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The process of modernisation [of the IAF] is going on at a fast rate, and I am not aware of any air force doing so in 15 years… We have to be [reaching] wherever the country's strategic interests are,” he said at apress conference, ahead of the Air Force Day that falls on October 8. Its traditional strategic sphere lay between the Gulf of Aden and the Straits of Malacca; but with India's global footprint expanding, the IAF should be ready to serve wherever India's strategic interests rested, he said.
Air Chief Marshal Browne said the IAF would reach its sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons by 2022 — it now has 34 squadrons — and commercial bids for the 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft should be opened by month-end.
Livefist: Why Did HAL's Veteran Chief Test Pilot Kill Himself?
A question troubling Squadron Leader (Retd) Baldev Singh's many friends in the flying fraternity and air force. There is no information so far on a suicide note. Investigations are currently on, and it's too early to speculate on what happened: was it work pressure (Singh was recently elevated to the position of a Director at HAL), was it something personal. I've interacted with Sqn Ldr Singh on a few occasions since 2004, but I cannot say that I knew him well. I did speak to six people who either knew him well or worked closely with him, and all describe him as a soft-spoken, sober, self-effacing gentleman. My condolences to his family. And I will post, as and when I get more information on this deeply tragic turn of events. R.I.P
Rest in Peace, Sqn Ldr (Retd) Baldev Singh
Tarmak007 -- A bold blog on Indian defence: R.I.P. Baldy
---------- Post added at 05:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:46 PM ----------
Livefist: HAL Chief Test Pilot Found Dead. Suicide?
Shocking news. HAL's chief test pilot (fixed wing) and recently made Director (Corporate Planning & Marketing) Squadron Leader (Retd) Baldev Singh was found dead this morning. Possible suicide. He was apparently on holiday in Karnataka's Nandi Hills, where his body was found. More details shortly. R.I.P.
An official profile released recently: Sqn Ldr Singh took over as Director (Corporate Planning & Marketing) at HAL in August. Before that, he was Executive Director Flight Operations and the Chief Test Pilot (Fixed Wing) at HAL's Bangalore Complex.
Singh was involved with the LCA Programme from 1990 onwards and was deputed to the Aeronautical Development Agency for this purpose. On the LCA programme he worked extensively on the development and flight testing of the flight control laws of the Light Combat aircraft. He carried out the flight evaluation of these flight control laws at the Real Time simulator at BAE Wharton in UK followed by the flight evaluation of these control laws on the F-16, Lear Jet and NT-33 aircraft in the US.
Singh had extensive test flying experience on five prototype programmes and carried out the first flights of the HANSA aircraft and the Intermediate Jet Trainer. He has a Total Flight Test Experience of over 6000 hrs on over 55 different types of aircraft. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and holds a diploma in Aviation Flight Safety from the Naval Post Graduate College, Monterey Bay, California, USA.
He joined the National Defence Academy in 1970 and graduated from the academy in December 1972 and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in June 1973 as a fighter pilot.
After doing operational flying on Hunter, MiG-21 and MiG-23 aircraft, he qualified as a Flight Instructor in July 1983, and was posted to Air Force Academy at Hyderabad for Instructional Flying Duties on the Kiran Aircraft. In 1984 he did his experimental test pilots course and was deputed to HAL in 1986. He retired from the Indian Air Force in 1989 and joined HAL.
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