No. 23 Squadron IAF

No. 23 Squadron (Panthers) is a fighter squadron and is equipped with MiG-21Bison and based at AFS NAL.[1][2]

No. 23 Squadron
Active1957 - Present
CountryIndia Republic of India
Branch Indian Air Force
RoleFighter
Garrison/HQAFS NAL
Nickname(s)"Panthers"
Motto(s)Amritham Abhayam
Immortal and Fearless
Aircraft flown
FighterMiG-21 Bison

History

The squadron was raised in the year 1956 and it became the first squadron in Indian Air Force to be commissioned with Folland Gnat.[3]

The squadron was relocated to AFS NAL in June 2024 and will be in use with its sister squadron No. 3 Squadron. The move was done to streamline the maintenance and operability of the last remaining MiG-21. Both the squadron will transition to the newly ordered Tejas Mk1A.[2]

Assignments

Aircraft

AircraftFromToAir Base
de Havilland VampireNovember 1956January 1960
Folland GnatFebruary 1960January 1978
MiG-21 bisFebruary 1978July 2005
MiG-21 BisonJuly 2005June 2024AFS Suratgarh
June 2024PresentAFS NAL

References