Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s squadron receives ‘Falcon Slayer’ patch for F-16 kill 

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman and his squadron’s new “Falcon Slayers” and “AMRAAM Dodgers” patch.

New Delhi: Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s No. 51 Squadron of MiG-21 Bisons have received a special “Falcon Slayers” and “AMRAAM Dodgers” patches on their flying overalls to commemorate the February 27 dogfight, in which he shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter. The Indian Air Force pilot, on February 27, took on Pakistani warplanes which entered Indian airspace with the intention to bomb Indian military targets following the IAF air raid on Jaish-e-Muhammed terror camps in Pakistan’s Balakot.

During the aerial engagement Wg Cdr Abhinandan, while showing high skills and indomitable courage, shot down a US-made Pakistani F-16 with his old but upgraded MiG-21 Bison. Soon after this, his fighter was also shot down by anti-aircraft fire from across the line of control. He then ejected himself and landed in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. After ejection, he was captured by Pakistani civilians and was beaten up before being handed over to Pakistani soldiers.

Even in captivity, the Indian pilot showed high composure and nerves of steel while answering his Pakistani interrogators, videos of which the Pakistanis released to the media. Wg Cdr Abhinandan was later released after 60 hours in capitivity.

The No. 51 Squadron is not the only one to have had special uniform patches made for their flying overalls. The Sukhoi-30MKI squadron, whose aircraft also blunted the Pakistani air attack and successfully evaded the AMRAAM missiles of the Pakistani air force’s F-16s, have also named themselves the “AMRAAM Dodger” in new patches.

The “AMRAAM Dodgers” patch for the Sukhoi-30MKI squadron that blunted the attack by Pakistani F-16s. 

For the curious, the patches are embroidered cloth badges that depicts the squadron’s role. They also identify itself with an important engagement in which the squadron took part. It also shows the type of aircraft the squadron flies and is worn on flying overalls – or dungarees as they are sometimes called.

Related