Article Posted on : - Jun 02, 2015

KOCHI (PTI): Rear Admiral Philipose G Pynumootil has taken over as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air) on Monday.

An alumnus of the Lawrence School, Lovedale and the National Defence Academy (67th course), he was commissioned in the Indian Navy on January 1, 1986, a navy release said.

The ACNS (Air) is responsible for all the staff functions of the Air Arm of the Navy.

The Flag Officer has undergone the staff course at the DSSC, Wellington, Tamil Nadu and the higher Air Command course at the College of Air Warfare, Hyderabad.

He is a post graduate in Defence Studies and holds an M Phil (Strategic Studies). He is an alumnus of the Royal College of Defence Studies, London and attained an M A (International Relations) from Kings College, London.

A rotary wing pilot qualified on Sea King and Chetak helicopters, he has served as Flight Commander of the destroyer INS Delhi, Senior Pilot of the Marine Commando Flight and INAS 330 both based at Mumbai, and commanded the Anti-Submarine warfare (ASW) Sea King Squadron, INAS 330 which embarks on the Aircraft Carrier, the release said.

He was also the commissioning Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Station, INS Shikra at Mumbai.

The Flag Officer has extensive combat flying experience having flown during Operation Pawan, Sri Lanka in 1990 and Operation Restore Hope, Somalia in 1993.

Prior to taking over his current appointment, he served as the Principal Director of Aircraft Acquisition at IHQ MoD (Navy), New Delhi.

The Flag officer has commanded the 1241 RE corvette, INS Nashak, the missile corvette INS Kirpan and the Guided Missile Frigate INS Brahmaputra, besides doing a tenure as Executive Officer of the Guided Missile Destroyer INS Delhi.

The officer was awarded the Nao Sena Medal for his tenure in command of INS Brahmaputra.

Hailing from a service background, his (late) father, a fighter pilot retired as an Air Marshal in 1987. His elder brother was also a Naval Aviator who died in an Islander aircraft crash while at Kochi in 1985.