Agra AFS

Infobox Airport
name = Agra Air Force Base
nativename = Kheria Airport / Agra Air Force Base
nativename-a =
nativename-r = Agra Civil Enclaves


image-width =
caption =
IATA = AGR
ICAO = VIAG
type = Military/Public
owner =
operator = Indian Air Force
Airports Authority of India
city-served =
location = Agra
elevation-f = 551
elevation-m = 167.94
coordinates = Coord|27|09|27|N|077|57|39|E|type:airport|display=inline,title
website = [http://aai.aero/allAirports/agra_generalinfo.jsp http://aai.aero/allAirports/agra_generalinfo.jsp]
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 05/23
r1-length-f = 9,000
r1-length-m = 2,743.2
r1-surface = Concrete
r2-number = 12/30
r2-length-f = 5,964
r2-length-m = 1,817.8
r2-surface = Concrete
stat-year =
stat1-header =
stat1-data =
stat2-header =
stat2-data =
footnotes = Air force station Agra airport codes|AGR|VIAG is one of the largest of all bases belonging to the IAF and has been synonymous with the Taj Mahal for over half a century now. On 15th August 2007, the airfield completed sixty years of its existence. An existence that has been marked by acts of valor and bravery by its officers and airmen, in both war and peace, to help maintain the integrity of this country’s security and it’s sovereignty.

History

Air Force Station Agra was established on 15th August 1947 and placed under the command of Wing Commander Shivdev Singh, who was the incumbent commander of the No. 12 Sqn. Based on the then present system of Commands, the Base fell under the area of responsibility of the Western Air Command or WAC. The base remained under this Theatre Command for the next two decades. In July 1971 it was transferred to the Central Air Command or CAC, under whose control it remains to this day.

The base has remained unchanged, though the aircraft it held did change, and along with them the Squadrons. During it’s fifty year history with the IAF, the base has seen the likes of C-47 Dakotas, C-119 Packets, Hs-748 ‘Avro’, AN-12s, AN-32s, IL-76s, Canberras, and now IL-78MKIs. Along with the aircraft, the squadrons have come and gone, and so have many of the IAF officers and men who have served here and have had their professional lives touched by the base. Today, it is hard to find a transport pilot who has not been at AFS Agra at least sometime during his career; this trend will undoubtedly continue well into the future.

*The base now has the honor of holding the first In-Flight refueling aircraft Squadron in IAF service, the 78 ‘Battle Cry’ Squadron flying the IL-78MKIs. This is indeed an honor considering that it’s also a first for the whole of the Indian Sub-Continent region.

Reference

* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Images/Special/AirfieldVisits/ http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Images/Special/AirfieldVisits/]
* [http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200809221552.htm http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200809221552.htm]