No. 15 Squadron IAF

No. 15 Squadron
No. 15 Squadron
Active	2 August 1951 — February 1953; 26 November 1964 — July 2009; 2012 — Present;
Country	Republic of India
Branch	Indian Air Force
Role	CAS; Interdiction; Reconnaissance
Garrison/HQ	Sirsa AFS
Nickname(s)	"Flying Lancers"
Motto(s)	Nihantavya Shatravaha; Annihilate the Enemy
Aircraft flown
Attack	Sukhoi Su-30MKI

No. 15 Squadron is a fighter squadron of the Indian Air Force. It was formed on 20 August 1951, and currently operates the Sukhoi Su-30MKI from Sirsa AFS.^[1]^[2]

No. 15 Squadron was raised in 1951 at Ambala as part of an emergency wartime expansion. Initially operating with just a handful of Spitfire XVIII taken out from a training role, it was among the four "teen squadrons" set up to bolster the IAF’s strength in anticipation of conflict.^[3]

Assignments

Aircraft

Aircraft types operated by the squadron^[4]


Aircraft Type	From	To	Air Base
Supermarine Spitfire VIII	2 August 1951	February 1953	AFS Ambala
Folland Gnat I	26 November 1964	1969	AFS Ambala
Folland Gnat I	1969	February 1975	AFS Bagdogra
MiG-21 bis	February 1975	1981	AFS Pune
MiG-21 bis	1981	July 2009	AFS Bhuj
Su-30 MKI	2012	Present	AFS Sirsa

References

^ "Indian Air Force to raise four more squadrons of Su-30 MKI fighter". 5 October 2012.
^ "IAF's top guns brave extreme Alaska". 11 May 2016.
^ Gupta, Anchit (4 May 2025). "The Emergency Teen Squadrons: IAF's Quiet Expansion in 1951". IAFHistory. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
^ "No.15 Squadron - Bharat Rakshak:Indian Air Force". bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

[1] "Indian Air Force to raise four more squadrons of Su-30 MKI fighter". 5 October 2012.

[2] "IAF's top guns brave extreme Alaska". 11 May 2016.

[3] Gupta, Anchit (4 May 2025). "The Emergency Teen Squadrons: IAF's Quiet Expansion in 1951". IAFHistory. Retrieved 4 May 2025.

[4] "No.15 Squadron - Bharat Rakshak:Indian Air Force". bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

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