The flypast for this day comprises of 33 IAF aircraft and four army helicopters

NEW DELHI: The newly-built National War Memorial will receive an air salute. The Indian Air Force will have a flypast of helicopters and SU-30MKI fighter aircraft during the memorial’s inauguration in the coming days, said a top officer here on Wednesday.

The IAF’s Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Space), Air Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor, said that the IAF has been asked to do a flypast for the inauguration of the National War Memorial (NWM).

On being asked about IAF’s participation in the NWM’s inauguration, Kapoor said, “We have been told to do a flypast. We have been told to fly three helicopters as the wreaths are being laid and the eternal flame is lit. The second part would be flypast by a SU-30 formation.”

Adjoining the India Gate complex, the NWM has been built about 60 years after it was first proposed by the armed forces to honour the soldiers who gave their lives in wars and operations since Independence. Reports claim that the memorial will consist of four concentric circles- Amar Chakra (circle of immortality), Veer Chakra (circle of bravery), Tyag Chakra (circle of sacrifice) and Rakshak Chakra (circle of protection). There will also be busts of 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees.

On the other hand, India Gate was constructed by the British in memory of the 84,000 Indian soldiers killed fighting for the Empire in World War I and the Afghan campaign. The Amar Jawan Jyoti was later built under its arch to honour the 3,843 soldiers who died in the 1971 war.

Even the Republic Day celebrations start with the homage ceremony at the Amar Jawan Jyoti. The flypast for this day comprises of 33 IAF aircraft and four army helicopters. The aircraft include 18 fighters, eight transport aircraft and 11 helicopters. Leading the parade would be the ‘Ensign’ formation comprising four Mi-17 V5 helicopters in an inverted ‘Y’ formation also referred to as the "Wineglass formation". They will be followed by ‘Dhruv’ formation comprising four Advanced Light Helicopters of the Army Aviation, including two armed ALH- Rudra.

The second phase of the flypast will be led by the ‘Rudra’ formation of three ALH Mk IV WSI helicopters of the IAF, followed by three C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. “A new formation of ‘Sutlej’, comprising of three An-32 aircraft with the lead aircraft using Bio-Jet Fuel blend will be flown,” said the IAF.

The first fighter formation is Jaguar formation consisting of 5 Jaguar aircraft in arrowhead formation, which will be followed by MiG-29 upgraded and SU-30MKI aircraft.