No. 111 Helicopter Unit (Snow Tigers) is a helicopter unit of the Indian Air Force (IAF), equipped with HAL Dhruv MKIII helicopters and based at Bareilly Air Force Station in Uttar Pradesh, India.
Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 August 1963 – present |
| Country | Republic of India |
| Branch | Indian Air Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Bareilly Air Force Station |
| Nickname | "Snow Tigers" |
| Motto | Apatsu Mitram (Sanskrit: "A friend in time of need") |
| Aircraft | HAL Dhruv MKIII |
History
No. 111 Helicopter Unit was established on 1 August 1963. The unit created a world record for the highest landing by a HAL Cheetah helicopter at an altitude of 23,250 feet (approximately 7,087 metres).
On 8 February 2012, the unit was re-equipped with the latest HAL Dhruv Mk III variant, becoming the first unit in the Indian Air Force to operate this variant.
Operational Assignments
The unit has participated in major conflicts, including:
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Aircraft Operated
Over its history, No. 111 Helicopter Unit has operated the following aircraft types:
- Mil Mi-4 – Soviet-designed multi-role helicopter
- HAL Chetak – Indian-built variant of the Aérospatiale Alouette III
- HAL Cheetah – Indian-built variant of the Aérospatiale SA315B Lama
- HAL Dhruv MKIII – Indigenous Indian utility helicopter (current equipment)
