Air Marshal K D Singh is new SWAC AOC-in-C

Gandhinagar, May 1 (UNI) Air Marshal Kunwar Dalinderjit Singh took charge as the new Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of South Western Air Command (SWAC) today.

He succeeds Air Marshal P K Mehra who superannuated on April 30.

On his arrival at HQ SWAC in Gandhinagar, the new AOC-in-C was presented a 'Guard of Honour' and later was introduced to the Command Officers by the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO). He also addressed all officers of the Command HQ.

Air Marshal Singh was commissioned as a fighter pilot in June 1970. A graduate from National Defence Academy, the Air Marshal is also an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and National Defence College, New Delhi.

With over 4300 hrs of flying, mostly on fighter aircraft, he has the unique experience of being a Forward Air Controller with the Indian Army during the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. A qualified flying instructor, he was deputed to the Iraqi Air Force as an instructor for two years in 1982.

He has commanded a frontline fighter squadron and has been Chief Operations Officer of a fighter base as well as Chief Instructor (Flying) at the Air Force Academy. He has served with the Aircrew Examination Board, inspecting fighter squadrons and pilots for instrument flying procedures and categories.

The Air Marshal has commanded Air Force Station Bidar, a premier flying training base in Training Command, and Air Force Station Palam and held other appointments such Joint Director Plans, Principal Director Training (Flying) at the Air HQ, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Personnel of Officers) at Air HQ Vayu Bhavan, New Delhi, and was till present, the SASO, Central Air Command, Allahabad since March 1, 2006.

The Air Marshal was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2000 for exceptional devotion to duty.

UNI