252nd Training Squadron The 252nd Training Squadron ( Serbian : 252 . школско тренажна авијацијска ескадрила " 252 . školsko trenažna avijacijska eskadrila " ) is a squadron of the Serbian Air Force . It was formed in 1967 as 525th Training Squadron of Yugoslav Air Force . Based at Batajnica , the 252nd Mixed Aviation Squadron falls under the 204th Air Brigade . Mission . The main tasks of 252nd Training Squadron are training , aerial firing support to ground troops and pulling the targets for air defense training . History . 525th Training Squadron . The 525th Training Squadron was formed on July 17 , 1967 , at Batajnica Air Base . The first squadron commander was Major Aleksandar Veselinovic . Squadron was equipped with four Republic F - 84G Thunderjet s , one training TV - 2 and ten Kurir liaison aircraft . The main task of squadron was flight training of pilots from Yugoslav Air Force Command , Military Academy , Area flight control and General Inspection of Yugoslav People ' s Army . By the order of Yugoslav Air Force Command , the squadron was also transporting messengers . Because the aircraft of the 525th Squadron were old and partly withdrawn , some of flight and maintenance personnel were sent to Zemunik Air Base for retraining for new aircraft type — G - 2 Galeb . The retraining was finished in about 20 days , and personnel returned to Batajnica with four new Galeb aircraft . So after January 1968 the squadron comprised two reinforced flights , one with G - 2 and one with Kurir aircraft . In the same year the squadron got a new task , pulling the targets for air defense training . The T - 33A and TV - 2 aircraft converted for that task were located at Petrovac , Mostar and Cerklje airfields so the squadron members had to go to those airports . During the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia , on August 26 , squadron increased combat readiness , by the task " Avala " and assignment to 11th Air Defense Division . As the crisis ended , the squadron was back to normal . By the early 1970s the squadron got a few more new G - 2 aircraft , which were flying with American - made T - 33s , which have come to the squadron from various sides in middle of 1971 . In December 1972 the four new ground - attack J - 21 Jastreb aircraft came from the SOKO factory at Mostar . In that period pilots of the squadron had about 80 to 4 flight hours . By the 1972 the squadron has received Utva 66 for training of pilots from Reserve Officers School . In 1975 the squadron flew aircraft for the Libyan Air Force for the first time , from Mostar , via Dubrovnik , Brindisi , Palermo and Tripol to Misurata . In 1977 squadron had made five flights to Libya , receiving awards from SOKO factory . In 1977 eight TT - 33A aircraft were bought from France and converted at Aeronautical Plant " Zmaj " for pulling the targets . They were used until 1983 . In 1982 the squadron received the first G - 4 Super Galeb aircraft known extended party of prototypes . From six G - 4s four were converted at Aeronautical Plant " Zmaj " for pulling the targets , so known under designation N - 62T , while other two aircraft were in standard trainer / light attack configuration , like the rest of the produced Super Galebs . In September 1983 , all six G - 4 aircraft were relocated to Skopski Petrovac Air Base where they have formed " Mixed Aviation Group " together with seven Orao aircraft from 353rd Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron of 97th Aviation Brigade . Group was formed to demonstrate these two aircraft types in combat at Joint exercise " Jedinstvo - 83 " . In 1984 pilots of squadron had flown eight G - 2 aircraft to Libya from Mostar in formation with Yak - 40 . Six Super Galeb aircraft from 525th Squadron with six G - 4s from 229th Fighter - Bomber Aviation Squadron participated at May Day 1985 parade by flying in formation . By the end of 1986 , the squadron was reinforced with four new G - 4s , what has a strong impulse to the development of a squadron , due the first Super Galebs from extended party of prototypes were not armed with cannons and rockets , as they were presented on " Jedinstvo - 83 " exercise . 