Army Air Defence College

The Army Air Defence College, (abbreviated as AADC), is the training academy for the Army Air Defence Corps of Indian Army. The college is located in the Gopalpur Military Station in Gopalpur, Odisha. It spreads over an area of 2700 acres of land. The primary objective of the academy is to impart technical and operational knowledge to the personnel of Indian Army posted to the Corps of Army Air Defence (AAD) about the air defence systems and anti-aircraft warfare. Besides the army personnel, the academy also trains personnel from navy, air force and officers from friendly foreign nations.

Army Air Defence College

Former name	Anti-Aircraft Technical Training Battery Air Defence & Guided Missile School and Centre (1989–1998)
Type	Military
Established	1940
Affiliation	Corps of Army Air Defence
Commandant[1]	Lt Gen PS Jaggi
Location	Gopalpur Cantonment, Gopalpur , Odisha , India 19.260529°N 84.8689369°E[2]
Campus	2728.568 acres (approx)[3]
Inaugurated by[3]	Indira Gandhi
Colors	Sky Blue & Red
Website	AADC-Indian Army

The history of the academy dates back to mid 1940s when anti-aircraft training battery was established by the British in July 1940 at Karachi (now Pakistan) to train the troops deputed to the newly established air defence artillery. Post-independence Air Defence & Guided Missile School and Centre was established at Gopalpur. The school was later renamed as 'Army Air Defence College (AADC)' in 1998. The academy enjoyed autonomy after the splitting of the Corps of Army Air Defence from the Regiment of Artillery. In 2008, the Army Air Defence Centre was also merged into this academy.

Infrastructural facilities of the academy include simulators several missile systems used by corps and seaward firing ranges about 75 km. The campus has facilities for sports and adventure activities such as sailing, water skiing, rowing and para sailing.[3][4][5][6]

History

Pre-independence

In July 1940, government established training schools for anti-aircraft and coastal defence wings at Karachi. These schools predominantly trained the Indian personnel including commissioned, junior commissioned and non-commissioned officers in anti-aircraft warfare. Unlike the Coastal Artillery School (CAS), which was moved to Deolali, the anti-aircraft training school continued at Karachi till 1947.[3][7][8][9]

Post-independence

Following the independence in August 1947, the training school was moved and merged into the air defence wing of School of Artillery in Deolali. Initially ten courses were proposed for training at different stages in anti-aircraft warfare.

In 1955, Due to lack of facilities and firing ranges available for firing of missiles and other air defence weapon systems, it was proposed to relocate the wing. After the approval of setting up the academy in the 3000 acres of land given by the Government of Orissa in 1968, the government authorized the establishment of Air Defence & Guided Missile School and Centre in 1979. On 1 November 1989, the Air Defence & Guided Missile School and Centre was formally inaugurated as a part of Gopalpur military cantonment.

After the bifurcation of 'Corps of Air Defence Artillery' (later Corps of Army Air Defence) from the Regiment of Artillery in 1994, the college was awarded autonomous status from 10 January 1994.

The 'Air Defence & Guided Missile School and Centre' was rechristened as 'Army Air Defence College' (AADC) in 1998. Later in 2008, the Army Air Defence Centre was also relocated to Army Air Defence College.[4][7][9][10][8]

Infrastructure

The college is equipped with several types of simulators, coordinate remote viewers, working models, cut sections and actual parts of the different types of radars, guns, artillery, missile and air defence systems used by the corps. These include ZSU-23-4B "Shilka", Tunguska Gun Missile System, L/70 Gun Systems, Zu 23 mm gun systems, 9K33 Osa and its variants and the ingeniously developed Akash surface-to-air missile. Besides these, the college holds a computer and electronic lab, combat simulator room and control complexes etc.

