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Kudos! Setting an example of leading from the front, new Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa in a rare gesture flew solo in a MiG-21! The Air Chief Marshal flew MiG-21 Type-96 aircraft solo, at the forward base in Utarlai in Rajasthan. This was his first such flight after assuming charge as IAF chief. MiG-21 Type-96 aircraft is the oldest fighter fleet in the IAF inventory. Here are some choicest images from his flight:
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Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa flew the same type of aircraft during Kargil Operations and carried out many night strike missions in the mountainous terrain.
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He has been awarded a Yudh Sewa Medal for these gallant acts. He has also been awarded a Vayusena Medal (VM) in 1999, and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2015 by the President of India.
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The new IAF chief is visiting the forward air base in the western sector to assess operational readiness and review the morale of the personnel stationed there.
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Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa took over from Arup Raha, whose terms ended on December 31, 2016. He was commissioned in the IAF in June 1978 as a fighter pilot and is an alumnus of Rashtriya Indian Military College, the National Defence Academy and the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.