252nd Fighter - Bomber Aviation Squadron . In September 1987 , the squadron was renamed 252nd Fighter - Bomber Aviation Squadron , as it has become part of the 701st Aviation Brigade , together with 245th Fighter - Bomber Aviation Squadron and 350th Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron . By the July 1990 , the 701st Aviation Brigade was disbanded , and squadron has became part of 97th Aviation Brigade . In that period the squadron got the nickname " Kurjaci " ( " Wolves " ) . Combat operation in Slovenia . On June 21 , 1991 , six pilots from squadron with four pilots of Montenegrin Territorial Defense were transported with helicopters to Brnik airport , which was first secure with 63rd Paratroop Battalion inside , and military police troops from outside . They have flown J - 20 Kraguj aircraft of Slovenian Territorial Defense to Cerklje Air Base , and later to Batajnica , leaving Slovenian TO without aircraft . As the war in Slovenia has started , by the order of 1st Corps of Air Force and Air Defense , squadron was relocated to Mahovljani Air Base at Banja Luka . Although the 82nd Aviation Brigade , which had aerial support as main task , was still in Slovenia , it couldn ' t be engaged because it broke on national lines , so 252nd Squadron , whose personal in 1991 was 90 % o Serbian nationality , so it was capable to give aerial support to Yugoslav People ' s Army units in Slovenia . Squadron has made its first combat operations from Mahovlajni Air Base . The most important operation was on June 30 , protecting withdrawn of 82nd Aviation Brigade , when members of squadron had several air strikes on Slovenian TO forces barricades . On July 30 , Croatian police in Kostajnica has open fire on aircraft on reconnaissance mission , and Kurijaci squadron has responded by attacking their positions , causing them huge losses . By returning from Banja Luka to Batajnica on August 11 , squadron has handed Mahovljani Air Base to 238th Fighter - Bomber Aviation Squadron , relocated from Cerklje . Combat operation in Croatia . The war in Croatia spread , but in first period Air Force had order from YPA HQ not to respond to fire from ground . On July 9 , one G - 4 has flown over Croatian National Guard barracks , and Croatian forces have open fire on aircraft , on what aircraft has respond with gunfire . Four days later , aircraft have attacked silo near Vukovar for two times after Croats have fired three rockets from there . The conflict became more serious . On July 16 , Croat forces have fired MANPAD on an G - 4 , showing that they have modern and effective air defense weapons , but pilot has managed to avoid missile with maneuver . The most serious incident from this phase of war in Croatia was on July 22 , when Croatian forces were attacking Mirkovce village . Croats have at 14 . pm lightly damaged two Jastrebs on reconnaissance mission , and later , at 5 pm , they have again attacked another pair of an G - 2 and Jastreb , this time from Croatian barracks near Novi Čankovac . One Jastreb responded firing one rocket , destroying the whole base . What is unknown is that the pilot destroying the Croat base half year later was killed because of that . The squadron again attacked Croat forces , when on July 27 the Croatian Guard and police opened fire on aircraft , which responded destroying two ammunition warehouse . In later period squadron was most engaged on reconnaissance missions and escort of withdrawing ground troops . On August 17 , by order of 5th Corps of Air Force and Air Defense , squadron has attack Stara Gradiška prison , which was later used by Banaj Luka Corps . On 24 August squadron had first aircraft lost in combat , which was hit by two 30mm guns located near one silo , in region of Vukovar . Pilot has successfully ejected and landed with parachute , and transported by local Serb villagers to nearest settlement where he was transported by Mi - 8 helicopter back to Batajnica . Combat operations were continued in rest of August , attacking Croatian Guard barracks Eastern Slavnoia . In attack on Opatovac farm and Bršadin silo , squadron has for first time act joint with fighter aircraft from 204th Fighter Aviation Regiment . By September , after short truce , the squadron continued combat actions flying over same region . From September 10 squadron joins Yugoslav People ' s Army units in battle of Vukovar , by attacking positions around brickyard , silo , water tower gas station and other . These operations were encrypted as " Vesna " and " Jesen " . Squadron strikes later in cooperation with 204th Regiment . Since beginning of war , squadron had 989 attacks on 349 objects , 6 lost aircraft and 20 damaged . Three pilots who were shot down and injured and one