New Delhi: Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria is set to be the new Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF). He is currently serving as Vice Chief of Air staff. The government has decided to appoint Bhadauria for the post as a Defence Ministry spokesperson said in a post on Twitter on Thursday. The current IAF Chief BS Dhanoa is completing his tenure on September 30. Bhadauria will take up the top job after Dhanoa's retirement.

Bhadauria assumed charge as Vice Chief of IAF on May 1this year, after the superannuation of Air Marshal Anil Khosla. He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on June 15, 1980, with the Sword of Honour. He has more than 4,250 hours of flying and has experience in 26 different types of fighters. He has also held several key operational and administrative positions at various stages of his service, including Commander of a Jaguar Squadron at a front line base in South-Western sector, Commanding Officer of Flight Test Squadron at Aircraft and System Testing Establishment. He also played a very important role during contract negotiations for 36 Rafale jets with Dassault Aviation.