NAY PYI TAW December 15
The 78th Founding Anniversary of Tatmadaw (Air) of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar was held at Nay Pyi Taw Air Base HQ this morning, attended by Chairman of State Security and Peace Commission Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Present at the ceremony were Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and wife, Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, SSPC member Prime Minister U Nyo Saw and wife, SSPC Secretary Joint Executive Chief General Ye Win Oo and wife, SSPC member Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Kyaw Swa Lin and wife, retired commanders in chief (Air) and wives, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Htein Win and wife, Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Tun Aung and wife, union level dignitaries and wives, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and wives, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander, air base commanders, officers, other ranks and officials of Tatmadaw (Air) and guests.
First, the Senior General delivered an address. He said the history of Tatmadaw (Air) started in WWII as the Burma Volunteer Air Unit (BVAU) and then, as the Burma Volunteer Air Force (BVAF). The Tatmadaw (Air) was founded after Burma Air Force Act was enacted on 15 December 1947 after WWII during the pre-independence period. Now, Tatmadaw (Air) reaches its 78th Founding Anniversary.
Soon after the establishment of Tatmadaw (Air), multi-colour insurgency broke out in many parts of the country. Even at the time it was in the stage of conducting administrative functions, training and weaponization process, it flew missions to crush the insurgency together with Tatmadaw (Army) and Tatmadaw (Navy). The Air Force was worthy of praise as it entered the battles and tried to accomplish the missions by using the best of available weapons based on patriotism, perseverance, courage and innovative mind. Till now, it is also taking part in counternarcotic operations, apart from the operations to drive out the alien intrusion, and crushing internal insurgency. Because of heroism and valour and blood and sweat sacrifices of the members of the Air Force, their involvement is valuable as a decisive factor in a battle.
The essentiality of a strong and powerful defence force in ensuring the perpetuity of national sovereignty of the country and national development, and safeguarding the public life and property and national interest is so vivid. The Tatmadaw is a patriotic force and an off-spring of the people, emerged together with independence. It is a Union armed forces par-ticipated by all the nationalities. It is common knowledge that Tatmadaw has always sacrificed lots of blood and sweat in safe-guarding the country against various kinds of internal and foreign enemies together with the people throughout the success eras. The Tatmadaw also supports the country steadfastly in every crisis. It has become a special requirement that a combined defence force, the Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air), must be further strengthened and its power further improved. Only then, will it be able to fully guarantee the safety and perpetuation of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Taking the experience of the successive periods as lessons, the Tatmadaw (Air) has been turned into a modern, proficient and powerful air force through a step-by-step process. During the initial period, it had only one base and a few squadrons, but now it has the power to deploy its forces to reach and rule the entire air territory of Myanmar. Its performance level has now reached a tactical air force from the level of the anti-insurgency force. Tatmadaw (Air) is very much supportive of the current anti-terrorism operations thr-ough launching effective air raids in the length and breadth of the country.
It is of vital importance that both, the fighting power and the prowess, must be sharpened to own an effective and powerful air force. Time and again, the State is providing the Air Force with aircraft of various kinds and operational support systems to enhance fighting power. Full fighting power can be achieved only through proper maintenance of the systems and assurance of their full combat capacity. Hence, soldiers of the Air Force must carefully handle them and maintain and repair them properly.
In addition, advancement of the prowess must be ensured through ongoing efforts. Every soldier will be able to effectively apply the fighting power only if he is skilled in the assigned task. As health, fitness and courage are essential in shoulder-ing combat missions, leaders at all levels should pay special attention to improving physical and mental fitness and convic-tion and belief. Only if all soldiers strive in harmony and unison in the flying section, administrative sector and mechanical section, will the Tatmadaw (Air) be totally equipped with full prowess and win battle victories in accord with the motto – Spreading wings towards victory.
The improvement of prowess of an air force depends on all soldiers serving in the technical fields. Skillful performance of pilots alone is not enough in flying missions, as skillfulness of airmen, flight engineers, and crew members is also essential. Flying missions will achieve success only through inclusive and harmonious efforts. In addition to sector-wise harmonious efforts, coordination among the sectors is also required for the success of air missions. Hence, internal unity must be strengthened, and the leaders at different levels must give correct leadership through harmonious coordination.
The good results from success and developments the Tatmadaw (Air) has been achieving are the results from the courage, selfless sacrifices and dutifulness of officers and other ranks of the successive periods, and their efforts are recognized and honoured. The inservice military personnel should take them as examples in shouldering the national defence duties well, and leaving a good legacy for the future generations and enhancing the prowess of the Air Force through collective efforts.
The Senior General urged the soldiers to preserve and hand down the noble traditions of Tatmadaw (Air) and to accomplish their missions with best efforts, and prayed for the Tatmadaw (Air) to further strengthen its fighting power and prowess all along the years starting from the 78th Anniversary and to become a reliable Air Force of the country.
Afterward, General Tun Aung presented a commemorative gift to the Senior General.
Subsequently, airplanes and helicopters conducted a demonstration flight salute and aerobatic display. Four Mi-17 helicopter flew in Arrow Head Formation, two Bell-206 helicopters, two H-125 helicopters and two H-120 helicopters, in Composite Formation, one MTX-1B reconnaissance plane, and three Grob-120 TP trainer aircraft, in Composite Formation, five K-8 fighters, in Kite Formation, four F-7 fighters, in Box Formation, five MiG-29 multi-purpose jet fighters, in Arrow Head Formation, two Su-30 SME multipurpose heavy jet fighters and two FTC-2000G fighters, in Composite Formation respectively.
MiG-29 multipurpose jet fighters and Su-30 SME post-fourth generation multipurpose heavy jet fighters conducted High Performance Maneuver.
One MiG-29 multipurpose jet fighter, coming towards the viewpoint, flew in Victory Roll Maneuver, Level 8 Maneuver, Combat Turn, Multiple Roll Maneuver, Slow Flight, Zoom Climb Maneuver, Vertical Roll Maneuver and four MiG-29 jet multipurpose fighters flew in Box Formation directly towards the viewpoint in conducting an aerial salute.
One Su-30 SME post-fourth generation multipurpose heavy jet fighter flew in Point Roll Maneuver, High-G Turn Maneuver, Derry Turn Maneuver, Oblique Loop Maneuver, Com-bat Turn Maneuver, Flap Spin Maneuver and finally, in Slow Flight Maneuver and launched fireworks in saluting the Senior General.
Chairman of State Security and Peace Commission Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and party released birds in commemoration of the 78th Anniversary, and posed for documentary photos.
The Senior General cordially greeted the pilots who participated in the fleet demonstration, and presented cash rewards to them.