pilot who destroyed Croatian barracks in Novi Čakovci were awarded with The Medal of Bravery . At spring 1992 part of squadron was based at Udbina airport for two months , were it has replaced 105th Aviation Regiment , where from it had mission to support Yugoslav People ' s Army troops near Kupres . In that period squadron was reinforced with some G - 2 and G - 4 aircraft from disbanded 249th Squadron , which was at Udbina . It had combat operation again at 27 March when Croats invade Bosnia and Herzegovina . Squadron was also engaged on protection of YPA convoys withdrawing from BiH . Another one Jastreb was shot down near Bosanski Brod . Pilot has died in crash . End of war operations and peace period . In May 1992 , Yugoslav People ' s Army was officially dissolved , and 252nd Squadron has became par of " new " Air Force of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia . In this period a lot of pilots and aircraft from disbanded squadrons have arrived to squadron . There were 17 Super Galebs , 12 Jastebs , 14 Galebs and some Kraguj and Utva 66 aircraft , total 57 aircraft . Some of them have been based at Kovin and Somobr airports . By August 1992 squadron has become part of 204th Aviation Brigade , with 126th and 127th Fighter Squadrons and 352nd Reconnaissance Squadron . In this period squadron had a lot of joint exercises with fighter squadrons , which took about 40 aircraft , G - 4s with mission to attack enemy airfield , MiG - 29s as fighter protection for Super Galebs and MiG - 21s as interceptors , trying to stop attack . In 1993 bad economical situation in country reflected of Air Force too , so pilots had some 50 – 60 hours of flight unlike before war when they had up to 100 hours . Due the reorganization of Air Force , squadron has become part of 98th Aviation Brigade ( since 1997 Fighter - Bomber Aviation Regiment ) with command at Lađevci airport . By 1994 Jastreb aircraft are being withdrawn while some G - 4 were transferred from 172nd Aviation Brigade . In 1996 , the squadron was equipped with ten standard G - 4 aircraft and five N - 62T . Since September 1997 the squadron is equipped with Orao aircraft from 242nd Squadron , while seven standard Super Galebs were given to 242nd Squadron , so squadron then had nine J - 22 Orao attack aircraft , six NJ - 22 two - seat Oraos , five N - 62T and three standard G - 4s and one Utva 75 . Kosovo war and NATO attacks . As a result of the bad political situation in 1998 , and possible risk of NATO ' s aggression on FRY , on October 2 the squadron was relocated to Ponikve airport for 12 days and later returned to Batajnica . As the NATO air attacks have started by March 24 , squadron has been again engaged in combat operations . It was again relocated to Ponikve , where from it has made five combat flights in cooperation with 241st Squadron , attacking UCK positions at Čičavica mountain . Pilots were flying on extremely low level , due the total air supremacy of NATO aircraft over Kosmet and Serbia . The Ponikve airport , where most of 252nd Squadron aircraft were located was attacked by NATO for 35 times , with three carped bombings , destroying total airport infrastructure with almost 705 various bombs and missiles . A lot of Orao aircraft were destroyed . 252nd Mixed Aviation Squadron . After war , the squadron returned to also heavy damaged Batajnica Air Base . In period of one year after the war ended , squadron was not enable to fly . Most of aircraft that have survived NATO attacks were on overhaul , so the squadron has continued its main task , training by spring of 2000 . The main problem was same like in the whole air force , lack of fuel and aircraft . Same problem was following the next six years whole Air Force . By 2006 , Military of Serbia has started major reorganization , in which squadron was renamed in to 252nd Mixed Aviation Squadron , and it has become part of 204th Air Brigade , which gathered all Air Force units located at Batajnica . Now it is armed with Super Galeb and Utva 75 aircraft and Gazelle , while Orao aircraft , which have been sent to overhaul due the expiration of resources will continue their service in 241st Fighter - Bomber Aviation Squadron . 252nd School Training Aviation Squadron . December 15 , 2010 , due to new reorganization inside Serbian Air Force , squadron was renamed in to 252nd School Training Aviation Squadron . Still remains part of 204th Air Brigade located at Batajnica airfield .