The Southern Air Command (SAC) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) is headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, which is in the southern side of India. This is one among the seven commands of IAF. This command was started on 19 July 1984 and is relatively new among the other commands. The conflicts in Sri Lanka and the need for establishing a strong base over the Indian Ocean resulted to the formation of this new command. The SAC was inaugurated by Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India.[4]
| Southern Air Command | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the Southern Air Command | |
| Founded | 19 July 1984 |
| Country | India |
| Branch | Indian Air Force |
| Type | Operational Air Command |
| Headquarters | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala |
| Motto(s) | Sanskrit: Antariksham Prashasmahe We Command the space |
| Commanders | |
| Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief | Air Marshal Balakrishnan Suresh, PVSM, AVSM, VM[1][2][3] |
From 1984 to 1999, the command grew from 5 lodger units to 17 lodger units under its jurisdiction. Air-sea rescue in the Indian Ocean may be among the command's tasks.
Organization
Squadrons include:
| Squadron | Base | Equipment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 121 Helicopter Flight, IAF | Car Nicobar Air Force Station | Mil Mi-8 | No. 37 Wing |
| No. 33 Squadron IAF | Sulur Air Force Station | Antonov An-32 | No. 43 Wing |
| No. 109 Helicopter Unit, IAF | Sulur Air Force Station | Mil Mi-8 | No. 43 Wing |
| No. 122 Helicopter Flight, IAF | Port Blair Air Force Station | Mil Mi-8 | No. 43 Wing |
| No. 45 Squadron IAF[5] | Sulur Air Force Station | HAL Tejas | |
| Thanjavur Air Force Station | Sukhoi Su-30 MKI |
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief
| Rank | Name | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Marshal | Jasbir Walia | 1 June 2015 [6] | 31 July 2016 |
| Sunderraman Neelakantan | 1 August 2016 | 1 March 2017 | |
| Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria | 1 March 2017 | 1 August 2018 | |
| Balakrishnan Suresh | 1 August 2018 | Present |
External links
- Indian Air Force, Southern Air Command
References
- ^ "411 Republic Day Gallantry and Other Defence Decorations Announced". pib.nic.in. Press Information Bureau, Government of India.
- ^ "New Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief for SAC". 2 August 2018.
- ^ "New chief of IAF Training Command". 3 August 2018.
- ^ Indian Air Force, Southern Air Command Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indian-made-tejas-fighter-aircraft-takes-first-flight-from-air-force-station-in-sulur-kerala-1876739
- ^ "Air Marshal Jasbir Walia assumes charge". 1 June 2015.