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Ace fighter and test pilot Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff and will assume his new charge on July 1.
Presently, serving as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) at Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff, the officer has played a key role in enhancing the jointness in the defence forces as they move towards Theaterisation. Air Marshal Dixit has also been instrumental in promoting indigenous fighter projects in the Air Force during his different stints in the Air Headquarters. He has also played a key role in modernisation of the force. The Air Marshal was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 06, 1986. He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla; Defence Services Staff College (Bangladesh) and National Defence College, New Delhi. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and Experimental Test Pilot with over 3,300 hours of flying experience on over 20 types of aircraft, including Mirage-2000, MiG-21 & Jaguar. Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit also commanded a premier Fighter Training Base in the Southern Sector, where his leadership led to the base being adjudged the best in the Command. As a test pilot and later Commanding Officer of the Flight Test Squadron at Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment, Bengaluru, he was involved in several indigenous upgrades and development programmes, including the avionics upgrades for Jaguar & MiG-27. As Director of Air Staff Requirements, he played a key role in the planning and conduct of the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft trials. (ANI)
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