New Delhi: On 26 May, 1996, a nascent formation of trainer jets, assembled at the Bidar Air Force Station in Karnataka, were tasked with a tall mandate: to serve as the public face of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and showcase the peak of pilot precision.
Today, the legendary Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) officially marks 30 years of breathtaking excellence, transitioning from its humble origins into one of Asia’s premier nine-aircraft aerobatic display teams.
Operating under the motto ‘Sadaiva Sarvottama’ (Always the Best), the team functions as part of the IAF’s No. 52 Squadron, affectionately nicknamed ‘The Sharks’. Over three decades, SKAT has executed more than 800 displays in 72 cities across India and internationally, enthralling millions with its hallmark close-formation loops, barrel rolls, and synchronised cross-overs.
The SKAT began with just four aircraft under its first team leader—Wing Commander Kuldeep Malik—before expanding to six for its inaugural public debut at Coimbatore on 15 September, 1996.
Catch the Suryakiran action live at Somnath on 11th May, 11 am onwards!#gujarat #somnath #skat #saurashtra #aviation pic.twitter.com/CjgLDSJqsy
— Suryakiran Aerobatic Team (@Suryakiran_IAF) May 10, 2026
By August 1998, under Wing Commander A.K.Murgai, the team successfully scaled up to its iconic nine-aircraft diamond formation, debuting over the Red Fort during India’s Independence Day celebrations. This expansion placed India in an elite global club of air forces capable of maneuvering nine-jet formations simultaneously.
For its first 15 years, the SKAT fleet consisted of the indigenously built HJT-16 Kiran Mk.II jet trainer. The year 2001 marked the team’s first foreign show as it participated in the golden jubilee celebrations of the Sri Lankan Air Force in Colombo.
Following a brief suspension in 2011—owing to a severe shortage of pilot training aircraft across the IAF—the squadron was resurrected in February 2015 with an upgraded fleet: the British-designed, locally license-built BAE Hawk Mk.132.
The IAF switched to the Hawk Mk-132 Advanced Jet, as the aging sub-sonic Kiran jets lacked the advanced thrust required for high-energy modern maneuvers.
The Hawk transformed the SKAT. Flying at speeds ranging from 150 km/h to 600 km/h, the advanced jet trainer allow the pilots to fly in configurations where wingtips are separated by just five meters or less. Specially modified with smoke canisters, the Hawks use diesel-based aerosols to paint the vivid tricolor across the skies they zoom in, leaving spectators spellbound.
After its international debut in Colombo, the SKAT’s footprint extended to China, Singapore, Thailand, the UAE, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar among others.
In 2004, it was awarded the Chief of Air Staff Unit Citation, becoming the first-ever IAF unit to receive the honour. And in 2006, SKAT was officially designated as a standalone squadron: No. 52.
Led today by Group Captain Ajay Dasarathi, the squadron comprises roughly 14 highly skilled fighter pilots selected through a rigorous screening process.
Unlike civilian aerobatic teams, SKAT pilots are all operational fighter personnel drawn from frontline IAF squadrons flying Su-30MKIs, Rafales, and MiG-29s. They serve a grueling three-year tour of duty, flying up to three sorties a day during the training season. Operating with zero room for error, the team relies on rock-solid trust, impeccable reflexes, and flawless muscle memory.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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