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Surya Kiran () is an aerobatics demonstration team of the Indian Air Force. The Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) was formed in 1996 and is a part of the No. 52 Squadron of the Indian Air Force. The team is based at Bidar Airport in Karnataka and has performed numerous demonstrations. The squadron was initially composed of the HAL HAL Kiran trainer aircraft. The team was suspended in February 2011 and was re-established with BAE Hawk Mk.132 aircraft in 2015.
The Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) was formed in 1996 and was based at Bidar Airport in Karnataka. The team and was initially composed of HAL HAL Kiran trainer aircraft. The team was formed under Wing Commander Kuldeep Malik who had been a member of the Thunderbolts on the eve of Aero India 1996, the first aerospace defense exhibition. The team initially flew four aircraft before moving to six aircraft formation in May 1996. The Surya Kiran team performed their first public display for the golden jubilee celebrations of Air Force Administrative College at Coimbatore on 15 September 1996.
In 1998, under the command of Wing Commander A. K. Murgai, the team expanded to a nine-aircraft formation which was displayed in public for the first time during the Independence Day celebrations in Red Fort. The team became the first Air Force unit to be awarded the Chief of Air Staff Unit Citation, which it received on 8 October 2004. Effective 1 May 2006, the team was accorded a separate squadron, becoming the No. 52 Squadron of the Indian Air Force nicknamed the Sharks. After Aero India 2011, the Surya Kiran team was grounded because the Air Force faced a shortage of Kiran training aircraft. In February 2015, the Surya Kiran team was re-formed with the induction of the British BAe Hawk under the command of then Wing Commander Ajit Kulkarni.
The team has 13 pilots on roster of which nine fly at any given time. The pilots undergo a selection process twice a year and are chosen to serve for a three-year period. Besides the pilots, the team has a Flight commander, an administrator and technical officers tasked with the maintenance and servicing of the aircraft.
The Surya Kiran team performed their first public display with six aircraft for the golden jubilee celebrations of Air Force Administrative College at Coimbatore on 15 September 1996. In August 1998, the nine-aircraft formation was displayed in public for the first time during the Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi. The team gave its first performance abroad during the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Sri Lankan Air Force in March 2001. The team has performed over 500 displays in more than 72 cities across India. The team has performed at an altitude of in Srinagar and over the seas which is challenging due to the water affecting depth perception.
The team has also performed in various countries like China, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos and Singapore. The team has performed at multiple Aero India shows. In February 2004, the team performed at the Asian Aerospace air show in Singapore. The team performed in Malaysia in December 2007 at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Malaysia's Independence. In December 2007, the team in coordination with the Royal Thai Air Force conducted a nine-aircraft display to commemorate the 80th Birth Anniversary of Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand. In November 2008, the team was invited to participate in the Zhuhai Airshow in China and the team displayed in Laos during its return. After resurrection in 2015, the team performed their first performance abroad in March 2021 for the 70th anniversary of the Sri Lankan Air Force, exactly 20 years after the team’s very first foreign tour. On 19 November 2023, the team performed during the ICC Cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad. On 6 October 2024, the team performed in the 92nd anniversary celebrations of the Indian Air Force at Marina Beach in Chennai.
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