30 years, 800 sky shows: Suryakiran marks milestone in style

BENGALURU: As the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) famed Suryakiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) turns 30 this week, the elite aerobatics squadron is set to commemorate three decades of precision flying, daring manoeuvres and crowd-thrilling air displays that have made it one of the country’s most recognisable aerial formations.The team, popularly known as the “Ambassadors of the Indian Air Force”, will celebrate its 30th anniversary on May 26 at Air Force Station Bidar, where it was originally formed on May 27, 1996.Named “Suryakiran”, meaning “Rays of the Sun”, the team began operations with the Kiran Mk-II aircraft and made its public debut later that year at Coimbatore in September 1996. Since then, the nine-aircraft formation team has become synonymous with close-formation aerobatics and low-level precision flying, drawing lakhs of spectators at air shows and ceremonial events across India and overseas.Over the last three decades, the team has carried out more than 800 air displays in India and abroad, including performances in China, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Since 2015, the team has flown the Hawk Mk-132 aircraft in its signature red-and-white colour scheme.Known for executing complex aerobatic manoeuvres with split-second timing and coordination, the team undergoes rigorous training to perfect close-formation flying. The displays often feature loops, barrel rolls, inverted flying and crossover manoeuvres performed at high speed and low altitude.The anniversary celebrations at Bidar will honour past and present members of the team and recognise their contribution in building Suryakiran into one of the world’s leading aerobatic display teams, the Indian Air Force said.The celebrations are also expected to showcase the Indian Air Force’s emphasis on professionalism, precision and operational excellence through one of its most visible public outreach platforms.