NEW DELHI: A second batch of three Rafale jets arrived at Jamnagar Air Base in Gujarat on Wednesday night after flying nonstop from France, the Indian Air Force said.
With the induction of these three aircraft, the IAF has eight Rafale jets in service now.
The IAF said the three Rafale plane took off from a French air base and arrived in India after three air refueling en route. “The plane took more than 8 hours to arrive directly from France, showing the long-range operational capabilities of the Air Force,” he added.
The first batch of five French-sourced fighter jets arrived in India on July 28 and was officially admitted on September 10.
The IAF will deploy a squad of each of the Rafale fighter jets at its air bases at Ambala in Haryana and Hashimara in West Bengal.
The Rafale fighters have already been put into operation and have also been deployed in the conflict zone of Ladakh in the short time they have been in the Air Force.
India had signed an intergovernmental agreement with France to purchase 36 of these aircraft at a cost of 59 billion rupees.
After the induction of the first batch of Rafale jets, the Union defense minister Rajnath Singh called the Rafale deal a game changer. “I am confident that our air force has gained a technological advantage with Rafale,” Rajnath Singh had said.
Rafale is a 4.5 generation aircraft and has the latest weapons, superior sensors and a fully integrated architecture. It is an omnidirectional aircraft, which means that it can carry out at least four missions in one sortie.
the fighter plane They have HAMMER missiles. It will also be armed with missiles beyond visual range such as Meteor, SCALP and MICA, increasing its ability to engage incoming targets from a distance.
(With contributions from the agency)
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