New Delhi: The Indian Air Force is set to receive three more deadliest fighter jets from France that recently departed. With the arrival of the latest three, India would have had received 29 out of the total 36 fighter aircraft it had ordered from France under a Rs 60,000-crore deal formalized back in 2016.
This is notably the first batch of Rafale fighter jets that will be arriving from France after Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari took over as the Indian Air Force Chief earlier this month.
The three jets arriving today were refilled mid-air over the Middle East by a friendly Air Force aircraft.
The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on July 29, 2020. The Rafale fighters are capable of defeating enemy air defense mechanisms and strike targets in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The Indian Air Force had formally inducted Rafale aircraft into No. 101 Squadron at Air Force Station Hasimara in Eastern Air Command (EAC) on July 28 this year. 101st is the second IAF Squadron to be equipped with Rafale aircraft.
The Most Important thing is, if everything goes planned, the next consignment of three aircraft – the 30th, 31st, and 32nd – will arrive in India by the first half of December, while the last three of the batch will join the operational squadrons by January 26, India’s 73rd Republic Day.
The twin-engine Rafale jets are capable of carrying out a variety of missions, such as ground and sea attack, air defense and air superiority, reconnaissance, and nuclear strike deterrence.
The last batch of Rafale aircraft will land next year, which are to be the most capable of the entire lot. French military equipment manufacturer Dassault Aviation makes the Rafale jets.
(_Vinayak Barot)
