The Indian Air Force (IAF) has come a long way since its inception in 1932. From a small team of four Westland Wapitis, five pilots and nineteen Hawai Sepoys, it has grown into one of the world’s largest Air Force. A high state of operational preparedness is the hallmark of IAF today. Material resources may be limited but human ingenuity, courage, dedication and determination are unlimited. We can certainly look back with justified pride and satisfaction. When the armed forces were being Indianised by the British, only a handful of Indians dared to dream of an Indian Air Force. Uncommon men they were with uncommon dreams again. Soon the nation and its rulers witnessed the creation of the Indian Air Force.

Today, as the world races towards an age of fire-and-forget technology, the Indian Air Force looks ahead with confidence acquired through competence and calibre. The same confidence that was burning bright in the hearts of a small bunch of Indians serving the Royal Indian Air Force.

When one joins the Air Force, he realises that it is not a mere career, but he is embarking upon an entirely different and exciting world altogether. While serving in IAF, one sees a widely pleasant spectrum of all colours in the rainbow of life. With its unique work culture, respectable customs and high traditions, the Air Force is like a big family. The family welcomes its new members lovingly with open arms. With its colourful and active social life, it provides a home away from home. The facilities and opportunities which the IAF provides to its personnel are not accessible to a common man. The growth and development requirements of the entire family are taken care of by the Service. There are libraries, messes, swimming-pools, sports and ladies club. Discipline and physical fitness are the hub of the Service.

Courage, the priceless ingredient of character that enables men to achieve the impossible, is the main lesson that the Air Force teaches. Even though the odds are high, responsibilities heavy and dangers imminent, the desire to reach beyond the stars is higher than the stars themselves. The sky is not the limit for the Indian Air Force pilots. A whirlwind called the IndianAir Force is creating new legends in sky guarding. The defence dynamo that has proved itself, demonstrated its strength again and again is a nightmare to its adversaries. The Indian Air Force in action with its lethal striking power creates new battle records everytime. IAF warfare is not that of a blaster or a slogger but of a magician waiving his hand and striking the targets at will and by choice. Experience has proved that the normal predictions of war take a holiday and crash-land when the IAF pilots take off.

In life, as in chess, the forethought wins and the Indian Air Force has plenty of it. Throughout its distinguished history, the IAF has successfully maintained the highest standards of men and machines. Best machines are supplemented with the best personnel with superior skill, ingenuity and death-defying courage. The air warfare is developing at a breathtaking pace bringing in its waves a whole new brand of men and women. They are all at once a brilliant professional, a model leader, a first class sportsperson and a death kissing acrobat displaying icy intelligence, cool courage, steely toughness and inexhaustible stamina.

In war, for every measure there is a counter measure and for every counter measure, there is a counter-counter measure. This well-known law appears to have triggered off the race for air superiority. Constantly sea-sawing between offence and defence, the IAF has successfully maintained its golden balance to achieve the highest standards of battle-worthiness. Not only in war but in peace also these artists of the sky with their world famed Thunderbolt, Suryakiran and Akashganga teams hold the earth spell-bound by their dare-devil performances. Even the fair sex could not escape the magnetic attraction of IAF. In IAF the successful women are side by side with successful men and not behind them.

The maintenance and administration have been the two faithful and inseparable co-pilots of the fighters in war and peace. These strong life-lines meet the operational requirements, provide vital necessities and constant support rendering round-the-clock service to ensure that the ‘IAF rules the skies’. Maintenance ensures the availability of top condition machines and fire-power while the magic of administration creates the best functional air bases for successful operations with sharpened teeth that sink into the enemy flesh and snatch away the victory and honours for the nation.