Impressive parade near Hyderabad marks commissioning of IAF pilots

Dundigal (Andhra Pradesh), July 1 (ANI): Over 200 cadets were commissioned as officers of Indian Air Force (IAF) at an impressive Passing Out Parade (PAP) held at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal near Hyderabad over the weekend.

Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne reviewed the parade and took the salute.

Apart from the family members of the successful flight cadets, officers and airmen of IAF watched the colourful parade.

Soon after Air Chief Marshal Browne pinned the chevrons and rank badges on the commissioned flight cadets, they hailed the occasion by the traditional tossing up of their caps high in the air.

Addressing the gathering, Air Chief Marshal Browne expressed confidence about achieving the modernisation targets for the Air Force during the 11th and 12th five-year plans.

A fair degree of this exercise is expected to be complete by 2017 and complete modernisation would be achieved by 2022, he noted.

"Our contracts signed in the 11th plan are worth around 1.12 trillion rupees, due to which a lot of new equipment has come into the Air Force. This process will continue till 2017," said Air Chief Marshal Browne.

To a poser about recent controversies that had plagued the certain wings of the defence forces like allegations of graft in procurement deals, he said that the Air Force had maintained transparency in its transactions and that no irregularities existed.

"After all the contracts we have signed and the equipment we have procured, nobody can point a finger at us, because what the Air Force does, it does right. Nobody can point out any irregularities, and we are very proud of the fact that we plan right and put to use all the equipment we procure," added Air Chief Marshal Browne.

He also mentioned that the IAF has aimed to increase its squadron strength from 34 to 42.

The year 2012 happens to be the 80th year of Indian Air Force. (ANI)