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	{{short description\|Unit of the Indian Air Force}}		{{short description\|Unit of the Indian Air Force}}
	{{Use Indian English\|date=December ~~2022~~}}		{{Use Indian English\|date=December 2015}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=August 2021}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=August 2021}}
	{{Infobox military unit		{{Infobox military unit
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	}}		}}
	'''No. 21 Squadron [[Indian Air Force\|IAF]] (Ankush)''', is an Air Defence and Ground Attack unit of the [[Indian Air Force]], operating from [[Sirsa, Haryana\|Sirsa]] AFS, as part of 12 Wing of Western Air Command.<ref name=GS>{{cite web\|title=Squadron 21\|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/sqn-21.htm\|work=IAF Western Air Command\|publisher=Global Security\|access-date=28 July ~~2022~~}}</ref> The squadron was number plated on an unspecified date.<ref name="dc_061021"/>		'''No. 21 Squadron [[Indian Air Force\|IAF]] (Ankush)''', is an Air Defence and Ground Attack unit of the [[Indian Air Force]], operating from [[Sirsa, Haryana\|Sirsa]] AFS, as part of 12 Wing of Western Air Command.<ref name=GS>{{cite web\|title=Squadron 21\|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/sqn-21.htm\|work=IAF Western Air Command\|publisher=Global Security\|access-date=28 July 2012}}</ref> The squadron was number plated on an unspecified date.<ref name="dc_061021"/>

	==History==		==History==
	The Squadron was formed on 16 October 1965,<ref name=BRakshak>{{cite web\|title=Squadrons and Helicopter Units\|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Units/Squadrons/292-Squadrons.html\|publisher=Bharat Rakshak\|access-date=26 July ~~2022~~}}</ref> as an Air Defence unit, under Wing Commander E.R. Fernandes. It was to be equipped with [[Folland Gnat]]s, but relied on Gnats borrowed from [[No. 2 Squadron IAF\|2 Squadron]], and [[No. 18 Squadron IAF\|18 Squadron]], until 14 May 1966, when it got its first batch of Gnats. In December 1968, the squadron was also allotted the role of Ground-Attack.<ref name=IAF.nic>{{cite web\|title=No 21 Squadron(Ankush)\|url=http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_unit.php?ch=16\|publisher=Official Website of the Indian Air Force\|access-date=26 July ~~2022~~}}</ref>		The Squadron was formed on 16 October 1965,<ref name=BRakshak>{{cite web\|title=Squadrons and Helicopter Units\|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Units/Squadrons/292-Squadrons.html\|publisher=Bharat Rakshak\|access-date=26 July 2012}}</ref> as an Air Defence unit, under Wing Commander E.R. Fernandes. It was to be equipped with [[Folland Gnat]]s, but relied on Gnats borrowed from [[No. 2 Squadron IAF\|2 Squadron]], and [[No. 18 Squadron IAF\|18 Squadron]], until 14 May 1966, when it got its first batch of Gnats. In December 1968, the squadron was also allotted the role of Ground-Attack.<ref name=IAF.nic>{{cite web\|title=No 21 Squadron(Ankush)\|url=http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_unit.php?ch=16\|publisher=Official Website of the Indian Air Force\|access-date=26 July 2012}}</ref>

	===1971 Operations===		===1971 Operations===

Bot at 06:29, 4 January 2022

2022-01-04T06:29:05Z

New page

{{short description|Unit of the Indian Air Force}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= No. 21 Squadron
| image= Crest of No. 21 Squadron.jpg
|caption=Crest of No. 21 Squadron
|dates=16 October 1965 – N/A
|country=India
|allegiance=
|branch=
|type=
|role=[[Air Defence]]<br/>[[Ground attack]]
|size=
|command_structure=
|garrison=[[Sirsa Air Force Station|AFS Sirsa]]
|garrison_label=
|nickname="Ankush"
|patron\=
|motto=''Siddhirvasti Sahase''<br>Success lies in courage
|colors=
|colors_label=
|march=
|mascot=
|equipment=
|equipment_label=
|battles=
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
|disbanded=

|commander1=
|commander1_label=
|commander2=
|commander2_label=
|commander3=
|commander3_label=
|notable_commanders=

|identification_symbol=
|identification_symbol_label=
|identification_symbol_2=
|identification_symbol_2_label=

|aircraft_attack=
|aircraft_bomber=
|aircraft_electronic=
|aircraft_fighter= [[MiG-21|MiG-21 bis]]
|aircraft_recon=
|aircraft_trainer=
|aircraft_transport=
}}
'''No. 21 Squadron [[Indian Air Force|IAF]] (Ankush)''', is an Air Defence and Ground Attack unit of the [[Indian Air Force]], operating from [[Sirsa, Haryana|Sirsa]] AFS, as part of 12 Wing of Western Air Command.<ref name=GS>{{cite web|title=Squadron 21|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/sqn-21.htm|work=IAF Western Air Command|publisher=Global Security|access-date=28 July 2022}}</ref> The squadron was number plated on an unspecified date.<ref name="dc_061021"/>

==History==
The Squadron was formed on 16 October 1965,<ref name=BRakshak>{{cite web|title=Squadrons and Helicopter Units|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Units/Squadrons/292-Squadrons.html|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|access-date=26 July 2022}}</ref> as an Air Defence unit, under Wing Commander E.R. Fernandes. It was to be equipped with [[Folland Gnat]]s, but relied on Gnats borrowed from [[No. 2 Squadron IAF|2 Squadron]], and [[No. 18 Squadron IAF|18 Squadron]], until 14 May 1966, when it got its first batch of Gnats. In December 1968, the squadron was also allotted the role of Ground-Attack.<ref name=IAF.nic>{{cite web|title=No 21 Squadron(Ankush)|url=http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_unit.php?ch=16|publisher=Official Website of the Indian Air Force|access-date=26 July 2022}}</ref>

