Ambala (Haryana) [India], July 29 (ANI): The five French Rafale fighter jets touched down at Haryana’s Ambala after covering a distance of nearly 7,000 km to join the Indian Air Force.
The jets were given a customary water salute upon their arrival at the airbase, some 220-km from the India-Pakistan border.
The formal induction ceremony of the aircraft would be held later. The aircraft would move out soon to another operational base for operational sorties.
After taking off from France on Monday, the aircraft made their first stopover at a French base in the United Arab Emirates on their way to India and were refuelled by the French Air Force tanker aircraft somewhere around Greece or Israel over the sea before landing there.
The five were flown by pilots of the 17 Golden Arrows led by Commanding Officer Group Captain Harkirat Singh along with other pilots, Wing Commanders MK Singh, R Kataria, Sidhu and Arun.
The five Rafale fighter aircraft took off on Monday for India from an airbase in France. The weather in Ambala was cloudy with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers being forecasted.
India had signed a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016 for 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation.
In view of Rafale fighter jets landing in the city on Wednesday, Section 144 is being imposed in four villages close to Ambala airbase. Munish Sehgal, DSP Traffic, Ambala, said the administration is on a high alert and the gathering of people on roofs and photography during landing has been strictly prohibited.
The five Rafale fighter jets had entered the Indian Airspace earlier in the day. “The Birds have entered the Indian airspace..Happy Landing in Ambala!” tweeted the Defence Minister’s Office earlier on Wednesday.
The Defence Minister’s Office further informed that the five Rafales were escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian airspace.
Here are the key Highlights of Rafale:
It’s an Omni role aircraft.
4th Generation Fighter Jet.
It’s a two-engine aircraft.
It’s top speed is 2,222 Km/Hr.
It can go up to 50,000 Ft.
It’s Rate of Climb is 60,000 Ft/Min.
It’s Operational Range is 3,700 Km.
Ground Support.
In-depth Strike.
Anti-Ship Strike
Reach and combat radius is 1600-1700 Kms.
Capable for Long Range standoff Mission.
Equipped with Air-to-Ground Missile System.
Specifically designed to take off from an extremely cold high altitude region.
It will also be fitted with the air-to-air beyond visual range interception combat and self-defence missile.
It can also carry the best long range air-to-land missile.
It has multi-directional radar system which can detect 40 targets at the same time in a range of over 100 Kms.
It has advance radar warning receiver to identify hostile tracking system a towed decoy system to thwart incoming missile attacks.
Rafale will ensure that our pilots will not have to cross the border to strike the target, that is about 600 Km in enemy territory.
It will get French industrial support for 50 years.
Those who want to threaten our territorial integrity should ‘worry’: Rajnath on Rafale
After five Rafale fighter jets touched down at Haryana‘s Ambala on Wednesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said those who want to threaten country’s territorial integrity should be worried about new capability of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The minister said the Rafale jets were purchased only because Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the right decision to get these aircraft through an Inter-Governmental Agreement with France after the long-pending procurement case for them could not progress.
“The Rafale jets were purchased only because PM Shri Narendra Modi took the right decision to get these aircraft through an Inter-Governmental Agreement with France, after the long-pending procurement case for them could not progress. I thank him for his courage & decisiveness,” Singh tweeted.
Singh said all allegations against the procurement of these jets have already been answered and settled.
“The Rafale jets were purchased when they fully met the operational requirements of the IAF. The baseless allegations against this procurement have already been answered and settled,” he tweeted.
“I would like to add, if it is anyone who should be worried about or critical about this new capability of the Indian Air Force, it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity,” he said in another tweet.
“This aircraft has very good flying performance and its weapons, radar and other sensors and Electronic Warfare capabilities are amongst the best in the world. Its arrival in India will make the IAF much stronger to deter any threat that may be posed on our country,” he said.
The minister also congratulated the IAF for the professionally executed ferry and thanked the French Government, Dassault Aviation and other French companies for ensuring the timely delivery of the aircraft and its weapons despite severe restrictions posed by COVID-19 pandemic.
“I congratulate the IAF on a professionally executed ferry. I am sure that 17 Squadron, the Golden Arrows, will continue to live upto their motto of “Udayam Ajasram”. I am extremely happy that IAF’s combat capability has got a timely boost,” Singh tweeted.
“I also thank the French Government, Dassault Aviation and other French companies for ensuring the timely delivery of the aircraft and its weapons, despite the severe restrictions posed by COVID pandemic,” he said.
Water salute was given to the five Rafale fighter aircraft after their landing at IAF airbase in Ambala after jets covered a distance of nearly 7,000 km journey.
UPA govt’s labour in identifying, purchasing Rafale in 2012 finally bears fruit: Cong
After the arrival of five French Rafale fighter jets in the country, the Congress on Wednesday congratulated the Indian Air Force (IAF) while taking credit of its government’s labour in identifying and purchasing Rafale in 2012 that has finally borne fruit.
“We congratulate the Indian Air Force on receiving the Rafale jets. Indian National Congress (INC) government’s labour in identifying and purchasing Rafale in 2012 has finally borne fruit,” Congress tweeted.
The Congress party further targetted the Central government by pointing out the difference between the Rafale deal finalised by the Manmohan Singh government and the final deal that was signed by the Modi government.
“The stark difference between the Congress and BJP deal reveals the BJP’s scam. The Congress Rafale purchase would have ensured India receives 126 jets instead of BJP’s 36. 108 Rafale jets would have been Made in India. India would have received the Rafale jets by approx 2016. Cost of each Rafale jet would have been Rs 526 crore,” it said in another tweet. (ANI)
