[1] The squadron was raised on 15 February 1957,[5] with de Havilland Vampires, as a Ground-Attack and Close Air Support unit.

[4] The squadron operated from HAL Airport,[6] Bangalore for nearly two years before it moved to its designated locations at Sulur near Coimbatore.

[7] It is also the first fighter squadron to be part of the Southern Air Command of IAF headquarters at Thiruvananthapuram.

45 Squadron IAF responded to a request for strikes against a counter-attack by the Pakistan Army (Operation Grand Slam), and twelve Vampire Mk 52 fighter-bombers were successful in slowing the Pakistani advance.

Two MiG-21 Bison from No.45 Squadron IAF equipped with R-60 missiles intercepted and following warnings issued and hostile action shot down a Pakistan Navy reconnaissance plane.