IAF Full Form: Know What Does IAF Stands for in Defence Services

IAF Full Form: The IAF stands for the Indian Air Force which was established on 8 October 1932 to help the British Empire in India to be used in World War II. Its main goal is to protect and secure the Indian air space and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. The President of India holds the rank of Supreme Commander of the IAF. The Chief of the Air Staff, an air chief marshal, is a four-star officer and is responsible for the bulk of operational command of the Air Force. The IAF headquarters is the Integrated Defense Headquarters, Ministry of Defense, New Delhi.

IAF Full Form: What is the Mission of Indian Air Force (IAF)? 

The primary mission of the IAF is to safeguard the Indian air space from any air threat in coordination with the Indian Army and Navy. The mission of the Indian Air Force is guided by the Armed Forces Act of 1947, the Constitution of India, and the Air Force Act of 1950.

Motto of IAF

The motto of the Indian Air Force “Touch the sky with Glory” has been taken from the eleventh chapter of the Gita, the Discourse given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra during the Great War of Mahabharata.

History of Indian Air Force (IAF)

The Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932 in British India and was named Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF). Its first ac flight came into being on 01 Apr 1933. In January 1950, India became a Republic within the British Commonwealth and the Indian Air Force dropped its "Royal" prefix. At this time, it possessed six fighter squadrons of Spitfires, Vampires and Tempests, operating from Kanpur, Poona, Ambala and Palam, one B-24 bomber squadron, one C-47 Dakota transport squadron, one AOP flight, a communications squadron at Palam and a growing training organisation.

• 1953: The IAF decided to diversify its sources of supplies. It selected the Dassault Ouragan Fighter from France commonly known as Toofani in the Indian Air Force.

• 1957: The expansion and modernisation of the IAF was significantly observed in this year.

• 1961-62: IAF supported the United Nations operations in Congo.
• 1962: Indo-China War happened which was the real test of the IAF. This war resulted in total alteration of the complexion and strength of the IAF.
• 1965: Indo-Pak War, it resulted in Government of India signing pacts with the Soviet Union to purchase MiG-21 fighters.

• 1999 Kargil War: The Indian Air Force was called in to provide close air support to the Indian Army at the height of the ongoing Kargil conflict with the use of helicopters. The IAF strike was code named Operation Safed Sagar.

Hierarchy of the Indian Air Force (IAF)

The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Air Force and the Chief of Air Staff, an air chief marshal is responsible for the operational command of the Indian Air Force. Here’s given the officer ranks hierarchy of the Indian Air Force:

Who is the Chief of the Air Staff?

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh PVSM AVSM was commissioned into the fighter stream of IAF on 21 Dec 1984. He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College and National Defence College. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot with more than 5000 hours of service flying on a variety of fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

Air Commands of the Indian Air Force

The Indian Air Force (IAF) consists of seven air commands viz., Western air command, Central air command, South Western air command, Eastern air command, Southern air command.Training command, and Maintenance command.

Institutions of the Indian Air Force

The Indian Air Force (IAF) consists of the flying instruction schools and technical colleges to command hospitals, etc. Below is provided a list of the Institutions operated by the IAF:

• Air Force Academy
• Flying Instructors School
• Air Force Administrative College
• Air Force Technical College
• Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishments
• College of Air Warfare
• Institute of Aerospace Medicine
• Command Hospital Airforce, Bangalore

Exercises Conducted by the Indian Air Force

The Indian Air Force conducts various exercises in coordination with other countries as well as with the other arms of the Indian Armed Forces. Some of the exercises conducted by the IAF in recent years are given below: