India to Receive First Batch of 4 Rafale Jets in July 2020: Reports
The first-four Rafale jets will start arriving in India by July-end this year from France. Earlier, the delivery of these jets was scheduled to take place in May. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was delayed for two months. According to reports, these aircraft will arrive at Ambala base.
New Delhi, May 14: The first four Rafale jets will start arriving in India by July-end this year from France. Earlier, the delivery of these jets was scheduled to take place in May. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was delayed for two months. According to reports, these aircraft will arrive at Ambala base. Out of the four jets, three will be twin-seater jets and one single-seater fighter aircraft. Rafale Fighter Jet Spare Parts Production Begins at Reliance Defence - Dassault Aviation Joint Venture Facility in Nagpur: Reports.
The first Rafale jet which will arrive in India, will be piloted by the Commanding Officer of the 17 Golden Arrows' squadron along with a French pilot. As per reports, before the jets make a stopover in the Middle East, they would be refuelled by a French Air Force tanker aircraft in the air before. Rafale Jets to Have Tail Numbers With BS Initials in Ode to Former IAF Chief BS Dhanoa.
“From Middle East to India, there would be one mid-air refuelling done by the Indian IL-78 tanker before they land in India,” reported news agency ANI quoting Indian Air Force (IAF) sources as saying. Last year in October, India received the first of the 36 Rafale aircraft at an event at Merignac, a suburb of the south-western French town of Bordeaux. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took the delivery of the first aircraft. The batch of four Rafale jets will arrive in India in May this year. These Rafale jets will be part of Squadron 17. IAF Receives 'Acceptance' Rafale Jet From Dassault Aviation; India to Get First Aircraft on October 8.
As per reports, Rafale jets will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems among others. India had inked an inter-governmental agreement with France in September, 2016, for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at the cost of around Rs 59,000 crore.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 15, 2020 03:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).