Varanasi Air Show: Chetak helicopters to shower flowers on Ganga; Surya Kiran’s Ganga formation to open sho...

Varanasi4 hours ago

The air show in Varanasi will begin with the victory sign by the Surya Kiran aerobatics team.

The Indian Air Force has announced the schedule and format of the air show in Varanasi following a briefing. The show will begin at 11 am daily and feature two sessions lasting 50 minutes and 40 minutes, respectively. Preparations have been completed, with around 100 aircraft set to participate in the display.

The show will begin each day with a Ganga formation by the Surya Kiran aerobatic team, showcasing the Kashi theme, and conclude with a flypast over Dashashwamedh.

According to Air Vice Marshal PVS Narayan, the TK display will take place on the 22nd, 24th and 25th. No separate activities are planned for any particular day.

Chinook to perform water touch-and-go

The Air Force said the activities planned in front of Namo Ghat will also take place in front of the Ganga Gate of Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

These will include a water touch-and-go manoeuvre by a Chinook helicopter and a flower shower over the Ganga by Chetak helicopters at both locations.

Group Captain Parijat Saurabh outlined the air show’s programme during the Air Force briefing, explaining how the display would begin and conclude.

Know the air show formation

• KASHI: Three Kiran aircraft will fly in a V-shaped Vic formation, which symbolises victory. The aircraft will fill the sky above the Ganga with the colours of the Indian tricolour.

• VARUNA: Three ALH Mk III helicopters from the Indian Air Force and Indian Army will take part and will also demonstrate slithering operations, an exercise involving descending with the help of ropes.

ALH MK III

• KEDAAR: A lone Rafale aircraft will fly behind the Kashi formation and perform precise aerobatic manoeuvres at low altitude.

Rafale

• HANUMAN AND SARNATH: A lone Su-30MKI aircraft will perform aerial manoeuvres at low altitude under the call sign "Hanuman". This will be followed by a lone Harvard aircraft demonstrating precise manoeuvres in the "Sarnath" formation.

The Army's vintage Sarnath will also be present.

• Sarang (SARANG): The Indian Air Force's highly skilled Sarang Helicopter Display Team will also take part in the air display.

Sarang Display Team

• Omkar and Ganga (OMKAR AND GANGA): In the "Omkar" formation, three Mi-17 V5 helicopters will fly in a 'Vic' formation carrying the national flag and the Indian Air Force flag. This will be followed by the "Ganga" formation, in which three Chetak helicopters will shower flowers.

Mi-17 V5 helicopter

• Rudra (RUDRA): A lone Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft will make a high-speed pass over the stage.

Sukhoi-30MKI

• Bhagirathi (BHAGIRATHI): Two indigenous Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs) and Apache attack helicopters will fly together in a 'diamond' formation.

Apache attack helicopter

• Tridev (TRIDEV): An Indian Navy Kamov-31 will lead the formation, accompanied by an Indian Air Force ALH MK III and an Indian Army ALH MK III flying in the 'Victory' formation. The Tridev formation will showcase the spirit of jointness, seamless coordination and inter-service synergy among the three services.

Kamov 31

• Alaknanda: A total of two Chinook and two ALH Mk IV helicopters will fly in an "inverted Victory" formation, with one Chinook at the rear.

• Bhairav: One C-295 and two Dornier aircraft will fly past the front of the platform in a "Victory" formation.

C-295 aircraft

• KAILASH: One C-130 and two An-32 aircraft will fly in a 'vic' formation.

C-130 aircraft

• TRILOCHAN: One AEW&C (airborne early warning and control) aircraft will fly in a 'vic' formation, escorted by two MiG-29 fighter aircraft.

Mig 29

• Natraj (NATRAJ): A P-8I maritime patrol aircraft of the Indian Navy will fly alongside two Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft. This formation will symbolise the strong integration of maritime surveillance and aerial combat capabilities.

P-8I Navy patrol aircraft.

• Mahadev (MAHADEV): An IL-78 aerial refuelling tanker aircraft will fly alongside three Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft.

IL-78 tanker aircraft.

• VISHWANATH, PASHUPATI AND NEELKANTH: Three Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft will fly in a 'Vic' formation in the "Vishwanath" formation. This will be followed by the "Pashupati" formation, featuring four Jaguar aircraft in a 'Diamond' formation. Immediately afterwards, the "Neelkanth" formation of three Rafale aircraft will appear.

Jaguar.

• PRACHAND: Six fighter aircraft-Sukhoi-30MKI, Rafale, Jaguar, Mirage-2000, LCA (Tejas) and MiG-29-will fly together in an 'arrowhead' formation. The PRACHAND formation is a tribute to the Indian Air Force's unwavering combat capability, demonstrated recently during 'Operation Sindoor'. These frontline fighter aircraft will showcase the Indian Air Force's readiness to serve national objectives, its precision-strike capability and its ability to deliver decisive air power.

Mirage 2000

• ASSI: India's indigenous aircraft, the LCA Tejas, will be the main attraction under the callsign "ASSI". It will showcase the expertise of indigenous aerospace engineering, advanced flight capabilities and the strength of India's growing self-reliance in fighter aviation. The aircraft will perform aerobatics at low altitude.

LCA Tejas

• Dashashwa: In the "Dashashwa" formation, a C-17 Globemaster aircraft will lead, followed by nine Suryakiran Hawk aircraft performing a spectacular flypast over the venue. After that, the skies will be dominated by India's renowned Suryakiran Aerobatic Team.

C-17 Globemaster aircraft.