New Delhi, June 3 (IANS): Air Marshal Ravinder Kumar Dhir has taken over as the new head of the Indian Air Force's Gandhinagar-based South Western Air Command, an official statement said on Wednesday.

An alumnus of National Defence Academy Khadakwasala, Air Marshal Dhir was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF in 1979 and has clocked over 3,200 hours on more than 25 types of aircraft in his career spanning over 36 years.

A qualified flying instructor, and experimental test pilot, he was instrumental in providing valuable inputs to the Light Combat Aircraft project. He was the project test pilot of the MiG-21's BISON upgrade project team at Russia and later commanded the first Bison squadron at Ambala, as well as later a frontline operational airbase.

He has served as the principal director, air staff requirements at Air HQs, and then was technical manager (air) in the defence ministry's acquisition wing.

He has served twice earlier at South Western Air Command - as air defence Commander and senior air staff officer (SASO). Before his present appointment, he was the SASO at the Southern Air Command at Thiruvananthapuram.