The three planes arrived at Jamnagar Air Base in Gujarat after flying nonstop from France, with air refueling en route, at 8.14pm. According to the delivery schedule, three to four aircraft will arrive in India every two to three months until all 36 are delivered under the 59 billion rupee deal signed with France in September 2016.
The second batch of three Rafale aircraft took off from the Istres air base in France and flew for more than eight hours… https://t.co/uHx66Le9rq
– Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) 1604508995000
The first five Rafales, which were formally installed in service in the Ambala airbase on September 10, conducted “familiarization sorties” in Ladakh amid the ongoing military clash in the high-altitude region with China.
The 4.5 generation Rafales have a combat range of 780 km at 1,650 kilometers, without refueling in the air, depending on the nature of your mission. The fighters are armed with long weapons such as “Scalp” air-to-ground cruise missiles with a range of more than 300 km.
IAF Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria had previously stated that twin-engine Rafales “will intimidate and dominate whenever and wherever” they are deployed.
The IAF has currently deployed an “adequate number” of front-line Sukhoi-30MKIs, Mirage-2000, MiG-29 and other fighters, as well as Apache and Chinook heavy lift attack helicopters in Ladakh, as well as in other sections along the 3,488 km Royal Line of Control with China to attend to any contingency.
Rafales, if necessary in an emergency, can also be deployed to combat quickly. Ambala and Hashimara air bases will eventually host 18 Rafales each for the western and eastern fronts.
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