The Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) is the principal deputy and
second-in-command
Second-in-command (2i/c or 2IC) is a title denoting that the holder of the title is the second-highest authority within a certain organisation.
Usage
In the British Army or Royal Marines, the second-in-command is the deputy commander of a unit, f ...
of the
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) (; ) is the aerial warfare branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces, tasked primarily with the aerial defence of Pakistan, with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Navy when re ...
, reporting under the
Chief of the Air Staff.
Before Mohammad Akhtar's appointment, the position was called Chief of Staff. When he took over, it was renamed Deputy Chief of Air Staff, and in 1979, it became Vice Chief of Staff, typically held by an
Air Marshal, a
three-star rank
Military star ranking is military terminology, used in mainly English speaking countries, to describe general and flag officers. Within NATO's armed forces, the stars are equal to OF-6–10.
Star ranking
One-star
A one-star rank is usual ...
air force officer, who is responsible for flight safety, intelligence, procurement, public relations, and the
PAF Air War College
PAF Air War College Institute is the Pakistan Air Forces academic establishment located at PAF Base Faisal providing training and education primarily to mid-career officers of the air force as well as a limited number of officers from Pakistan ...
.
List of Vice Chiefs of the Air Staff
Each individual listed below has held the same position, which was titled Chief of Staff (C.O.S.) from 1948 to 1964, Deputy Chief of Air Staff (DCAS) from 1964 to 1979, with the exception of Stephen Aratoon Yusaf, who served as Chief of Staff from 1969 to 1970 alongside DCAS
Khyber Khan
Mohammad Khyber Khan (15 March 1924 — 7 July 2007) was a Pakistani former two-star rank air officer and among the pioneer officers of the Pakistan Air Force, a fighter pilot, aerobatic pilot and diplomat.
Asghar Khan and Khyber Khan were con ...
. Since 1979, the position has been titled Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS).
See also
*
Vice Chief of the Army Staff (Pakistan)
*
Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (Pakistan)
The Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS) is the post that is, in principle, the deputy and the second-in-command (S-in-C) of the Pakistan Navy and is also the most senior Staff officer, Principal Staff Officer (PSO) at Naval Headquarters (Pakis ...
References
{{Pakistan Air Force template
Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force appointments