LIMA'25: Asghar Khan's Final Salute, A Heartfelt Tribute To The Airforce

Barnama

22-05-2025

LANGKAWI, May 22 (Bernama) -- With just a month remaining before he hangs up his decorated uniform, General Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan chose to bid farewell with a deeply meaningful gesture, a final salute from the cockpit of the SU-30MKM, soaring through the skies of Langkawi for the team he has long regarded as family.
More than an aerobatic display for the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2025 (LIMA'25), the flight was a heartfelt tribute to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), the institution that has been his lifeblood, and a powerful reflection of his passion, courage and enduring fighting spirit.
Today marked the third consecutive day that the Air Force Chief, fondly known by his call sign, 'Gunjiz', piloted the fighter jet nicknamed Toruk Makto, proudly bearing the Jalur Gemilang livery.
Reflecting on his final flight, the Selangor-born pilot shared that his participation in LIMA'25 was driven by a desire to lead by example, especially at a time when the RMAF is facing a shortage of pilots for aerobatic manoeuvres in the event's 17th edition.
'For this air show, we're short on aerobatic pilots due to various global circumstances. That's one of the reasons I decided to step in to help fill the gap and support the team,' he said.
'…And also, I'm retiring in a month, so I just wanted to have fun,' he said.
What reignited his desire to return to the cockpit was a series of conversations with his foreign counterparts during their visits to Malaysia, where he learned that some of them were still actively flying.
'I hadn't flown in quite a while. But last year, a few of my counterparts from abroad came to Malaysia and mentioned that some generals in their countries were still flying. That got me thinking — so I decided to 'intercept' them,' he said.
He also shared that he had made a promise to the Russian Knights, the world-renowned aerobatic team from Russia, that if they returned to perform at LIMA in 2025, he would return to the skies alongside them.