New Delhi, March 1 – Air Commodore B.S. Vijay Rao assumed command of the Base Repair Depot, Palam, New Delhi, as the Air Officer Commanding on Sunday, a Defence Ministry official said.
Commissioned into the Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics) Branch of the Indian Air Force on November 27, 1995, Air Commodore Vijay Rao brings with him over three decades of distinguished service, the official said in a statement.
An Electrical Engineer and an Executive MBA, he is an alumnus of the prestigious National Defence College and the Army War College, the statement added.
During his career, he has held key field, staff, and project management appointments, including that of Chief Engineering Officer of a premier base.
He has also served at Air Headquarters in important positions in the Operations, Maintenance, and Plans branches, contributing to the modernisation, acquisition, and sustainment programmes of the Indian Air Force.
The Air Officer has represented the Indian Air Force in professional assignments abroad and has been involved in major upgrade and technology transfer programmes with global aerospace organisations.
He is the recipient of the Presidential award of Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for distinguished service, the statement said.
In a separate development, the Headquarters Southern Air Command (SAC) successfully conducted a high-tempo joint maritime exercise “Kalari Leap” in the Lakshadweep and Minicoy archipelago, along with forces from the Armed Forces Special Operations Division (AFSOD) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on February 24.
"Air Ops formed a critical component of the exercise, with the use of assets such as the An-32, Mi-17 V5, and Su-30MKI. The Indian Coast Guard deployed its ships and Gemini boats. Its Dornier 228 aircraft was used for search and rescue missions and for supporting the fighters during maritime strikes," a statement said.
The Headquarters of Southern Air Command (HQ SAC) acknowledged the support from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Agatti, and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep (UTLA) Administration for their support, proactive assistance, and seamless facilitation towards the successful execution of the "Kalari Leap" exercise.
A Mass Casualty Management drill was conducted as part of the "Kalari Leap" exercise by HQ SAC on February 24. "Simulated battle casualties were evacuated from Agatti to Thiruvananthapuram by an An-32, modified for use as an air ambulance," a social media post stated.
Upon landing in Thiruvananthapuram, the casualties were triaged, treated, and evacuated to nearby military and civil hospitals, it added.