Women officers in the Air Force to take centre stage on Republic Day

By: WE Staff | Thursday, 19 January 2023

The Indian Air Force has broken down barriers by integrating women who perform all responsibilities on an equal basis with their male counterparts, according to the Defense Ministry.

According to a statement from the Defence Ministry, female officers will take centre stage on Republic Day in 2023, doing everything from helping the President raise the National Flag to leading an Air Force contingent.

The National Flag will be unfurled and the Rashtriya Salute will be given to the Hon. President of India to start the Republic Day Parade at Kartavyapath. The Defence Ministry announced in an official statement that Flt Lt Komal Rani would accompany the President in raising the national flag.

Along with three supernumerary officers, Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy will lead a group of airmen under the command of Flt Lts Ayush Agarwal, Tanuj Mailk, and Pradhan Nikhil.

These commanders, who were chosen following a rigorous selection process from around the Air Force, will command a contingent that consists of four officers and 144 airmen marching in a box formation of 12 Rows x 12 Columns. Every day, beginning in the early morning hours, the contingent engages in a rigorous practise session, according to the statement.

The Homage Ceremony at the National War Memorial, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay tribute to those who have given their lives in the line of duty, will kick off the Republic Day celebrations. This year, the IAF is expected to take the lead, and Akash Ganghas, the leader of the squadron, would head the guard.

The Ministry remarked that the Air Force has "also overcome traditional boundaries by inducting women who conduct all jobs equally with their male colleagues," highlighting the importance that women officers play in the service. As a result, the IAF has taken the lead in advancing Naari Shakti in its genuine spirit.

The topic of the IAF Tableau is "Indian Air Force: Power Beyond Boundaries." The Air Force's Tableau has a rotating globe that displays its increased ability to offer humanitarian relief across international borders as well as joint flying exercises with "Air Forces of Friendly Foreign Countries."

The Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft "Netra," which transports indigenous payloads, is another eye-catching show on the tableau. The Aeronautical Development Agency's LCA Tejas MK-II, a single-engine, canard Delta wing, multi-role combat aircraft, would also get a prominent place on the IAF's Tableau.

This fighter aircraft is being built to replace the fighter aircraft of the IAF and features a strong engine and advanced sensors.

The LCH Prachand and the Airbus C-295 are further features on the Tableau.

LCH Prachand, which was recently inducted into the IAF, can operate at high altitudes and is outfitted with 70 mm rockets, a 20 mm turret cannon, anti-tank guided missiles, and air-to-air missiles.

"The Airbus C-295 aircraft will replace the Avro aircraft and strengthen the IAF's logistics capability. It is planned to equip every aircraft with in-house electronic warfare systems. The manufacturing plant in India would not only meet IAF needs, but it would also turn India into a net exporter of defence goods," the Ministry added.

45 IAF aircraft, including the Dhwaj (Type Mi-17 1V/V5), Rudra (ALH Mk IV/WSI), Prachand (LCH + Apache + ALH MK-IV), Baaz (MiG-29), and Tiranga (ALH (Sarang), among others, will do a flypast during the Republic Day Parade.