Indian Air Force (IAF) Remembers Squadron Leader Ahuja

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
27-May, 2015 17:24 IST
Indian Air Force (IAF) Remembers Squadron Leader Ahuja

Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) Ajay Ahuja of the Indian Air Force made the supreme sacrifice for the nation on 27 May 1999 during ‘OP Vijay’ while on a combat mission over Kashmir. The officer’s aircraft was hit by an enemy shoulder fired Surface to Air Missile (SAM) while he was attempting to locate a downed pilot in spite of being aware of the danger to his life owing to the existence of SAMs in the area.


This extremely courageous act involving immense risk to this life epitomises the tenacity and indomitable spirit of the Indian Fighter Pilot. Tragically, Ajay paid the price for his bravery. His aircraft was hit and damaged severely. Though the Officer ejected safely, he was killed by the enemy in captivity. The Officer will always be remembered as a courageous and selfless soldier who laid down his life without a second thought for his country and for his brothers in uniform.

Sqn Ldr Ajay Ahuja hailed from Kota in Rajasthan. He was an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned in the IAF on 14 June 1985 as a fighter pilot. Over a span of fourteen years in various squadrons of the IAF, he served as an operational pilot on MiG-21 variants and on the MiG-23 Fighter bomber. He grew up in service to become top instructor with an experience of over 1000 hours spent in instructing ab-initio pilots. He was extremely popular among his pupils because of his patience and cheerful nature. A thorough professional, the Officer was the Flight Commander of the Golden Arrows. We salute this brave officer for his gallantry and draw inspiration from his dedication and bravery. His wife Mrs. Alka Ahuja and son Ankush survive him.

RCD/MKS

 

[NIA]

India salutes You Sir Ahuja..

 

[Hindustani78]

The Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel of Air Force Station Bathinda paying tribute to Late Squadron Leader, Shri Ajay Ahuja who was martyred, during Indo-Pak Kargil conflict, in Punjab on May 27, 2015.

 

[Viva India]

RIP

His Mig was shot down when it was flying on low altitude over peaks infested with SAM equipment infiltrators



"One needs to understand the environment in which our planes are
operating. The aircraft fly through air. It is the flow of air over
the wings of the airplanes and over the rotor blades of helicopters
that provides a lifting force to support the craft up in the sky. At
high altitudes, the air density is much less than what obtains at
lower heights for which the craft are designed. Consequently, for the
same forward speed, the lifting force correspondingly reduces with the
rarefied atmosphere.

The terrain in the Kargil area is 16,000 to 18,000 feet above the sea
level. The aircraft are, therefore, required to fly at about 20,000
feet. At these heights, the density of air is roughly 30 per cent less
than that at the sea level. This causes a reduction in weight that can
be carried and also reduces the ability to manoeuvre as the radius of
a turn is higher than at lower levels. The engine performance also
deteriorates with altitude as for the same forward speed, there is a
lesser mass of air going into the jet engine of the fighter or the
helicopter"

 

[volatile]

That's the life of fighter pilot .