@2025 – All Right Reserved with CASS Lahore.
Air Marshal Irfan Ahmad, HI(M) (Retd), a highly decorated officer with 36 years in the Pakistan Air Force, brings vast expertise in operational command, strategic planning, instructional leadership, and policy development across key national and international assignments.
He holds a Master’s degree in Security Studies from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and an MPhil in Public Policy & Security Management. He is also an alumnus of the Air Force Command College in Beijing and the National Defence University, Islamabad.
Commissioned from the PAF Academy in 1988, he has flown a wide range of fighter and trainer aircraft and is a graduate of the prestigious Combat Commanders’ School. During his career, Air Marshal Ahmad commanded a Fighter Squadron, a Flying Wing, two Operational Air Bases, and an Operational Air Command. His instructional assignments included training on the F-16 and teaching at elite institutions.
At Air Headquarters, Islamabad, he held key staff appointments including Director of Operations, Director General (Projects), Director General Welfare & Rehabilitation, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (OR&D), and Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Projects).
His service has been recognised with numerous honors, including the Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military), Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military), Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Military), and the gallantry award, Imtiaz Sanad.
Publications of Irfan Ahmed:
In addition to his military service, Air Marshal Ahmad is an active contributor to academic and policy discourse. He has authored several journal articles and regularly writes opinion pieces for leading publications.
1. Role of Air Power for Counter-insurgency
Publication: Repertory Journal, Volume: Summer 2011, Pages 1-8.
2. Role of Social Structures in Shaping the Insurgency in Afghanistan
Publication: Repertory Journal, Volume: Summer 2013, Pages 1-14.
3. Air Power as a Tool for the US Foreign Policy
Publication: Repertory Journal, Volume: Summer 2014, Pages 13-22.
The Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS) was established in July 2021 to inform policymakers and the public about issues related to aerospace and security from an independent, non-partisan and future-centric analytical lens.