The current Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria will take over as the new Indian Air Force Chief next month after the retirement of Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, on 30th September 2019.
Bhadauria was the deputy chief in India’s negotiations to strike the Rs 59,000-crore Rafale deal with France.
Air Mshl RKS Bhadauria PVSM AVSM VM ADC will take over as 26th Chief of the Air Staff.
He will be taking over the command from the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee & Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Mshl BS Dhanoa PVSM AVSM YSM VM ADC, who is due to retire end of the month. pic.twitter.com/8uWevAGMpD— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) September 19, 2019
Commissioned into the fighter stream of Indian Air Force in June 1980, Bhadauria has held various commands, staff and instructional appointments at various levels including the present one as Vice Chief of Air Staff.
Air Mshl Bhadauria was commissioned in fighter stream of IAF on 15 Jun 1980 & was recipient of ‘Sword of Honour’. He has over 4250 hrs of flying on 26 types of fighters & transport aircraft. He has been the AOC-in-C for two commands & has been overseeing IAF Operations as VCAS. pic.twitter.com/Uh2LnZ7fSd
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) September 19, 2019
Apart from commanding the Jaguar Squadron and a major air force station on the south-western border, he has also been the commanding officer of the flight test squadron at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment. This institute had conducted the initial flights of LCA Tejas, India’s first indigenous fighter aircraft.
Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria was among the first Indian Air Force officers to fly Rafale fighter jet.
He commanded Flight Test Squadron at Aircraft & System Testing Establishment (ASTE) & was the Project Director of National Flight Test Centre on Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project. As DCAS, he was instrumental in the finalisation of contract of Rafale aircraft for IAF. pic.twitter.com/hH9cuXFska
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) September 19, 2019
He is considered to be one of the finest pilots in the IAF and has flown more than 27 fighter and transport aircraft so far. With 4250 hours of experience in flying 26 types of fighter and cargo aircraft, Bhadauria is a certified flying instructor, an attack instructor of CAT ‘A’ category and an experimental test pilot.
Bhadauria is decorated with Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), the Vayu Sena Medal(VSM) and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal(PVSM). He was appointed honorary Aide De Campe(ADC) to the President of India in January.
Among various top positions in the IAF, Bhadauria was also the Commandant of the National Defense Academy (NDA), where he recieved ‘Sword of Honour’. He also served as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff at Air Force Headquarters at the Indian Embassy in Moscow.
The appointment of the new IAF chief announced by the defence ministry on Thursday comes three weeks ahead of the Air Force Day on 8 October.
Also Read: Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa Flies MiG-21 With Wg Cdr Abhinandan For One Last Time
