas aircraft.
A PIB (Defence Wing) release here said IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria will operationalise the squadron "Flying Bullets" at the Sulur Air Force Station near Coimbatore on Wednesday.

"The Squadron will be equipped with LCA Tejas FOC (final operation clearance) aircraft and will be the second IAF Squadron to fly LCA Tejas," after the 45 Squadron based at Coimbatore, it said.
The No.18 Squadron, formed in 1965 with the motto "Teevra aur Nirbhaya" meaning "Swift and Fearless," was earlier flying MiG 27 aircraft.
The Squadron "actively participated" in the 1971 war with Pakistan and was decorated with the highest gallantry award Param Vir Chakra awarded to Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon posthumously.
"It earned the sobriquet Defenders of Kashmir Valley by being the first to land and operate from Srinagar," it said.
"The Squadron was resurrected on April 1 this year at Sulur," the release added.
According to the release, Tejas is an indigenous fourth generation tailless compound delta wing aircraft.
The aircraft is equipped with fly-by-wire flight control system, integrated digital avionics, multimode radar and its structure is made of composite material.
Recommended Video
"It is the lightest and smallest in its group of fourth generation supersonic combat aircraft," the defence release said.
-
Gold Silver Rate Today, 8 March, 2026: City-Wise Prices Update As MCX Gold Surges, Silver Trades Flat -
Gold Rate Today 9 March 2026: IBJA Benchmark Rates, Tanishq, Malabar, Joyalukkas, Kalyan Jewellery Prices -
Gold Silver Rate Today, 9 March 2026: City-Wise Prices, MCX Gold and Silver Ease Slightly After Rally -
Chinese Spy Ship Liaowang-1 Spotted Near Oman: Why Its Presence Near Oman Is Concerning For US Military -
Pune Gold Rate Today: Check Gold Prices For 18K, 22K, 24K in Pune -
Bangalore Gold Silver Rate Today, March 9, 2026: Gold and Silver Prices Fall as US Dollar Strengthens -
Who Is Nishant Kumar: Education, Personal Life and Possible Political Role -
Ind Vs NZ T20 World Cup Phalodi Satta Bazar Prediction: Know Who Will Win In India vs New Zealand Final -
Vijay-NDA Alliance On Cards? Pawan Kalyan Reportedly Reaches Out to TVK Chief -
Who Was Mojtaba Khamenei’s Wife Zahra Haddad-Adel and What Do We Know About Her? -
Trisha Hits Back at Parthiban: 'Crude Words Say More About the Speaker' -
India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup 2026 Final: Five Positive Signs Favouring India Before Title Clash












Click it and Unblock the Notifications