Air Marshal B N Gokhale retires with last flight on SU-30 MKI
Air Marshal B N Gokhale PVSM AVSM VM ADC, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, has flown the most powerful fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force - the Sukhoi 30 MKI in Pune, today.
The Air Mshl got commissioned in June 1968 in the fighter stream. He began his flying career on Vampire aircraft at Pune which was then one of the front line fighter aircraft. On the eve of his retirement the Air Marshal was at Pune, today. This sortie in Su 30 MKI marked the end of the most illustrious career as a fighter pilot.
Air Marshal Bhushan Nilkanth Gokhale took over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff at Air Headquarters on November 1, 2006. He succeeded Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani who retired after 40 years of distinguished service in the Indian Air Force.
He has flown over 3500 hours on a variety of combat and trainer aircraft. The Air Marshal has seen active operations during the 1971 Indo-Pak hostilities. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader from the prestigious Tactics and Combat Development Establishment.
Air Marshal Gokhale has held a variety of operational and staff appointments during his career. His operational assignments include command of a frontline fighter squadron, Chief Operations Officer of an operational base and command of a premier air base. The staff appointments include tenure as Directing Staff at the Defence Services Staff College and as an Inspector at the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection, Air Headquarters. The Air Marshal has had assignments abroad as Flying Instructor in Iraq and as Indian Defence Attaché, Cairo. He has functioned as Air Advisor to Chief of the Air Staff, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Operations) and Senior Air Staff Officer of Training Command. As Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Operations, the Air Marshal had played an important role in planning and execution of air operations, including “Op Parakram”. Prior to his present assignment Air Marshal Gokhale was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Training Command.
The Air Marshal is graduate of the Defence Service Staff College, an alumnus of the Air War College, USA and a Fellow of Aeronautical Society of India. He is a recipient of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Vayu Sena Medal.
You must be logged in to post a comment.