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Indian Air Force has appointed Air Marshal Sandeep Singh as the next IAF Vice Chief. He will succeed Air Marshal VR Chaudhari, who will take over as the Chief of Air Staff on September 30.
About Air Marshal Sandeep Singh
Joined IAF in December 1983: Air Marshal Sandeep Singh was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot on December 22, 1983.
Sword of Honor: Air Marshal Sandeep Singh is also a recipient of the ‘Sword of Honour’ for standing first in the overall order of merit in his course.
4000+ Hours of Flying Experience: He has experience of flying for over 4,150 hours and is qualified to fly on Su-30 MkI, Mig-29 and Mig-21 aircraft.
Qualified Flying Instructor: Air Marshal Sandeep Singh is a qualified flying instructor in the A2 category and an exceptional test pilot. He has been the flight commander of a Mig-21 Squadron and an instructor at the Air Force Test Pilots School.
READ MORE: Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari Will Be Next IAF Chief
Air Marshal Sandeep Singh has also been the project test pilot with the 1AF Su-30 project team in Russia and is presently the commanding officer of a Su-30 Mk-1 Squadron. As a test pilot with the Su-30 project team in Russia, he was instrumental in evolving the navigation, display and weapon employment logic of Su-30 Mk I aircraft.
With his operational flying experience, professional knowledge and analytical approach, Air Marshal Sandeep Singh also spearheaded the integration team of Indian, Russian and Western specialists to ensure the success of the Su-30 Mk 1 project.
Air Marshal Sandeep Singh Honours and decorations
During his career, Sandeep Singh was commended by the Chief of Air Staff and has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (VM), the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2013.
Service Record for Air Marshal Sandeep Singh
- Squadron Leader: 22 Dec 1994
- Wing Commander : 15 May 2000
- Group Captain : 17 Mar 2007
- Air Commodore: 30 Dec 2010
- Air Vice Marshal : 01 Jul 2014
- Air Marshal : 01 Jan 2019
- C-in-C : 01 May 2021