Flight Lieutenant Amit Singh

Operational Air Mission: 11 May 2005

During Jun 2005, Flt Lt Amit Singh was serving with 16 Sqn AF based in Air Force station Gorakhpur. 16 Squadron known as "Black Cobras" was formed in 1950 at Pune with the Spitfire/ Tempest Aircraft as a light bomber squadron under the command of Squadron Leader George Victor Francis. The squadron was re-equipped in 1954 with liberator aircraft. In 1957, Canberra bomber aircraft joined the "COBRAS" and the role was redefined as Bombing and interdiction. In 1962 the squadron moved to Kalaikunda in West Bengal where it took part in the 1965 war. After the war, it moved to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, where it was re-equipped with Jaguar aircraft. Jaguar was a multi-role aircraft and was built under license from SEPECAT, an Anglo-French consortium. Over the years, IAF had been upgrading the fleet of jaguars with modern avionics, radar systems, and modern engines, to keep them airworthy and potent fighter machines. During 2005, Flt Lt Amit Singh's 16 Sqn with the motto of "Praharodata" meaning "Ready to Strike" under the command of Wing Commander Ashutosh Chandra Chopra, was undertaking various missions in preparation for its operation role. On 11 May 2005, Flt Lt Amit Singh was tasked to undertake one such mission on Jaguar aircraft.

Flt Lt Amit Singh was an ace fighter pilot who loved his profession of flying and always tried hard to excel in mission-critical air operations. During peacetime training was one of the most important activities of IAF which helped it to remain prepared to take on any eventuality. A war-like situation was created for the pilots to practice and remain updated. Flt Lt Amit Singh carried out the pre-flight checks and took off in his Jaguar aircraft (JS-204) on the morning of 11 May 2005 as planned. However, the aircraft developed some unexpected snag immediately after takeoff. It lost contact minutes after taking off for a low-level tactical mission. The emergency developed too suddenly and Flt Lt Amit Singh did not get enough time to take necessary measures to control the aircraft. Consequently, the aircraft crashed at 08.20 hrs (IST) near Devri village near Khalilabad town in Sant Kabir Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh.  Flt Lt Amit Singh got wounded severely and later succumbed to his injuries. Flt Lt Amit Singh was a professionally competent pilot and committed air warrior, who laid down his life at the age of 25 years in the service of the nation.