A fighter pilot who played a key role in advancing the country's indigenous combat aircraft programmes and modernisation efforts in the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff.
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who is currently serving as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, will assume charge as Vice Chief of the Air Staff on July 1, reports news agency ANI.
Over the course of his career, Air Marshal Dixit has been closely associated with various indigenous aircraft development and upgrade programmes. As a test pilot and later Commanding Officer of the Flight Test Squadron at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bengaluru, he was involved in a number of indigenous upgrades, including avionics modernisation programmes for the Jaguar and MiG-27 fighter aircraft.
According to a report by the ANI, he also played an important role in shaping the future combat capabilities of the IAF. As Director of Air Staff Requirements, he was closely involved in the planning and conduct of the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) trials, one of the most significant fighter acquisition programmes undertaken by the IAF.
During his various tenures at Air Headquarters, Air Marshal Dixit was instrumental in promoting indigenous fighter aircraft projects and supporting the Air Force's modernisation plans. His efforts contributed to the push for greater self-reliance in military aviation and the integration of advanced technologies into the force.
Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986, Air Marshal Dixit is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, the Defence Services Staff College in Bangladesh and the National Defence College in New Delhi.
A qualified flying instructor and an experimental test pilot, Air Marshal Dixit has logged more than 3,300 flying hours on over 20 types of aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, MiG-21 and Jaguar.
With extensive experience in fighter operations, flight testing, capability development and force modernisation, Air Marshal Dixit will take over as the Indian Air Force's second-highest-ranking officer at a time when the service is pursuing major modernisation and indigenous capability-building initiatives.
