The Purple Legacy

When air power came into being in the 20th Century, it was armies that controlled this new dimensional capability shift. As the fledgling component grew in leaps and bounds, armed forces evolved to have specialist air forces. It was driven by the need to understand and employ air power currently, which could only be done by those whose profession, careers and lives were mainly developed the third dimension. This book brings out the heroic exploits of IAF helicopters in the 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars in partnership with the Indian Army and their involvement in conflict resolution and nation-building since then. Op Pawan in Sri Lanka and case-studies of UN Operations where the air force blue successfully fought should-to-shoulder with the army OG highlights how jointness was utilized with the great effect.