===1971 Operations===
====Task====
During the [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1971]], the task of Air Defence of the Barmer Sector was allotted to the squadron, for which the squadron operated from Uttarlai with eight Gnats, with three more Gnats and pilots at Amritsar. The squadron was commanded by Wing Commander S.S. Malik, who was also designated Air Defence Commander of the sector. The Station Commander at Uttarlai was Wing Commander V.K. Murthy.<ref name="IAF.nic"/>

The men of the squadron were initially housed in tents. Subsequently, they were housed in the underground ATC. As word spread that Pakistani Commandos were seen in the sand, the men had to take turns doing night patrols. Soldiers could only have a bath every alternate day, and had six hundred rounds of ammunition with which they had to hunt goose for food.<ref name="IAF.nic"/>

====Operations====
On 3 December, a Pakistani [[Martin B-57 Canberra|Canberra]], dropped eight bombs on the runway, making it unsuitable for use. However using civilian labour, the squadron cleared out the parallel taxi track. Thereafter only the track was used for take-off and landing. During the war, the squadron flew a total of 109 sorties, most of which were Combat Air patrols.<ref name="IAF.nic"/>

The first bit of action it saw was on the morning of 10 December. Squadron Leader Kale, and Flying Officer P. Ajit were flying a CAP, when they spotted two [[F-104 Starfighter]]s. they engaged the planes, but failed to do damage, and had their runway bombed. A little later, the base was given a P-12 Radar, causing the [[Pakistani Air Force]] to avoid Uttarlai.<ref name="IAF.nic"/>

On 13 December six of their aircraft were moved to Ahmedabad to defend Ankleshwar Oil Refinery, and later four of these aircraft were to be moved to Srinagar. However they were informed of the ceasefire when they reached Pathankot, and flew back to Gorkhapur.<ref name="IAF.nic"/>

===Post-War Era===
The squadron won a number of trophies in gunnery meets, and was visited by the then Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh, and Air Vice Marshal H. Mulgavkar.<ref name="IAF.nic"/>

In 1975, the squadron moved to Bakshi ka Talab, and operated there till 1 December 1976, when it was relocated to AFS Pune, and re-equipped with [[MiG 21|MiG 21 BIS]]. During this time three officers were awarded the Vayu Sena Medal.<ref name="IAF.nic"/>

The squadron was tasked with helping other squadrons with the conversion to MiG 21 BIS, Within the first year, 46 pilots had been converted. On 24 September 1977, Air Chief Marshal Mulgavkar visited the squadron. In June 1978, the first accident with a MiG 21 in the IAF took place. The nose of an aircraft sheared off on landing during a night sortie.<ref name="IAF.nic"/>

By June 1979, they had converted 11 more pilots. On 18 October, Wing Commander S.A.B. Naidu took over command of the squadron from Wing Commander D.N. Rathore ([[Vir Chakra|VrC]], [[Vayusena Medal|VM]]). Naidu was awarded Central Air Command Commendation on 26 January 1980. During this period the squadron took part in several exercises, Exercise Ranbheru, Exercise Agnivarsha, and the CAC Weapons Meet, alongside 4 Forward Base Support Unit, Exercise Ajinkya at 5 Wing, and Exercise Hamla conducted by South Western Air Command.<ref name="GS"/> In February 1980, the Squadron won the team event and R/P event for CAC.<ref name="IAF.nic"/>

From 1981 to 1982, the squadron strived to achieve higher standards, and participated in several air-to-air missile and gun-firing exercises, such as Exercise Vajraghat-III, Exercise Chaukanna-III and IV. By 19 May 1982, the squadron had achieved 100% serviceability, and all the aircraft were flown that day.

The squadron was number plated on an unspecified date. Currently, only 4 MiG-21 Bison squadron remains in service.<ref name="dc_061021">{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/061021/iaf-to-get-35-fighter-squadrons-in-next-10-years-but-needs-42-air-ch.html|title=IAF to get 35 fighter squadrons in next 10 years, but needs 42: Air chief|publisher=Deccan Chronicle|date=2021-10-06}}</ref>

==Aircraft==

Aircraft types operated by the squadron<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Units/21+Sqn|title=No.21 Squadron - Bharat Rakshak:Indian Air Force|work=bharat-rakshak.com|access-date=2021-06-27}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Aircraft Type!!From!!To!!Air Base
|-
| rowspan='3'| [[Folland Gnat|Folland Gnat I]] || 16 October 1965 || 1966 || [[Halwara Air Force Station|AFS Halwara]]
|-
| 1966 || 1971 || [[Gorakhpur Airport|AFS Gokrahpur]]
|-
| 1971 || January 1977 || [[Lucknow Airport|AFS Lucknow]]
|-
| rowspan='2'| [[MiG-21|Mig-21 bis]] || January 1977 || 1987 || [[Pune Airport|AFS Pune]]
|-
| 1 January 1987 || N/A || [[Sirsa Air Force Station|AFS Sirsa]]
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Indian Air Force}}

[[Category:Indian Air Force aircraft squadrons|021]]

No. 21 Squadron IAF - Revision history

Bot at 06:29, 4 January 2022

Bot at 06:29, 4 January 2022