Advance HQ, Western Air Command Date Raised : 1972-08-01 Location : Chandimandir The concept of an organised coordinating agency for planning and executing joint Army/Air Operations appeared soon after birth of the IAF. The need for such an organisation was realised immediately after the J&K 1947-48 operation in which the IAF was called upon to assist formations of Indian Army involved in the operations. Earlier this task was performed by suitable Unitss of RAF in India. The first joint Army/Air coordination cell of post independent India, called No. 1 Air Task Force, was thus formed to work in conjunction with No. 11 Corps of the Indian Army. The results obtained through such organised co- operation were so successful that it was decided to form similar joint co-ordination cells. In order to give shape to this decision, a detachment of No. 1 Tactical (Air Support) Group was moved to Shimla in Jan 55 to function alongside HQ Western Command. The Commander of No. 1 Tactical (Air Force) Group, Group Captain HS Ratnagar, (based at Jalandhar) also exercised command over this element. This detachment continued to function till the Advance Headquarters, Operational Command, IAF was duly established at Shimla on 15 July 59. Air Cmde SN Goyal took over as the first Air Officer-in-Charge. In Aug 72, this HQ was renamed as Advance HQ WAC, IAF (on raising of Western Air Command) and Air Cmde VN Bhatnagar, then Air Officer-in-Charge was reposted as AOC, Adv HQ WAC, IAF. This HQ has continued to be located " "within the HQ Western Command complex and moved with it from Shimla to Chandimandir during Jan-Feb 85. The role of Adv HQ WAC, IAF at the time of its formation was to exercise functional control in conducting joint operations/exercises with HQ Western Command, maintain liaison with HQ Western Command on behalf of HQ Operational Command and exercise functional control over Nos. 1 and 4 Tactical Air Centres (TAC) and flying Unitss which were placed under its control from time to time. However, this HQ is now exercising functional control over 1, 8, 9 and 10 TACs and the role has subsequently been expanded.
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Commanding Officers | |||||
01 Aug 72 - Air CommodoreVirendra Mohan Bhatnagar3067 GD(P)AOCSimla | Unknown - Air CommodorePynummooltil Simon George4240 GD(P)AOCSimla | 16 Feb 81 - 01 Sep 82Air CommodorePattathil Venugopal4431 GD(P)AOCSimla | Unknown - Air CommodoreDenzil Joseph Keelor4805 GD(P)AOCSimla | Unknown - Air CommodoreRavinder Nath Bharadwaj5001 GD(P)AOCSimla | |
Unknown - Air CommodoreAmrit Mohan Mehta5051 GD(P)AOCSimla | Unknown - 01 Jun 92Air Vice MarshalDhan Singh Nagi5305 GD(P)AOCChandimandir | 01 Jun 92 - 01 Jan 94Air Vice MarshalKodendera Cariappa Cariappa5376 GD(P)AOCChandimandir | 01 Jan 94 - Air Vice MarshalDarshan Singh Basra6519 GD(P)AOCChandimandir | Unknown - 17 Aug 98Air Vice MarshalTej Mohan Asthana7672 GD(P)AOCChandimandir | |
17 Aug 98 - Air Vice MarshalManpreet Singh Brar8715 GD(P)AOCChandimandir | Unknown - 31 Jul 01Air Vice MarshalBrijendra Mohan Bali8438 GD(P)AOCChandimandir | Unknown - Air Vice MarshalNirmal Thusu9033 GD(P)AOCChandimandir | Unknown - 01 Oct 03Air Vice MarshalDhanwant Singh Guram10916 GD(P)AOCChandimandir | 01 Oct 03 - 30 Sep 04Air Vice MarshalSatish Kumar Sofat12207 GD(P)AOCChandimandir | |
01 Dec 04 - 30 Apr 05Air Vice MarshalCharanjit Singh Gill11645 GD(P)AOCChandimandir | 01 Jun 05 - Air Vice MarshalAjit Singh13147 F(P)AOCChandimandir | Unknown - 23 Mar 10Air Vice MarshalArup Raha13910 F(P)AOCChandimandir | Unknown - 23 Mar 10Air Vice MarshalSanderraman Neelakantan15184 F(P)AOCChandimandir | Unknown - Air Vice MarshalPrashant Nagaraja Kaushik16783 F(P)AOCChandimandir | |
Unknown - 11 Nov 18Air Vice MarshalSuraj Kumar Jha17445 F(P)AOCChandimandir | 12 Nov 18 - 31 Mar 19Air Vice MarshalBakul Vaikunthrai Upadhyay18281 F(P)AOCChandimandir | 01 Apr 19 - Air Vice MarshalManish Khanna18554 F(P)AOCChandimandir | Unknown - 31 Aug 21Air Vice MarshalMulpuru Venkat Rama Rao18115 F(P)AOCChandimandir | 01 Sep 21 - 30 Jun 22Air Vice MarshalDinesh Kumar Awasthi18079 F(P)AOCChandimandir | |
01 Jul 22 - Air Vice MarshalG Krishan Mohan20124 F(P)AOCChandimandir |