Air Officer In-Charge Maintenance

Air Officer In-Charge Maintenance
Flag of an Air Marshal
Incumbent
Air Marshal Venkataramanan Rajasekhar, AVSM
since 1 February 2025
Indian Air Force
TypePrincipal Staff Officer
AbbreviationAOM
Reports toChief of the Air Staff
SeatAir Headquarters, New Delhi
First holderAir Commodore MS Chaturvedi

An Air Officer-in-Charge Maintenance is one of the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) at the Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan) of the Indian Air Force. AOM oversees policy, planning and procurement related to the maintenance and logistics aspects of Indian Air Force to ensure operational readiness and technical reliability.[1][2]

Senior Officer of the rank of Air Marshal rank hold this office. Currently, Air Marshal  Venkataramanan Rajasekhar AVSM holds the AOM's office.[3]

History

The AOM position was established in the IAF after India's independence in 1947.[4] Before independence, IAF operated under the command of the Royal Air Force (RAF). Its logistical framework and maintenance works were all entrenched within RAF. With the IAF transitioning from colonial undertakings and increasingly becoming autonomous, there arose a need for senior leadership that would oversee maintenance, logistics, and technical support. This created the position for an AOM appointment.

Historical evolution

Post-independence (after 1947)

At independence, IAF inherited limited maintenance infrastructure from the British administration. Most operations were centralized and relied on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for sourcing of spare parts, technical support, and overhaul. The budding IAF started developing its repair and logistics capabilities, which the foundation for a structure maintenance command.

Organizational expansion (1950s and 1960s)

There was a rapid expansion in IAF's fleet, necessitating the need to establish a dedicated Maintenance Command, Equipment Depots (EDs), and Base Repair Depots (BRDs).[5]

Modernization and technological transition (1970s and 1980s)

With the induction of sophisticated aircraft like the MiG series into IAF, there was demand for the enhancement of technical expertise, especially in logistics and maintenance. There was further increase in the responsibilities of the AOM, including overseeing the BRDs, EDs, and collaborating with other defense organizations like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as well as the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).[6] During the period, there was focus on indigenization and self-reliance in maintenance processes, something the AOM's office spearheaded.

Streamlining and reforms (1990s)

IAF underwent structural reforms aimed at improving its efficiency and reduce the operational costs following India's economic liberalization. This was followed by a growth in AOM's portfolio, incorporating vendor development, life-cycle support, and quality assurance procedures. More emphasis was placed on adopting modern practices in inventory management, which fostered industrial partnerships for maintenance support.[7]

Technological integration and strategic partnerships (2000s–present)

AOM has significantly expanded the scope of its responsibilities to include;

  • Implementing predictive maintenance systems using data analytics and integrating AI
  • Deploying digital platforms like electronic Maintenance Management Systems (e-MMS)
  • Undertaking a comprehensive oversight over IAF's supply chain, incorporating air assets and ground support equipment
  • Engaging the private and public sectors to strengthen India's defense manufacturing ecosystems
  • Driving national initiatives like Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat in Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) domains and also in indigenized production of spare parts.

AOM continues to play a pivotal role in ensuring operational readiness and technical reliability for the IAF.[8][9] It adapts to evolving technologies and strategic requirements in peace and conflict scenarios.

Appointees

The following persons have served as AOMs in India since its inception.[10][11]

