Rafales were inducted today into the Indian Air Force’s “Golden Arrows” Squadron at the Ambala Air Force Station.
A traditional water cannon salute was given to the Rafale fleet before its ceremonial induction into the 17 Squadron. The Rafale jets, built by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation.
The French Defence Minister and Rajnath Singh will hold talks in Ambala on ways to further deepen bilateral defence and security cooperation. 10 Rafale jets have been delivered to India so far and five of them stayed back in France for training IAF pilots. The delivery of all 36 aircraft is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021.
The Rafales are capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA’s Meteor beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.
Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighters and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets. While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala air base, the second will be based at Hasimara in West Bengal.