NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, JULY 30
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command, Air Marshal B Suresh, and Air Officer Commanding Air Force Station Ambala on Wednesday welcomed the first batch of five Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale aircraft that have arrived from France, an IAF statement said.
The Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria & AOC-in-C WAC Air Marshal B Suresh welcomed the first five IAF Rafales which arrived at AF Stn Ambala today.#IndianAirForce#RafaleInIndia#Rafales pic.twitter.com/xNK97fwynf
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) July 29, 2020
The aircraft got airborne from Dassault Aviation Facility, Merignac, France on the morning of July 27 and reached India on Wednesday afternoon with a planned stopover en-route at Al Dhafra airbase in the UAE.
Amul Ready To Welcome Rafale. @Amul_Coop #RafaleJets #RafaleInIndia pic.twitter.com/fiDlP9Vony
— Rajnathsingh_in (@RajnathSingh_in) July 29, 2020
“The ferry was planned in two stages and was undertaken by IAF pilots. The aircraft covered a distance of nearly 8,500 km from France to India. The first stage of the flight covered a distance of 5,800 km in seven and a half hours. French Air Force (FAF) Tanker provided dedicated Air-to-Air Refuelling support during the flight. The second stage of the flight covering over 2,700 km was carried out with Air-to-Air Refuelling by IAF Tanker. IAF deeply appreciates the proactive support provided by the French Government and Industry in France to ensure timely delivery. The tanker support extended by the French Air Force during the ferry was crucial in ensuring that the long haul flight was accomplished successfully and in a time-bound manner,” the statement added.
In last one year, the new inductions of @IAF_MCC, boosting Air Power :-
1. 2nd Sqn of LCA Tejas
2. Chinook
3. Apache
4. Rafale"Touch The Sky With Glory" #NationFirst pic.twitter.com/150qW2DMka
— Spokesperson & PRO Shillong, Ministry of Defence (@proshillong) July 30, 2020
The aircraft will be a part of 17 Squadron, the Golden Arrows, which was resurrected on September 10, 2019. The Squadron was originally raised at Air Force Station, Ambala on October 1, 1951. The 17 Squadron has many firsts to its credit; in 1955 it was equipped with the first jet fighter, the legendary De Havilland Vampire. In August 1957, the Squadron became the first to convert on to a swept-wing fighter, the Hawker Hunter.
“The touch down of Rafale combat aircraft in India marks the beginning of a new era in our Military History. These multirole aircraft will revolutionise the capabilities of the IAF," – Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singhhttps://t.co/kJ7463mnpk pic.twitter.com/wUx12E3qsr
— PRO, Defence, Leh (@prodefleh) July 29, 2020
A formal induction ceremony of Rafale aircraft in 17 Squadron is scheduled to be held in the second half of August 2020.