The Ministry of Defence has decided to appoint Air Vice Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhaduaria as the next Chief of Air Staff, the Ministry of Defence said on Thursday.

Air Marshal Rakesh Bhadauria took over as Vice Chief on May 1. He was the seniormost officer after current Air Chief Dhanoa. 

He flew the Rafale earlier this year in France. 

He was  commissioned into the Fighter Stream of Indian Air Force in June 1980, and has held various Command, Staff and Instructional Appointments at various levels including the present one as Vice Chief of Air Staff.

This Air Officer is decorated with PVSM, AVSM, VM and he is one of the ADCs to the supreme Commander.

The incumbent BS Dhanoa is set to retire on September 30.  As a fighter pilot, the IAF chief had played an important role in the 1999 Kargil war where he was commanding the 17 Squadron flying the MiG-21s. His deputy, Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, was shot down by Pakistani ground troops while he went to search and locate Flt Lt Nachiketa whose plane had also gone down.