Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

President Kovind to honour IAF units

By STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Nov 19 - President Ram Nath Kovind will present the prestigious President�s Standard honour to the Eastern Air Command�s 118 Helicopter Unit at a glittering ceremony to be organised here on November 29. Kovind will also present the President�s Colours honour to the Memaura-based Air Defence College at the same function.

At a curtain raiser event organised at the Air Force Station here today, Chief of the Eastern Air Command Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar said the awards are the highest and prestigious honours for units of armed forces given in recognition to their services both during war and peace.

The 118 Helicopter Unit was raised at Chabua on November 22, 1971 with Mi-8 helicopters. Soon the unit moved to Guwahati and was assigned roles of special heliborne operations, offensive air support, air maintenance, route transport roles (RTR) and VVIP duties. The unit was re-equipped with Mi-17 helicopters and had contributed in special operations in the North East and Sri Lanka.

In various humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations (HARD), the unit has dropped tonnes of relief materials and rescued thousands of people.

Earlier it had received the prestigious �Best Combat Helicopter Unit of IAF� in 2004 and �Best Helicopter Unit of EAC� in 2009, 2011 and 2017.

On the other hand, the Air Defence College, formed in 1958, is a premier officer training establishment of IAF specialising in air defence operational training. Training of advanced courses, tri-services courses, naval direction officers� course and training of foreign officers are new additions to the college over the years.

Next Story