Prez to award Standard to IAF units

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, will award the Standard to the Indian Air Force's Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) and Number 47 Squadron on Tuesday at the Air Force Station Gwalior.

The Central Air Command's Air Marshal G S Kochar and Maharajpur Air Base's Air Officer Commanding S Neelkanth interacted with media in the presence of Group Captain Surat Singh -- who commands TACDE -- and Wing Commander Vikas Sharma who commands 47 Sqn.

''The award of standard/colours is a great honour bestowed by the President in recognition of the service rendered by a unit to the nation,'' explained AM Kochar.

Their origin can be be traced to the earliest days and are mentioned in the war epics of India, Egypt, Greece and Rome. These standards and colours were used to serve two purposes in those times: one as distinguishing marks among the tribes and races and the other as a rallying point in battle.

As civilisation advanced, these symbols passed on from tribes to nations. These historic symbols are the forerunners of the present-day military colours.

To a query AM Kochar said, ''a scheme has been drafted to prevent recurrence of MiG crashes. The IAF is being modernised.'' The need for an institution devoted purely for development of combat tactics for modern fighter aircraft led to formation of the Tactics and Combat Development and Training Squadron on February 1, 1971. In the very first year the Sqn was relocated to Ambala and participated in the 1971 Indo-Pak War.

It was later redesignated as TACDE and relocated at Jamnagar and then here in April 2001. TACDE has been actively planning and participating in all internatonal exercises in which the IAF has taken part.

-- (UNI) -- 05DR50.xml

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