Surya Kiran Team Celebrates 30 Years and 800 Displays Across Global Air Shows
IAF Surya Kiran team completes 30 years of aerobatic excellence.
The Indian Air Force’s elite Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) is marking 30 years since its formation, with Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh set to fly a special anniversary sortie alongside the squadron on Tuesday. The milestone celebration comes as the team also commemorates its 800th display, achieved earlier at Wings India in Hyderabad, highlighting its long-standing role as the IAF’s premier aerial ambassador.
Formed in 1996 at Air Force Station Bidar in Karnataka, Surya Kiran has grown into one of the world’s most recognised aerobatic display teams. It is currently among only nine three-aircraft aerobatic formations globally and remains the only such team in Asia operating a nine-aircraft formation. Over three decades, it has showcased the Indian Air Force at national celebrations, international air shows, and strategic aviation events across multiple countries.
The team currently operates the Hawk Mk-132 advanced jet trainer, jointly produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The aircraft enables precision flying at extremely close formations, with pilots often maintaining separations of less than five metres during complex aerial manoeuvres. The jets are also fitted with indigenous smoke pods developed at the IAF’s Base Repair Depot in Nashik, allowing tricolour smoke trails during displays.
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Surya Kiran’s signature aerobatic routine includes loops, barrel rolls, diamond formations, formation crossovers, and its iconic heart-shaped manoeuvre, typically performed at altitudes ranging between 100 and 1,000 feet. The team’s performances demand high levels of coordination, precision, and training, with pilots drawn from frontline fighter streams of the Indian Air Force. The squadron is currently led by Group Captain Ajay Dasarathi, with Wing Commander Tejeshwar Singh serving as deputy leader.
Over the years, the team has participated in international air displays across countries including the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and China. One of its most notable recent performances was a coastal display over Chennai, which reportedly drew an estimated 1.7 million spectators. Earlier this year, the team also conducted its first-ever aerobatic display over the Himalayan region, marking a significant expansion of its operational showcase environment.
Initially flying the HAL Kiran Mk-II trainer aircraft, the team was formally designated as 52 Squadron “Sharks” in 2006, carrying forward the legacy of a former MiG-21 FL unit. After a brief hiatus following the retirement of the Kiran fleet, the squadron was revived in 2015 with the induction of the Hawk Mk-132 platform. The modern aircraft, capable of supersonic speeds and advanced training roles, has since enabled the Surya Kiran team to continue its precision aerobatic legacy on a larger and more technologically advanced scale.
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