| Details : | Group Captain Surender Malik (24490-S) F(P) was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force on 21 Jun 97. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) with over 3430 hours of flying experience. He has been Flight Commander of an M-2000 Squadron, Station Aerospace Safety & Inspection Officer (SASIO) of a Wing and is an alumnus of Defence Services Command and Staff College, Bangladesh. He successfully commanded a Mirage Squadron. As Commanding Officer, he maintained high operational readiness of Sqn and with special emphasis on role oriented training by night. He ensured that required standards are achieved by all concemed. The Sqn under his command flew 3220 accident free hours and 34% of which was flown by night. He ensured optimum utilization of limited flying hours in M-2000 Sqn to maintain high Operations status. The Sqn participated in 17 flying detachments and 37 exercises. He ensured 76 aircrew role upgradations and 191R upgradations. The Sqn was graded 'AV Plus' in Directorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI) all aspects. The Sqn won the team event for Night MAR in Exercise Eklavya. The Sqn effectively reduced the sortie durations and enhanced multi tasking to maintain more that 70% of aircrew at Fully Operations status. He effectively supervised the recommencement of air to air gun firing in M-2000. During his tenure, HUD recoding on M-2000 was enabled at Sqn level and was operationalised towards better training value. The Sqn undertook three detachments from Saifai airfield and prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) towards operations from civil satellite airfields. He was leader for three aircraft highway landing at Agra-Lucknow expressway in 2016. The Sqn participated in Exercise Iron Fist 2016 in two events and he was leader for 5 x 250 kg CDA event. During his tenure, the Sqn focused on the effective Operational utilization of standoff precession weapons like Crystal Maze/ Spice-2000 against HQ-9/Spada SAM systems and submitted papers on their Operational employability. The Sqn met all its operational commitments and achieved good upgradation of Operational status of all aircrew. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to duty) to Group Captain Surender Malik . |
