New Delhi: Expected to increase the combat capabilities of the Indian Air Force, the first squad of five Rafale aircraft will arrive at India’s Ambala Air Base today. IAF chief RKS Bhadauria will receive the Rafale planes at Ambala Air Base.
Before his arrival, authorities have tightened security and imposed prohibitive orders near the Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana. For security reasons, authorities have also banned the filming of videos and photos.
Part of the security measure, the Ambala District Administration has banned people from flying private drones within three kilometers of the airbase.
Additionally, section 144, which prohibits the gathering of four or more people, has been imposed in villages adjacent to the airbase, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala, and Panjkhora.
These fighter jets took off from France on Monday and traveled a distance of 7,000 km with air-to-air refueling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates.
According to the updates, the first squadron of Rafale planes will be stationed at Ambala Air Base. These aircraft later in the day will be included in the IAF through a formal induction ceremony.
The IAF has carried out major infrastructure upgrades at the Ambala base for the deployment of the first Rafale squad. Built-in 1948, the airbase is located on the eastern side of Ambala in Haryana and is used for military and government flights.
The development comes when India had signed a Rs 59 billion deal on September 23, 2016, to acquire 36 Rafale aircraft from the largest French aerospace Dassault Aviation.
The fleet consists of three single-seaters and two twins. They will be included in the Indian Air Force as part of their No. 17 Squadron, also known as the Golden Arrows at Ambala Air Base.
Meanwhile, the IAF said the pilots, ground crew, and the fighter will be operationally ready when the planes arrive in India.
Rafale planes are believed to change the game in the current scenario when India faces a bitter showdown with China in eastern Ladakh.
The first Rafale fighter was delivered to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in October 2019 at a ceremony attended by the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Madame Florence Parly, and the Minister of Defense of India, Rajnath Singh.
The delivery of 10 aircraft was completed as planned. Five will remain in France for the training mission. Delivery of the 36 aircraft will be completed on time by the end of 2021.
In addition to missile systems, Rafale aircraft will come with several India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low-band blockers, 10-hour flight data recording, systems search, and infrared tracking, among others.
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