Air Vice Marshal M Z Faisal (Retd)

Experience & Activities

Career Summation

He served in the Air Defence branch of the PAF from 1985 to 2019 and has extensive command, staff, and instructional experience on an assortment of Air Defence systems. He commanded a medium-level radar, a high-level radar, a Generic Mission Control Centre, a Sector Mission Control Centre, and Headquarters Air Defence Command. His prominent staff experience includes Senior Staff Officer (Operations) and Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Air Defence). He remained an instructor in the elite Combat Commander School and a Directing Staff at the School of Army Air Defence.

As president ‘Central Categorization Board and Evaluation’, he was responsible for the central ‘Continuation Training Program’, the award of operational categories and the evaluation of the operational readiness of all radar and missile Squadrons. He carries operational experience of Operation Swift Retort to correlate the air power theories and doctrines with practical manifestations.

Academic Pursuits

Air Vice Marshal Faisal (Retd) holds a master’s degree in War Studies from Karachi University, a master’s degree in National Security & War Studies from National Defence University and an Executive Master’s degree in Business Administration (Marketing) from Preston University. He is a top graduate of the Command Orientation Course, a top graduate of the Combat Commander Course, and an Asghar Khan trophy holder at the Air War Course. He also took a short course on Driving Government Policies & Leadership Strategies at Harvard University, USA. He has been a guest speaker at leading military institutes and war colleges.

Assorted Engagements

The officer remained associated with important studies and projects, including the Air Defence Doctrine of Pakistan, the Prioritization of National VAs/ VPs, the Human Security state in Pakistan, and the US National Security Strategy implications for Pakistan. He has participated extensively in foreign and in-country evaluation/trials of American, French, Russian, and Chinese radars and GBADS and in their induction plans.

Awards and Achievements

In recognition of the meritorious services, the officer has been awarded Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (M), Sitara-e-Imtiaz (M), Hilal-e-Imtiaz (M), four CAS Commendation Certificates, and an Operational Excellence badge.