Western Air Command (India)

Western Air Command, Indian Air Force
पश्चिमी वायु कमान, भारतीय वायु सेना
Founded July 22, 1949
Country India
Branch Indian Air Force
Type Operational Air Command
Role Air Defence, OCA, Offensive Ground Support, Civilian Relief.
Headquarters New Delhi
Motto(s) Sanskrit: Akasha Pasmatsoma
Engagements 1962 Sino-Indian War, 1971 India-Pakistan War, Operation Meghdoot
Commanders
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief(AOC-in-C) Air Marshal SB Deo, AVSM, VM, VSM
Notable
commanders
Air Marshal MSD Wollen
Air Chief Marshal Anil Yashwant Tipnis

The Western Air Command (WAC) is the regional command of Indian Air Force headquartered in New Delhi. It is the largest and most important Air Command of the IAF, comprising sixteen Air Force Bases (AFBs), and is responsible for aerial defence of North India. The current Commander is Air Marshal S.S Deo, WAC.[1]

WAC's Area of Responsibility extends from Kashmir to Rajasthan, covering the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, New Delhi and some parts of Uttar Pradesh.[2]

History

WAC was raised in 1947 as the No. 1 Operational Group which controlled all the flying units of Indian Air Force, including the flying training units. On July 22, 1949, the No. 1 Operational Group was re-designated as the Operational Command. In 1958, The rank of the Commanding Officer of Operational Command was upgraded from Air Commodore to Air Vice Marshal and later, to the rank of Air Marshal.

In the aftermath of the India-China War of 1962, the IAF began the process of demarcation of specific areas of responsibility, and splitting up of the flying Corps into various operational air commands. On June 10, 1963, Operational Command assumed its present name of Headquarters Western Air Command.

Due to its geographical location in the crucial North Indian region, surrounded by Pakistan to the west and China to the East, WAC has been involved in all major operations in India since independence, and has been the hub-centre of all operational activities during any operation.

The IAF Western Air Command is engaged in air logistics operations to supply troops deployed at Siachen Glacier. These operations are undertaken from the Siachen Forward Air Base, using Mi-17, HAL Dhruv and HAL Cheetah helicopters.

The Western Air Command has been the major operational command involved in most of the war fought by India, including the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, Sino-Indian War in 1962, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, Operation Pawan (1986) in Sri Lanka and Operation Safed Sagar during the 1999 Kargil War.

Organization

Western Air Command is headquartered at Subroto Park, New Delhi. It is headed by an Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, WAC, of the rank of Air Marshal. The current AOC-in-C WAC is Air Marshal S.B Deo AVSM VM VSM [1] Under the C-in-C come the Senior Air Staff Officer, Senior Maintenance Staff Officer and Senior Officer in Charge of Administration, who are of the ranks of Air Vice Marshal or Air Commodore. They handle the day-to-day activities of the Command and act as the liaison between the various Wings.

WAC also has a forward headquarters located at Chandigarh near the Army's Western Command. There is an Air Operations Group, formed in 1982, located at Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, which is principally tasked with the defence of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.[2]

No. 224 Squadron, Indian Air Force was raised in July 1983 at Adampur and operated with WAC until its disbandment in 2007. Squadrons include:

SquadronBaseEquipmentNotes
No. 41 Squadron IAF Palam Air Force Station Avro 748M No. 3 Wing
No. 3 Squadron IAF Ambala Air Force Station Mig-21 No. 7 Wing
No. 5 Squadron IAF Ambala Air Force Station Jaguar IS No. 7 Wing
No. 14 Squadron IAF Ambala Air Force Station Jaguar IS No. 7 Wing
No. 47 Squadron IAF Adampur Air Force Station Mig-29 No. 8 Wing
No. 223 Squadron IAF Adampur Air Force Station Mig-29 No. 8 Wing
No. 25 Squadron IAF Chandigarh Air Force Station Il-76/AN-32 No. 12 Wing
No. 48 Squadron IAF Chandigarh Air Force Station AN-32 No. 12 Wing
No. 126 Helicopter Flight, IAF Jodhpur Air Force Station Mi-26 No. 12 Wing
No. 108 Squadron IAF Pathankot Air Force Station Mig-21M No. 18 Wing
No. 114 Helicopter Unit, IAF Leh Air Force Station HAL Cheetah No. 23 Wing IAF
No. 130 Helicopter Unit, IAF Leh Air Force Station Mi-17 No. 23 Wing IAF
No. 131 Helicopter Flight, IAF Hindon Air Force Station HAL Cheetah No. 28 Wing
No. 181 Helicopter Flight, IAF Hindon Air Force Station Avro 748M No. 28 Wing
No. 117 Helicopter Unit, IAF Sarsawa Air Force Station HAL Dhruv No. 30 Wing
No. 152 Helicopter Unit, IAF Sarsawa Air Force Station Mi-17 No. 30 Wing
No. 17 Squadron IAF Bathinda Air Force Station Mig-21M No. 34 Wing
No. 132 Helicopter Flight, IAF Udhampur Air Force Station HAL Cheetah No. 39 Wing
No. 153 Helicopter Unit, IAF Udhampur Air Force Station Mi-17 No. 39 Wing
No. 21 Squadron IAF Sirsa Air Force Station Mig-21 No. 45 Wing

Air Bases

Adampur
Ambala
Amritsar
Awantipur
Bhatinda
Chandigarh
Halwara
Hindon
Leh
Palam, Delhi
Pathankot
Sarsawa
Siachen
Sirsa
Srinagar
Udhampur
Location of WAC Air Bases

WAC has been assigned 10 permanent Air Force Stations (AFS)and 6 Forward Base Support Units (FBSUs), including the strategic Forward Air Base at Siachen. Along with these, WAC also has over 200 operational bases, Advance Landing Grounds (ALGs), and Operational centres placed under its command.

