Salute to Kargil heroes in Missing Man formation - IAF

Bathinda: Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa and his colleagues before flying MiG-21 planes in a 'missing man' formation, an aerial salute to honour martyr Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, at Bhisiana Air Force station, in Bathinda, Monday, May 27, 2019.

Two of the Indian Air Force's top-most officials including IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh (Tony) Dhanoa, on Monday, flew the MiG-21 fighter jets in a “Missing Man” formation, saluting the supreme sacrifice made by Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja who laid down his life during the Kargil conflict.

Among those who flew with Dhanoa is Air Marshal R Nambiar – one of the most experienced pilots of the IAF and the Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command – the sword arm of the IAF.

Both Dhanoa and Nambiar are Kargil veterans who bombed Pakistani targets several times during Operation Safed Sagar – the code name given to the air strikes during the Kargil conflict.

The two top officials along other four other IAF pilots took off from Air Force Station Bhisiana, near Bhatinda in Punjab. The two-seater trainer version was used for the formation flying.

They flew in an arrow formation, with a gap between two aircraft in the formation depicting the Missing Man – an aerial salute accorded to honour the fallen comrades-in-arms.

It was on this day in 1999 that, Sq Ldr Ahuja's MiG-21 was hit by a Stinger missile fired by a Pakistani aircraft. Ahuja and his mate P G Reddy from 17 Squadron took to the skies to assist the formation leader Flt Lt K Nachiketa from 9 Squadron who had ejected because of a flame out.

While Nachiketa was captured by Pakistani forces, the task for Ahuja and Reddy was to look for the ill-fated aircraft. It was during this mission that Ahuja's aircraft was hit by the missile.

Pakistan later informed India that they captured one IAF pilot alive (Nachiketa) and another (Ahuja) dead. But a post mortem on Ahuja's body at the Army Hospital revealed that he was killed by gunshots.

Ahuja was awarded Vir Chakra (posthumous). The 17 Squadron (Golden Arrows) – headed by Dhanoa during the Kargil wars – was the most decorated squadron during the conflict. Nambiar was associated with 7 Squadron during the Kargil wars.

On Monday, Dhanoa also laid a wreath at the War Memorial to honour the IAF men who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

The IAF chief will be visiting Air Force Station Sarsawa on Tuesday to fly in a Mi-17 V5 helicopter in a Missing Man formation to commemorate the Kargil martyrs, said IAF spokesperson Group Captain Anupam Banerjee.

On May 28, 1999, India lost a Mi-17 chopper after successfully attacking the enemy in Drass sector. Sqn Ldr R Pundhir, Flt Lt S Muhilan, Sgt R K Sahu and Sgt PVNR Prasad died in action in that Mi-17.