IAF chief flags off 4 more Rafale jets from France
Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Wednesday flagged off four Rafale fighter jets from Merignac-Bordeaux airbase in France to India, officials familiar with the development said. This is the fifth ferry of Rafale jets from France to India and their arrival will take the total number of French-origin fighters in the IAF inventory to 18. India ordered 36 warplanes from France (equivalent of two squadrons) in September 2016 for ₹59,000 crore under a government-to-government deal.
Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Wednesday flagged off four Rafale fighter jets from Merignac-Bordeaux airbase in France to India, officials familiar with the development said.
This is the fifth ferry of Rafale jets from France to India and their arrival will take the total number of French-origin fighters in the IAF inventory to 18.
“Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on an official tour to France lauds pilots & sees off the next batch of Rafales on a nonstop flight to India with mid-air refueling by French Air force & UAE. Thanks France esp FASF (French Air and Space Force) & French Industry for timely delivery & pilot training on schedule despite covid,” the Indian embassy in France tweeted.
Bhadauria reached France on a five-day official visit on Monday. The fighters are expected to land at an Indian airbase late Wednesday night.
India ordered 36 warplanes from France (equivalent of two squadrons) in September 2016 for ₹59,000 crore under a government-to-government deal. The arrival of four jets will enable the completion of the first squadron of these jets in Ambala and set the stage for raising the second squadron at Hasimara in West Bengal. All the 36 planes are likely to join the IAF’s fighter fleet by the year-end.
Bhadauria, who visited the Rafale conversion training centre in France on Wednesday, said: “The 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. It is to the credit of the French industry that despite the Covid restrictions, they were able to meet the training requirements in time, and deliver all the aircraft so far more or less in time.”