Know The Indian Army | Army Air Defence: The 'Sentinel Of The Sky' Protect Air Space From Low Flying Enemy Aerial Attacks

The Air Defence traces back its lineage to the Regiment of Artillery and for many decades post independence was an integral part of the Corps until October 1993.

New Delhi: The Corps of Army Air Defence (AAD) is a Combat Support Arm of the Indian Army, which has the role of defending the air space of our nation from low flying aerial strikes/attacks by enemy aircrafts and missiles (especially those below 5000 feet) and protecting strategically located military installations like airfields, dams and ammunition depots.

The brave-heart 'Air Defence Gunners' of the AAD have participated in all wars and operations including the 1962 India-China War, 1965 and 1971 India-Pak Wars and the Liberation of Goa. They played a pivotal role in protecting the strategically located airfields in Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir during the Indo-Pak Wars.

The Role and Significance Of Air Defence Artillery In Warfare

The dynamics of warfare underwent a major change in the Second World War with armies not only engaged in defensive and offensive operations on ground during war but also having to play a key role in air defence operations to secure and protect the air space from the enemies air strikes.



Over the decades, the military warfare has undergone a tectonic change from the erstwhile conventional tactics to a highly mechanized, technological and information oriented system.

With the advent of non conventional and stealth based attacks carried out through highly precision guided missile systems and unarmed aerial vehicles, the ever growing dominance of air superiority has further been bolstered, leading to the Air Defence Artillery playing a pivotal role in complimenting a nation's Air Force in safeguarding the air space.

A Brief History Of Air Defence In Indian Army

The very genesis of the Air Defence Arty in Indian military history took place in 1939 during the erstwhile Colonial era when the British Army had to raise anti-aircraft (AA) units to counter the air strikes by the Axis coalition, particularly from the Japanese in the Far East.

In August 1940, the British Ministry of Defence decided to separate the anti-aircraft units from the artillery department of the army into an independent branch.



After the partition in 1947, the units of the British Indian Army were divided between the newly formed nations, India and Pakistan. Of the Air defence artillery units that remained in the aftermath of World War II only two units, the 26 and 27 Low Altitude Airship Regiments, were transferred to India.

The Indo-Pak 1971 War was an inflection point of sorts in reassessing the role of Air Defence in India's military structure. All through the 70s, a major exercise was undertaken to bolster and modernize the air defence weaponry with the induction of new weapon systems like ZSU-23-4B "Shilka", ZU-23-2B guns, 9K33 Osa systems, 9K38 Igla surface-to-air missiles and 9K35 Strela-10 missiles.

Here are some interesting facts about the Corps of Army Air Defence

History and Formation

The Air Defence traces back its lineage to the Regiment of Artillery and for many decades post independence was an integral part of the Corps until October 1993. In 1994, it was bifurcated from the Artillery and the Corps of Air Defence Artillery (AD Arty) came into existence on 10 January,1994.

Army Air Defence College

The Army Air Defence College (AADC) (previously Air Defence and Guided Missile School and Centre) located at the Gopalpur cantonment in Odisha is the premier training school of the Air Defence Corps. The establishment runs courses and programes for gunnery, advanced gunnery, and leadership.



Raising Day Of Army Air Defence (AAD)

10th January is annually celebrated as the Raising Day of AAD Corps at all major air defence formations / units throughout the nation.This is the day on which the Corps of Air Defence Artillery came to existence as an independent Corps of the Indian Army.

Regimental Crest

The crest of the Corps of Air Defence depicts the very ethos and spirit of the combat arm. It portrays a missile in silver tint, with radar antennae in gold colour fixed on the either side. At the bottom, the motto "आकाशे शत्रुन् जहि" in English "Akashe Shatrun Jahi" is imprinted.

Regimental Motto

The AAD Motto "आकाशे शत्रुन् जहि" (Akashe Shatrun Jahi), means "Kill the Enemy in the Sky". It was adopted as the regimental motto in 1996.



Regimental Flag

The regimental flag of the Corps of Air Defence consists of two horizontal halves. The upper and lower halves comprise sky blue and red colors respectively.

The sky blue color in the upper half portrays the clear blue skies in which the Air Defence operates to thwart enemy attacks. The red coloured lower half represents the firepower of the guns and missiles. The regimental crest find an ideal place in the center, positioned between the two halves.