New Delhi, Sep 2 - Air Marshal K.J. Mathews Wednesday took over as the new head of human resource of the Indian Air Force (IAF), an official said Wednesday.

Mathews took charge as Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel (AOP) from Air Marshal Sumit Mukerjee.

Commissioned in the year 1973, Mathews has over 3,500 hours of flying to his credit on various aircraft that include HF-24 (Marut), Hunter, MiG-21M and MiG-29. He was also a team member of 'Thunderbolts' -- IAF's erstwhile aerobatic team.

The appointments he has held so far include station commander of an operational base during Kargil operations, air officer commanding of air force station Adampur, Principal Director of Concept Studies, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) at Air HQ and Commandant Air Force Academy.

Air Marshal Mathews is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and Air War College, the US.