Five Rafale jets enter Indian airspace

July 29, 2020 14:42

The five Rafale jets enter Indian airspace, flanked by two Su-30MKIs. This first batch of Rafale jets are scheduled to land at the Ambala air base this afternoon with police tightening the security around the air force station. The squadron of Rafale jets will be stationed at the Ambala air base in Haryana.

The fleet landed at Al Dhafra airbase on Monday in the UAE after flying for over seven hours from the Merignac airbase. It was the only stopover by the jets while flying from France to India. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's office said the Rafales are escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space. The jets were also re-fulled mid-air from a French tanker at a height of 30,000 feet.

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria will receive the fleet at Ambala.

The jets took off from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday and will arrive in Ambala after covering a distance of 7,000 km with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates.

The fleet of five jets comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft.

Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station, banning shooting of videos and photography.

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