New Delhi
Air Marshal P.V. Naik Tuesday assumed office as the vice chief of
the Indian Air Force (IAF). He succeeds Air Marshal B.N. Gokhale who
has retired.
Simultaneously, Air Marshal P.K. Barbora Monday took over as Air
Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the premier Western Air Command from
Air Marshal P.S. Ahluwalia, who too retired.
Naik, who is likely to become the IAF chief when the incumbent Air
Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major retires in March 2009, was born July
22, 1949 at Nagpur. He is a graduate of the Sainik School Satara,
the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College and
the National Defence College.
Commissioned in the fighter stream June 21, 1969, Naik, during his
distinguished career of 38 years in the IAF, has flown all MiG-21
variants and MiG-23-BNs. He is a qualified flying instructor and a
fighter combat leader.
He has held many important command and staff appointments. These
include the command of a MiG-21 Bis Squadron at Pathankot, chief
operations officer at Bareilly, and as one of the directing staff at
the Tactics and Combat Development Establishment (TACDE).
Among his other appointments have been air defence commander of the
South Western Air Command and director general of the Air Force
Naval Housing Board. He has commanded IAF bases in Srinagar and
Bidar.
Naik has functioned as senior air staff officer (SASO) at the
Western Air Command and as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the
Central Air Command prior to taking over his present appointment.
Naik was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for distinguished
service Jan 26, 2003 and appointed honorary ADC to the Indian
president July 25, 2007.
Air Marshal P.K. Barbora was born in December 1950 in Shillong and
commissioned as a fighter pilot in June 1970. He is a very
experienced flier and has flown over 3,500 hours. He also took part
in the 1971 war with Pakistan.
A qualified flying instructor and a fighter combat leader, Barbora
has also served in TACDE and the Air Combat Development
Establishment (ACDE). He has served two tenures in the Directorate
of Air Staff Inspection at Air Headquarters. He is a graduate of the
College of Combat, Mhow.
During his service career, Barbora has had the distinction of being
part of the team that formed first squadron of Jaguar fighters and
also inducting the air combat simulator, the first of its kind in
Asia, into the IAF.
He has held many operational assignments like commanding officer of
a MiG-21 Squadron and of the Air Combat Simulator Unit, chief
operations officer of a fighter wing, and as air officer commanding
of a premier fighter station.
Barbora has served as air attaché at the Indian embassy in Moscow,
as assistant chief of integrated defence staff (Perspective Plans
and Force Structure), and as assistant chief of air staff
(Inspection) at Air Headquarters.
Boloji.com is owned and managed by Boloji Media Inc Privacy Policy |
Disclaimer
No part of this Internet site may
be reproduced without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
