NEW DELHI: Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, an ace fighter pilot and test aviator who currently heads the tri-service Integrated Defence Staff, will take over as the Indian Air Force’s vice-chief on July 1, becoming the senior-most serving Air Marshal when Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh retires later this year.
A qualified flying instructor and experimental test pilot, Air Marshal Dixit has logged over 3,300 flying hours on more than 20 types of aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, MiG-21 and Jaguar, during a career spanning almost four decades.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he has held a range of operational, command and staff appointments that have placed him at the centre of some of the IAF’s key modernisation and capability-development efforts.
One of his most notable assignments came with the Mirage-2000 fleet. As commanding officer of a squadron undergoing re-equipping, he oversaw the induction of the fighter aircraft and led the acceptance and ferry flights of new Mirages from France to India. He was also associated with refining mission-planning systems for the aircraft, which were later employed during operational deployments and overseas exercises.
As commander of the Flight Test Squadron, he was closely involved in upgrade programmes for the Jaguar and MiG-27 fighters, helping enhance their operational capabilities and extend their service life. His background as a test pilot also saw him serve as an instructor at the Air Force Test Pilots School.
Air Marshal Dixit later played a key role in one of the IAF’s most important fighter acquisition programmes. As Director Air Staff Requirements (MMRCA), he was involved in the technical evaluation and field trials of six contenders in the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft competition, a process that eventually culminated in the induction of the Rafale fighters.
He subsequently served in several senior appointments, including Deputy Chief of Air Staff, where he was associated with capability development, force modernisation and procurement programmes. As Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, he has been involved in efforts to strengthen integration and jointness among the Army, Navy and Air Force as the military pursues structural reforms and theatre command proposals.
He assumes the IAF’s second-highest appointment at a time when the force is balancing operational requirements with ongoing modernisation programmes, including the induction of new combat platforms and indigenous aerospace projects.