Air Marshal Suresh new IAF personnel chief

Air Marshal B. Suresh on Sunday assumed charge as the Indian Air Force's Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel (AOP) at Air Headquarters.

A graduate of the Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun and National Defence Academy, Kharakvasla, he was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the IAF in December 1980.

A graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and a post graduate of Britain's Cranfield University, Suresh is also a graduate of the IAF's Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE).

A highly experienced fighter pilot who has flown a variety of fighter aircraft and helicopters, he has held a number of staff appointments that include Director Operations (Joint Planning), Directing Staff (TACDE), Air Assistant to Chief of Air Staff and Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Air Defence).

He was presently the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at the Western Air Command here, and is replaced in the post by Air Marshal N.J.S. Dhillon, who was so far Air Defence Commander in the Southern Air Command.

A graduate of National Defence Academy, Defence Service Staff College, and National Defence College, Dhillon was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force in December 1981.

He has over 3,700 hours accident-free flying to his credit including 3,100 hours on all variants of MiG-21 aircraft.

Dhillon topped the Fighter Strike Leader Course at TACDE and also served as Directing Staff there as of Head of Training and Deputy Commandant.

He has commanded a MiG-21 Squadron, has been the COO of a premier flying base and commanded an operational fighter base. He also commanded a helicopter base in DR Congo as part of UN Peace Keeping Mission.

He also held the appointment of Principal Director Air Defence at Air Headquarters and Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Inspection).

--IANS

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