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{{Short description|Indian Air Force command}} | |||
{{Infobox military unit | {{Infobox military unit | ||
| unit_name = '''Eastern Air Command''' | | unit_name = '''Eastern Air Command''' | ||
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| battles = [[Sino-Indian War|1962 Sino-Indian War]], [[East Pakistan Operations 1971]], [[Operation Meghdoot]], [[Cyclone 05B (1999)|Orissa Super-Cyclone Relief, 1999]] | | battles = [[Sino-Indian War|1962 Sino-Indian War]], [[East Pakistan Operations 1971]], [[Operation Meghdoot]], [[Cyclone 05B (1999)|Orissa Super-Cyclone Relief, 1999]] | ||
| anniversaries = <!-- Commanders --> | | anniversaries = <!-- Commanders --> | ||
| commander1 = Air Marshal [[ | | commander1 = Air Marshal [[Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar]], [[AVSM]] | ||
| commander1_label = [[Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] | | commander1_label = [[Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] | ||
| notable_commanders = <!-- Insignia --> | | notable_commanders = <!-- Insignia --> | ||
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}} | }} | ||
The '''Eastern Air Command''' is one of the five operational [[Command (military formation)|commands]] of the [[Indian Air Force]]. Currently headquartered in [[Shillong]] in [[Meghalaya]]. Named '''No. 1 Operational Group''' at the time of its inception, 27 May 1958, it was based at Ranikutir in [[Kolkata]] as a part of the [[Government of India|Govt]]'s increasing emphasis on defence of the eastern borders. The Operational Group was upgraded as Command on 1 December 1959 with headquarters at [[Fort William, India|Fort William]], [[Kolkata]] and Air Vice Marshal KL Sondhi as the first AOC-in-C of the Eastern Command | The '''Eastern Air Command''' is one of the five operational [[Command (military formation)|commands]] of the [[Indian Air Force]]. Currently headquartered in [[Shillong]] in [[Meghalaya]]. Named '''No. 1 Operational Group''' at the time of its inception, 27 May 1958, it was based at Ranikutir in [[Kolkata]] as a part of the [[Government of India|Govt]]'s increasing emphasis on defence of the eastern borders. The Operational Group was upgraded as Command on 1 December 1959 with headquarters at [[Fort William, India|Fort William]], [[Kolkata]] and Air Vice Marshal KL Sondhi as the first AOC-in-C of the Eastern Command. After the [[Sino-Indian War|1962 Indo-Chinese War]], The decision was made to raise a full-fledged command at Shillong. The area of responsibility of the command now covers 11 states, and is bound by the international boundaries of [[Nepal]], [[Bhutan]], [[China]], [[Myanmar]] and [[Bangladesh]] incorporating 6300 km of common border. Eastern Air Command now has permanent airbases at [[Chabua]], [[Guwahati]], [[Bagdogra]], [[Barrackpore]], [[Hasimara]], [[Jorhat]], [[Kalaikunda]] and [[Tezpur]] with forward airbases at [[Agartala]], [[Kolkata]], [[Panagarh]] and [[Shillong]]. Eastern Air Command consists of [[Air superiority fighter|Air Defence]] squadrons consisting of the [[MiG-21]] and [[Ground attack]] squadrons consisting of the [[MiG-27]]. It holds the motto "Samareshu Parakramaha" (''Lit: Valour in battle''), | ||
==Activities and responsibilities== | ==Activities and responsibilities== | ||
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[image:HQ of EAC.jpg|thumb|170px|left|The current headquarters of the Easternn Air Command in [[Shillong]].|{{deletable image-caption|1=Thursday, 23 July | <!-- Deleted image removed: [[image:HQ of EAC.jpg|thumb|170px|left|The current headquarters of the Easternn Air Command in [[Shillong]].|{{deletable image-caption|1=Thursday, 23 July 2022}}]] -->The Eastern Air Command has a specific mandate both during peace and war. In war situations, the command is tasked to conduct [[Offensive counter air|counter air operations]] and provides [[Close air support|offensive air support]] to Army and Para-Military Forces. In peace, the command swings into action whenever there is a natural calamity. It was extensively involved in relief operations in the aftermath of the [[Cyclone 05B (1999)|supercyclone in Orissa]] and has provided relief supplies during floods in [[Assam]] and [[Arunachal Pradesh]]. | ||
The command has three broad spheres of activity - operations, maintenance and administration. The fighter squadrons under the Eastern Air Command are equipped with MiG variants, and pilots are under continuous training for operational flying. | The command has three broad spheres of activity - operations, maintenance and administration. The fighter squadrons under the Eastern Air Command are equipped with MiG variants, and pilots are under continuous training for operational flying. | ||
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|[[Dassault Rafale]] | |[[Dassault Rafale]] | ||
|No. 16 Wing | |No. 16 Wing | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[No. 102 Squadron IAF]] | |[[No. 102 Squadron IAF]] | ||
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| {{dts|format=dmy|1968|03|31}} | | {{dts|format=dmy|1968|03|31}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| rowspan=" | | rowspan="33"|[[Air marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] | ||
| [[Hirendra Nath Chatterjee]] | | [[Hirendra Nath Chatterjee]] | ||
| {{dts|format=dmy|1968|04|1}}<ref name="eac-brf"/> | | {{dts|format=dmy|1968|04|1}}<ref name="eac-brf"/> | ||
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|- | |- | ||
| [[Brijesh Dhar Jayal]] | | [[Brijesh Dhar Jayal]] | ||
| {{dts|format=dmy| | | {{dts|format=dmy|1991|10|7}}<ref name="eac-brf"/> | ||
| {{dts|format=dmy|1992|03|30}} | | {{dts|format=dmy|1992|03|30}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
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|- | |- | ||
| [[Dilip Kumar Patnaik]] | | [[Dilip Kumar Patnaik]] | ||
| {{dts|format=dmy|2021|10|01}}<ref name="eac-brf"/> | | {{dts|format=dmy|2021|10|03}}<ref name="eac-brf"/> | ||
| {{dts|format=dmy|2022|09|30}} | |||
|- | |||
| [[Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar]] | |||
| {{dts|format=dmy|2022|10|01}}<ref name="eac-brf"/> | |||
| Present | | Present | ||
|} | |} |