S no Photo Rank Name Took office Left office
1.    
First Air Officer In-Charge Maintenance
  		Air Commodore MS Chaturvedi 28-05-1958 31-12-1962
2.       AVM PC Lal DFC 01-01-1963 23-11-1963
3.       AVM HN Chatterjee DFC 31-12-1963 31-01-1967
4.       AVM OP Mehra PVSM 01-02-1967 28-02-1968
5.       Air Marshal OP Mehra PVSM 01-03-1968 06-08-1969
6.       Air Marshal YV Malse PVSM 07-08-1969 03-05-1972
7.       Air Marshal Maurice Barker PVSM 16-06-1972 31-03-1973
8.       Air Marshal GB Singh PVSM 01-04-1973 26-11-1974
9.       Air Marshal BSS Bedi PVSM AVSM 28-02-1975 20-07-1976
10.    Air Marshal IW Sabhaney PVSM AVSM 21-09-1976 31-08-1978
11.    Air Marshal CS Naik PVSM AVSM VSM 01-09-1978 31-08-1982
12.    Air Marshal SC Lal PVSM 01-09-1982 31-01-1985
13.    Air Marshal JS Sandha Walia PVSM VSM 01-02-1985 31-01-1986
14.    Air Marshal KS Bhatia PVSM AVSM & Bar 02-06-1986 31-10-1987
15.    Air Marshal S Chakrabarti 01-11-1987 30-04-1989
16.    Air Marshal RK Nehra PVSM VSM 08-05-1989 31-12-1990
17.    AVM AK Mukhopadhayay AVSM 01-01-1991 04-03-1991
18.    Air Marshal AK Mukhopadhayay PVSM AVSM ADC 05-03-1991 31-01-1994
19.    Air Marshal MC Uthaya PVSM ADC 01-02-1994 31-10-1995
20.    Air Marshal G Gururani PVSM AVSM VSM 03-11-1995 31-10-1996
21.    Air Marshal SS Gupta PVSM AVSM VSM ADC 01-11-1996 31-07-1997
22.    AVM PK Ghosh PVSM AVSM VSM 01-08-1997 04-02-1999
23.    Air Marshal PK Ghosh PVSM AVSM VSM 05-02-1999 23-05-1999
24.    Air Marshal TR Janakiraman PVSM AVSM 24-05-1999 31-10-2001
25.    Air Marshal VA Patkar PVSM AVSM VSM 01-11-2001 05-07-2004
26.    Air Marshal KS Chaturvedi PVSM VSM ADC 29-10-2004 15-05-2005
27.    Air Marshal BU Chengappa PVSM AVSM VSM 13-06-2005 31-12-2006
28.    Air Marshal Gautam Nayyar PVSM VSM 02-01-2007 30-11-2007
29.    Air Marshal KM Rama Sundara PVSM AVSM VSM 01-12-2007 31-01-2010
30.    Air Marshal Air Mshl J Neri PVSM AVSM VSM 01-02-2010 30-09-2011
31.    Air Marshal RK Vashisht AVSM 01-10-2011 31-03-2012
32.    Air Marshal P Kanakraj PVSM AVSM VSM ADC 01-04-2012 30-06-2013
33.    Air Marshal DS Khajuria AVSM SC 01-07-2013 30-09-2014
34.    Air Marshal Jagjeet Singh PVSM VSM ADC 01-10-2014 30-11-2014
35.    Air Marshal Sukhchain Singh AVSM VSM 01-12-2014 31-10-2015
36.    Air Marshal VM Khanna PVSM AVSM VSM 01-11-2015 30-04-2016
37.    Air Marshal PP Khandekar AVSM 01-05-2016 31-12-2016
38.    Air Marshal Sanjay Sharma AVSM 01-01-2017 28-02-2018
39.    Air Marshal RKS Shera PVSM AVSM VSM ADC 01-03-2018 31-01-2019
40.    Air Marshal JK Singh AVSM VSM 01-02-2019 30-06-2019
41.    Air Marshal S Choudhary PVSM AVSM VSM ADC 01-07-2019 31-12-2019
42.    Air Marshal Vibhas Pande PVSM AVSM VSM 01-01-2020 13-06-2022
43.    Air Marshal Alok Singh AVSM VSM 01-07-2022 30-06-2023
44.    Air Marshal CR Mohan AVSM VSM 01-07-2023 31-10-2024
45.    Air Marshal AK Arora AVSM VSM 01-11-2024 31-01-2025
46.    Air Marshal Venkataramanan Rajasekhar AVSM 01‑02‑2025 Incumbent

See also

Chief of the Air Staff

Vice Chief of the Air Staff

Maintenance Command

References

  1. ^ "PSO: Maintenance, Air HQ, Indian Air Force - Database". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  2. ^ Singh, Harmeet (2024-11-02). "Air Marshal Ajay Kumar Arora is Air Officer-in-Charge Maintenance of IAF". ADU - Aviation Defence Universe. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  3. ^ Sharma, Shubam (2020-08-25). "The Glorious Journey of the Indian Air Force - DefenceXP". DefenceXP - Indian Defence Network. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  4. ^ "Ministry of Defence". www.pib.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2024-10-08. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  5. ^ "Maintenance Command, Indian Air Force - Database". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  6. ^ "We Have Achieved 95 Per Cent Self-Reliance In Daily Requirements : Indian Air Force". Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  7. ^ "Air Power and the IAF's Strategic Transformation". MP-IDSA. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  8. ^ Singh, Dalip (2024-11-03). "IAF moving towards automation of aircraft maintenance". BusinessLine. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  9. ^ "IAF's Maintenance Commander stresses engagement with academia, start-ups". The Indian Express. 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  10. ^ "PSO: Maintenance, Air HQ, Indian Air Force - Database". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  11. ^ "Air Marshal Arora takes charge as IAF Air Officer-in-Charge Maintenance". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
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