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Air Commodore BS Vijay Rao Takes Charge of Palam Base Repair Depot

Air Commodore B.S. Vijay Rao has officially taken over as the Air Officer Commanding of the Base Repair Depot in Palam, New Delhi. An experienced officer commissioned in 1995, he brings expertise from key engineering, staff, and project management roles. In a separate development, the Southern Air Command successfully executed a complex joint maritime exercise named "Kalari Leap" in the Lakshadweep region. The exercise involved multiple aircraft and assets, and included a mass casualty management drill.

Key Points: Air Commodore BS Vijay Rao Commands Palam Base Repair Depot

  • New AOC assumes command
  • Over 30 years of IAF service
  • VSM award recipient
  • Joint exercise Kalari Leap conducted
  • Mass casualty drill part of exercise
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Air Commodore BS Vijay Rao assumes command of Palam Base Repair Depot

Air Commodore BS Vijay Rao assumes command of Palam Base Repair Depot. The IAF also conducted a high-tempo joint exercise, Kalari Leap, in Lakshadweep.

"He is the recipient of the Presidential award of Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for distinguished service - Defence Ministry statement"

New Delhi, March 1

Air Commodore B.S. Vijay Rao assumed command of 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 27 November 1995, Air Commodore Vijay Rao brings with him over three decades of distinguished service, said the Ministry official 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, it said.

During his career, he has held key field, staff and Project Management appointments, including Chief Engineering Officer of a premier base.

He has also served at Air Headquarters in important appointments in the Operations, Maintenance and Plans branches, contributing to 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 associated with 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, said the statement.

In a separate development, 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 Armed Forces Special Operations Division (AFSOD) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on February 24.

"Air Ops formed a critical component of the exercise, with employment of assets like An-32, Mi-17 V5 and Su-30MKI. The Indian Coast Guard deployed its ships and Gemini boats. Its Dornier 228 aircraft was employed for search and rescue missions and shepherding the Fighters, for the maritime strike," said a statement.

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 exercise "Kalari Leap".

A Mass Casualty Management drill was conducted as a part of exercise Kalari Leap by HQ SAC on February 24. "Simulated battle casualties were evacuated from Agatti to Thiruvananthapuram by an An-32, modified in the Air ambulance role," said a post on social media.

On landing at Thiruvananthapuram, casualties were triaged, treated and evacuated to nearby military and civil hospitals, it said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Impressive credentials. An Electrical Engineer with an MBA and the NDC course. It's good to see such qualified leadership in our defence forces. The Kalari Leap exercise also sounds very comprehensive.
P
Priyanka N
Heartening to read about the joint exercise in Lakshadweep. In today's security environment, such high-tempo drills involving all three services and Coast Guard are crucial. The mass casualty drill shows good planning for real scenarios.
R
Rohit P
While appointments are good, I hope the focus remains on actual outcomes. The Palam BRD handles critical repairs. We need to reduce turnaround times and improve serviceability rates of aircraft. That's the real test for any AOC.
K
Karthik V
VSM awardee! That speaks volumes. His background in project management for acquisition and sustainment is key. Jai Hind to the officer and all personnel involved in the Kalari Leap exercise. 🫡
M
Michael C
The article neatly combines a leadership change with operational readiness news. The use of An-32 as an air ambulance in the drill is a smart, practical use of existing assets. Shows adaptability.

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