Highlights:
- 5th batch of Rafale fighter jets arrive in India
- The fighter jets flew a distance of almost 8,000 km non-stop with air-to-air refuelling which was done by UAE’s Air Force
- The Indian embassy or the Air Force did not mention the number of aircraft flagged off by the IAF Chief
The 5th batch of the Rafale fighter jets just reached India from a military airbase in France on the 22nd of April. The jets were flagged off by Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria from the Merignac Air Base amid his ongoing five-day official visit to France.
The state-of-the-art fighter jets flew a distance of almost 8,000 km non-stop with air-to-air refuelling support by France and UAE’s Air Force.
The Indian Air Force (IAF), today, tweeted a video of the Rafale jets landing in India with the caption, “After a direct ferry from #MerignacAirBase, France, the 5th batch of Rafales arrived in India on 21 April. The fighters flew a distance of almost 8,000Kms with air-to-air refuelling support by @Armee_de_lair (France Air Force) and UAE AF. IAF thanks both the Air Forces for their co-operation”.
After a direct ferry from #MerignacAirBase, France, the 5th batch of Rafales arrived in India on 21 Apr. The fighters flew a distance of almost 8,000Kms with air-to-air refuelling support by @Armee_de_lair and UAE AF. IAF thanks both the Air Forces for their co-operation. pic.twitter.com/jp81vODCp2
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) April 21, 2021
Neither the Indian Embassy nor the Air Force mentions the number of aircraft which were flagged off by the IAF Chief.
The first batch of 5 Rafale jets had arrived in India on the 28th of July last year.
Earlier in the day, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria had paid a visit to a Rafale aircraft training facility on the 3rd day of his five-day visit to France. He also thanked the French aerospace industry for ensuring the timely delivery of the jets to India.
The Indian Embassy in France tweeted, “Air Chief Mshl RKS Bhadauria on an official tour to France lauds pilots&sees off the next batch of Rafales on a non stop flight to ?? with mid air refueling by French Air force&UAE.Thanks ?? esp FASF & French Industry for timely delivery&pilot training on schedule despite covid”.
Air Chief Mshl RKS Bhadauria on an official tour to France lauds pilots&sees off the next batch of Rafales on a non stop flight to ?? with mid air refueling by French Air force&UAE.Thanks ?? esp FASF & French Industry for timely delivery&pilot training on schedule despite covid pic.twitter.com/LNeUu5DL6k
— India in France (@Indian_Embassy) April 21, 2021
@IAF_MCC chief on an official tour to ?? visited the Rafale training center & spoke on the occasion of the completion of all Rafale training in ?? & flight of another batch of Rafale fighters to ??@JawedAshraf5 @PMOIndia@DrSJaishankar @DDNewslive @MEAIndia @rajnathsingh pic.twitter.com/WQYzxthYzp
— India in France (@Indian_Embassy) April 21, 2021
Indian Embassy in France tweeted, “Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on an official tour to France lauds pilots and sees off the next batch of Rafales on a non stop flight to India with mid air refueling by French Air force and UAE. Thanks France especially FASF and French Industry for timely delivery and pilot training on schedule despite COVID”.
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The IAF Chief said some of the Rafale aircraft have been delivered a “little bit” ahead of time and it has contributed to the overall combat potential of the Air Force.
According to news agency PTI, he said, “This ferry, which is fifth from here, marks the end of the third batch of our pilots and all our maintenance crew.
“The Rafale training centre has provided world class training and it is because of the level and quality of training that we were able to operationalise the aircraft quickly”.
The new batch of Rafale fighter jets will pave the way for the Indian Air Force to raise a second squadron of the French fighter jets. The new squadron will be based in Hasimara airbase in West Bengal.
The first Rafale squadron is based in Ambala air force station. A squadron that comprises of close to 18 aircraft.
India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September of 2016 for the procurement of a total of 36 Rafale fighter jets associated at a cost of close to ₹ 58,000 crore.
As of now, 14 Rafale jets are operating in the Indian Air Force.