Apart from these the college has a library (known as 'Nalanda Library'), an auditorium ( known as 'AIMA Auditorium') and a lake for different aqua and sailing activities and adventure sports.[11][12][9][10][8]

Gopalpur seaward firing ranges

The college hosts a seaward firing range, known as Gopalpur seaward firing ranges with a range about 75 km, to give the personnel practical knowledge about the air defence systems and missile firing. This range can be used for all types of Indian Army air defence systems. The ingenuously developed pilot-less target aircraft: DRDO Lakshya, is used as the target drone.[11][8]

Commandants

The Commandant of Army Air Defence College is the head of the academy. The inaugural holder is Major General Y R Jetley, VSM. Initially the position was held by a two-star general and later it was elevated to the rank of three-star general. The present commandant is Lt Gen A K Sahgal, VSM.

List of Commandants of Army Air Defence College[13][14]

S.No	Rank	Name	Appointment date	Left office	Later served as the DG of Corps of Army Air Defence
1	Maj Gen	Y R Jetley, VSM	15 July 1991	31 October 1993	No
2	Maj Gen	Jagjeet Singh	1 November 1993	21 December 1995	No
3	Maj Gen	S P Malhotra, VSM	22 December 1995	30 September 1997	No
4	Maj Gen	Naresh Chand	1 October 1997	31 January 2001	Yes
5	Maj Gen	P K Saighal	2 February 2001	28 February 2002	No
6	Maj Gen	J S Mahil, AVSM	19 April 2002	7 June 2003	No
7	Maj Gen	R K Sudan, AVSM	23 June 2003	31 January 2006	No
8	Maj Gen	Ram Pratap, VSM	2 February 2006	4 July 2008	Yes
9	Maj Gen	V K Saxena, VSM	5 July 2008	18 September 2009	No
10	Lt Gen	Kuldip Singh, AVSM	1 December 2008	30 June 2011	Yes
11	Lt Gen	Dr V K Saxena, PVSM, AVSM, VSM	1 July 2011	30 June 2013	Yes
12	Lt Gen	Rajiv Bhatia, AVSM	1 July 2013	31 May 2015	Yes
13	Lt Gen	A K Sahgal, VSM, ADC	1 June 2015	31 December 2016	Yes
14	Lt Gen	P S Jaggi,	30 January 2017	15 December 2017	Yes
15	Lt Gen	AP Singh, PhD	16 December 2017	23 January 2019	Yes
16	Lt Gen	Satinder Singh, AVSM	24 January 2019	Till Date

Mishaps and accidents

In November 2014, three officers all of captain rank, 1JCO and 1 non commissioned officer have been injured seriously during a regular firing practice at the firing ranges. The injured personnel were moved to Kolkata for treatment. Army has ordered for an inquiry regarding the mishap.[15][16]

References

1. "Commandant". Indian Army AAD. GOI. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
2. "19°15'37.9"N 84°52'08.2"E". Google Maps. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
3. "History AAD Centre". Indian Army. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
4. "Army Air Defence College". Indian Army. Government of India. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
5. "AADC". IA. GOI. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
6. "22nd RAISING DAY AT GOPALPUR MILITARY STATION". www.orissabarta.com. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
7. Kulwant Rai Gupta; Amita Gupta (2006). Concise encyclopaedia of India. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. ISBN 9788126906376.
8. Gautam Sharma (2000). Indian army, a reference manual. New Delhi: Reliance Pub. House. ISBN 9788175101142.
9. India: A Reference Annual. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. 2005. ISBN 9788123012308.
10. India. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; Research and Reference Division. India, 2004: a reference annual. India. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. ISBN 9788123011561.
11. "Infrastructure". Indian Army. GOI. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
12. "Army Air Defence". indianprideholders.blogspot.in. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
13. "Previous Commandants". Indian Army. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
14. "Director General – Photo Gallery". Indian Army. Government of India. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
15. "4 Hurt in Defence College Blast". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
16. Jugal R Purohit. "3 officers, 1 havildar injured during firing practice at Army Air Defence College in Odisha". indiatoday.intoday.in. Retrieved 9 June 2016.