The Air Force Stations/Wings under WAC control are:[3]

Permanent Air Force Stations (AFS)

Base ICAO Runway Elevation Coordinates State/Territory
Adampur AFS VIAX 31/13 776 ft / 236 m 31°25′59.55″N 75°45′38.85″E / 31.4332083°N 75.7607917°E / 31.4332083; 75.7607917 (Adampur AFS) Punjab
Ambala AFS VIAM 12L/30R
12R/30L
900 ft / 274 m 30°22′07.16″N 76°48′54.21″E / 30.3686556°N 76.8150583°E / 30.3686556; 76.8150583 Haryana
Awantipur AFS VIAW 12/30 5,400 ft / 1,646 m 33°52′35.86″N 74°58′32.45″E / 33.8766278°N 74.9756806°E / 33.8766278; 74.9756806 (Awantipur AFS) Jammu & Kashmir
Chandigarh AFS VICG 11/29 1,012 ft / 308 m 30°40′24.49″N 76°47′18.75″E / 30.6734694°N 76.7885417°E / 30.6734694; 76.7885417 (Chandigarh AFS) Chandigarh
Halwara AFS VIHX 13/31 790 ft / 241 m 30°44′54.72″N 75°37′47.23″E / 30.7485333°N 75.6297861°E / 30.7485333; 75.6297861 (Halwara AFS) Punjab
Hindon AFS VIDX 09/27 700 ft / 213 m 28°42′27.71″N 77°21′30.87″E / 28.7076972°N 77.3585750°E / 28.7076972; 77.3585750 (Hindon AFS) Uttar Pradesh
Leh AFS VILH 06/24
07R/25L
07L/25R
10,682 ft/ 3,256 m 34°08′08.63″N 77°32′44.58″E / 34.1357306°N 77.5457167°E / 34.1357306; 77.5457167 (Leh AFS) Jammu & Kashmir
Palam AFS VIDP 09/27
10/28
776 ft / 237 mts 28°33′59.40″N 77°06′11.12″E / 28.5665000°N 77.1030889°E / 28.5665000; 77.1030889 (Palam AFS) Delhi
Pathankot AFS VIPK 01/19 1,017 ft / 310 m 32°14′01.60″N 75°38′04.66″E / 32.2337778°N 75.6346278°E / 32.2337778; 75.6346278 (Pathankot AFS) Punjab
Srinagar AFS VISR 13/31 5,458 ft / 1,664 m 33°59′12.82″N 74°46′25.78″E / 33.9868944°N 74.7738278°E / 33.9868944; 74.7738278 (Srinagar AFS) Jammu & Kashmir

Forward Base Support Units (FBSU)

Base ICAO Runway Elevation Coordinates State/Territory
Amritsar AFS VIAR 16/34 755 ft / 230 m 31°42′27.95″N 74°47′57.25″E / 31.7077639°N 74.7992361°E / 31.7077639; 74.7992361 (Amritsar AFS) Punjab
Bhatinda AFS VIBT 13/31 700 ft /213 m 30°16′12.50″N 74°45′20.78″E / 30.2701389°N 74.7557722°E / 30.2701389; 74.7557722 (Bhatinda AFS) Punjab
Sarsawa AFS VISP 09/27 891 ft / 272 m 29°59′39.53″N 77°25′27.25″E / 29.9943139°N 77.4242361°E / 29.9943139; 77.4242361 (Sarsawa AFS) Uttar Pradesh
Siachen Glacier AFS 22,000 ft / 6,706 m 35°30′N 77°00′E / 35.5°N 77.0°E / 35.5; 77.0 (Siachen Glacier AFS) Jammu & Kashmir
Sirsa AFS VISA 05/23 650 ft / 198 m 29°33′38.09″N 75°00′21.87″E / 29.5605806°N 75.0060750°E / 29.5605806; 75.0060750 (Sirsa AFS) Haryana
Udhampur AFS VIUX 18/36 1,950 ft / 594 m 32°54′08.06″N 75°09′18.54″E / 32.9022389°N 75.1551500°E / 32.9022389; 75.1551500 (Udhampur AFS) Jammu & Kashmir

References

  1. 1 2 "Central Air Command". Indianairforce.nic.in. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  2. 1 2 WAC at Globalsecurity.org
  3. "IAF Commands". Defenceindia.com. Archived from the original on 13 April 2009.

External links

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