A formal induction of the fleet took place last September at Ambala.
New Delhi:
Three Rafale jets bound to India have taken to the skies in France, the Indian Embassy in the European country has tweeted. It has also released a video that shows the latest batch of the multi-role fighter planes taking off. The UAE will refuel the jets mid-air as the aircraft are scheduled to fly non-stop to India.
“Another batch of Rafale took to the skies on non-stop flight to India with mid-air refuelling by UAE. Indian air power grows further,” the Indian Embassy tweeted.
Glimpses of another batch of #Rafale which took off to the skies!@MEAIndia@JawedAshraf5@IAF_MCC@harshvshringla@DrSJaishankar@PMOIndia@rajnathsingh@SpokespersonMoD@IndianDiplomacy@florence_parly@Dassault_OnAir@Armee_de_lairpic.twitter.com/bJCzzkCxW7
— India in France (@Indian_Embassy) March 31, 2021
India is to receive 36 Rafale jets from France’s Dassault Aviation, per the inter-governmental deal. India had received the first batch of five planes in July last year, four years after the agreement. A second batch of three Rafale jets arrived in India on November 3 last year, while a third batch of three more jets joined arrived in India on January 27 this year.
A formal induction of the fleet took place last September at Ambala.
The jets are capable of carrying potent weapons like MBDA’s Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will drastically enhance India’s aerial firepower.
The Indian Air Force is also procuring a new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets.
The first squadron of the Rafale aircraft is stationed at the Ambala air base. The second squadron is expected to be stationed at West Bengal’s Hasimara.