New Delhi, Oct. 15 -- The chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, who superannuates at the end of October, flew his last fighter-jet sortie on an indigenous LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Tejas on Oct 12.

A distinguished pilot who has flown more than 5,000 hours in different aircraft, Singh is also an accomplished test-pilot who validated the Tejas at HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) in Bengaluru in the critical design phase .

Air power is a critical element of India's comprehensive military strength, and Air Chief Marshal AP Singh has often drawn attention to the challenges the nation must address if this capability is to safeguard national security.

The air chief used his final public appearances to state the obvi...