Article Posted on : - Jan 15, 2020

The IAF had announced the resurrection of the 222 Squadron 'The Tigersharks' on January 1 with the Sukhoi-30MKI multi-role fighters. Photo: IAF/Twitter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the induction ceremony of SU-30 fighter squadron at the Air Force Station in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, Air Marshal Amit Tiwari said on Wednesday.

This would be the second frontline fighter squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to be based in South, Tiwari told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

The induction ceremony would take place on January 20 and the fighters would be the most potent platform capable of long reach and multi-role capabilities, he said.

The maritime strike squadron inducted in the IAF is also armed with the indigenous BRAHMOS missile, Air Marshal Tiwari, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command, said.

The IAF had earlier announced the resurrection of the 222 Squadron ‘The Tigersharks’ on January 1 with the Sukhois.

The squadron was originally raised on September 15, 1969 with another Sukhoi fighter, the SU-7, and later with the MiG-27 ground-attack aircraft.

The newly resurrected 222 Squadron would be operationalised with BRAHMOS-equipped Sukhoi-30 air superiority fighter with twin engine, the officials said.

"The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) which is a central maritime spread, bordering three continents, has an important role to play in regional peace, security and prosperity.

The IAF is an intrinsically strategic force and is set to extend the reach into the vast IOR," Tiwari said.

The 'Tigersharks', equipped with formidable, state-of- the-art air superiority fighter aircraft, which are armed with 2.5 ton air-launched BRAHMOS missile of 300 km range, have the capability to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target at sea or on land with pin-point accuracy by day or night and in all weather conditions.

The capability of the missile, coupled with superlative performance of the Su-30 MKI, is set to change the paradigm of maritime surveillance, security and strike in the region.