IAF Marks 30 Years Of Suryakiran Aerobatic Team With Special Flypast At Bidar
IAF celebrates Suryakiran Aerobatic Team’s 30th anniversary with special flypast.
Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh participated in a special commemorative flight with the Indian Air Force’s Suryakiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) to mark the team’s 30th anniversary, during celebrations held at Air Force Station Bidar in Karnataka, according to an official statement.
The event, conducted on May 26, highlighted three decades of the Suryakiran team’s contribution to showcasing precision flying and aerial discipline. The aerobatic unit has been a key public-facing formation of the Indian Air Force, performing displays that demonstrate coordination, skill, and professionalism in complex aerial manoeuvres. Senior officials, including the Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Training Command Air Marshal S. Shrinivas, also attended the celebrations.
A key highlight of the event was the ceremonial flight in which the Chief of the Air Staff and the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief flew alongside the Suryakiran pilots. The special participation was seen as a symbolic gesture of solidarity and recognition of the team’s long-standing service. A “Hollow Diamond” formation was also flown during the commemorative display to honour team members who lost their lives during the unit’s operational history.
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Formed in 1996 at Air Force Station Bidar, the Suryakiran Aerobatic Team has completed over 800 air displays in India and abroad. The team is known for flying the Hawk Mk-132 aircraft in its distinctive red-and-white livery and is widely regarded as a symbol of the Indian Air Force’s operational excellence and discipline. Officials said the team continues to inspire young air warriors while representing India at major national and international events.
The team’s motto, “Sadaiva Sarvottam,” meaning “Always the Best,” reflects its emphasis on precision and performance. In recent years, SKAT has also been part of high-visibility national celebrations, including a special air show over the Somnath Temple in Gujarat during the ‘Somnath Amrut Mahotsav’, which was attended virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The anniversary celebrations at Bidar reaffirmed the Suryakiran Aerobatic Team’s role as both a demonstration unit and a symbol of the Indian Air Force’s legacy of skill, courage, and aviation excellence.
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