Full Breakdown
Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh’s Final Tejas Sortie Marks the Close of a Distinguished Flying Career
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Core Event: Last Fighter Flight in the Indigenous Tejas
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh piloted an indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas during Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur. Singh’s retirement is scheduled for October 31.
Background & Context: A Pilot’s Journey and a Multinational Exercise
Singh entered the IAF on December 21, 1984, later becoming a qualified flying instructor, experimental test pilot and chief test pilot for the Tejas programme, accumulating more than 5,000 flight hours. By September 2024, he had commanded No 22 Squadron, led the MiG-29 upgrade project in Moscow, and overseen flight testing at the National Flight Test Centre in Bengaluru.
Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 (Sept 26-Oct 12) is the second edition of the IAF’s multinational air exercise. Its theme, “Power in Partnership,” brings together air forces from the United States, France, Germany, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates for joint training and interoperability drills, showcasing the Tejas and its upcoming Mk-1A variant.
Timeline of Key Dates
- December 21, 1984 – Singh commissioned into the IAF.
- September 26 – October 12 – Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 at Jodhpur.
- October 9 – Singh addresses a seminar hosted by the Centre for Aerospace Power and Strategic Studies.
- October 12 – Singh flies his final Tejas sortie.
- October 31 – Singh’s scheduled retirement; Ashutosh Dixit assumes command.
Data & Statistics
- Aircraft involved: ~150 Indian and foreign aircraft from eight air forces and 32 observer nations.
- Foreign participants: United States (including the F-35 for the first time), France, Germany, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates.
- Tejas variants: The sortie used the LCA Mk-1; the Mk-1A variant has logged over 600 sorties and about 800 flight hours and is expected to enter service by year-end.
- IAF fleet: 30 Mk-1 Tejas fighters and eight trainer aircraft, in IOC and FOC configurations.
Official Statements & Responses
In the exercise briefing, Singh highlighted the IAF’s evolution from its 1932 inception with four Wapiti aircraft to its present status as a major global air force. He raised concerns about limited access to the U.S. F-35 during the exercise, noting that Indian pilots were kept at a distance from the stealth platform.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I was telling the PACAF commander that your people don’t let us come anywhere close to the F-35, and you talk about selling it to us. There is no offer from the US for us to buy the F-35,” — AP Singh, chief air chief
What’s Next: Succession and the Tejas Mk-1A
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, the incumbent Vice Chief of the Air Staff, will become Chief of the Air Staff on October 31. Dixit, commissioned on December 6, 1986, brings more than 3,500 flight hours on platforms including the Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Jaguar, Kiran, IL-78 and Tejas.
Both the IAF and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) expect the Tejas Mk-1A to achieve full operational clearance and enter service by the end of the calendar year.