NEW DELHI, May 20 (IANS): India Friday named Air Marshal N.A.K. Browne, an ace MiG-21 and Sukhoi fighter pilot, as the next chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Government officials told IANS that Browne, who is the present IAF vice chief, was cleared to head the air force by the Cabinet Committee on Appointments recently. He will succeed present chief Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, who will retire in July.
Commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on June 24, 1972, Browne has flown a variety of fighter jets, including the vintage Hunter, all variants of MiG-21s, Jaguar and SU-30MKI.
He has earlier served as the commander of the Delhi-based Western Air Command, IAF's sword arm. He was also the deputy chief of air staff handling the IAF operations at the air headquarters.
A National Defence Academy alumnus, Browne has also instructed at Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) at Wellington in Tamil Nadu and at the Tactics and Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) in Gwalior.
