Water salutes for Rafale jets when the reach India

July 29, 2020 13:16

One of the five Rafale jets being refuelled mid-air

Water salutes to be given to the five Rafale fighter aircraft after they land at the Ambala airbase in Haryana today. Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria to be present at the airbase at that time.

After almost two decades, India will induct a new multirole foreign fighter aircraft.

The last foreign fighters inducted into the Air Force were the Sukhoi-30s from Russia which have now become the mainstay of the Air Force after multiple orders in view of delays in placing orders for new western aircraft.

"As per plans, five Rafale fighters would be taking off from Al Dhafra air bade in UAE shortly and reaching Ambala around 2 pm today," IAF sources said.

The aircraft would be received by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria who played a crucial role in the acquisition of these aircraft as in-charge of the Indian negotiating team for the Rs 60,000 crore defence deal which is the biggest ever to have been signed by India.

He would also be probably the first Chief to receive fighter aircraft from abroad with his initials on the tail number of the plane as the two trainer Rafale aircraft coming today have RB written on their tails, sources said.

The Indian Rafales are expected to take off from Al Dhafra in UAE at around 11 AM IST and reach Ambala by 2 PM, they said.The weather and other conditions are at the moment looking good and it is expected to reach the Ambala airbase on time.

The backup base for the arrival of the aircraft, in case there is a weather issue in and around Ambala, would be the Jodhpur airbase.

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