Air Marshal

Air marshal is a three-star air officer rank in the Indian Air Force. It is the second-highest active rank in the Indian Air Force. Air marshal ranks above the two-star rank of air vice marshal and below the four-star rank of air chief marshal, which is held by the Chief of the Air Staff. The equivalent rank in the Indian Army is lieutenant general and in the Indian Navy is vice admiral. Officers in the rank of air marshal hold important appointments at the air commands and at the air headquarters. History From 1947 to 1966, the appointment of Chief of the Air Staff, the professional head of the Indian Air Force was held by an air marshal. The position of the CAS was upgraded from air marshal to air chief marshal in 1966. The first IAF officer to hold the rank was ACM Arjan Singh (later promoted to the five-star rank of marshal of the Indian Air Force) who was promoted to the rank while he served as the CAS. Air commanders (C-in-C grade)