Rafale New Delhi/IBNS: Three Rafale jets are flying from France's Bordeaux–Mérignac airbase on Wednesday and will reach India today, after which the Indian Air Force inventory will have a total of 21 of these fighter planes, allowing India to raise the second squadron of the fighters in the country’s eastern sector, officials familiar with the development said, reported Hindustan Times.
In April, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria had flagged off four Rafale fighter planes from France to India during his five-day official visit to that country.
India had ordered 36 warplanes from France (equivalent of two squadrons) in September 2016 at Rs 59,000 crore under a government-to-government deal.
The IAF raised the first Rafale squadron in Ambala and the second Rafale squadron will be raised at Hasimara in West Bengal after the new jets arrive today.
“The new jets will be based in Ambala initially before moving to Hasimara when the raising of the squadron begins,” said the report quoting a source with the knowledge of the development.
All the 36 Rafale fighter aircrafts will be part of the AF’s fleet by the end of 2021, added the report.
The Rafale jets received by India are equipped with advanced weapons like Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, Mica multi-mission air-to-air missiles, Scalp deep-strike cruise missiles and the Hammer smart weapon, stated the report.
Further, the enhancements according to India's defence needs have been added which include cold engine start capability to operate from high-altitude bases such as Leh, radar warning receivers, flight data recorders with storage for 10 hours of data, infrared search and track systems, jammers and towed decoys to ward off incoming missiles, said the HT report.
The twin-engine jet is capable of carrying out a variety of missions - ground and sea attack, air defence and air superiority, reconnaissance and nuclear strike deterrence, it added.
It can carry more than nine tonnes of weapons on as many as 14 hard points, said the report.
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