New Delhi: The first batch of five Rafale aircraft was escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they entered the Indian air space.
It would be arriving in Ambala today to join the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet.
The five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space.@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/djpt16OqVd
— रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) July 29, 2020
Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria would be visiting Ambala today to receive the first batch of five Rafale combat aircraft arriving from France.
The Indian Rafales are expected to take off from Al Dhafra in UAE at around 11 am IST and reach Ambala by 2 pm, sources said.
INS Kolkata Delta63: Arrow leader (flying #Rafale),welcome to Indian Ocean
Rafale leader: Many thanks. Most reassuring to have an Indian warship guarding seas
INS Kolkata: May you touch the sky with glory. Happy landings
Rafale leader: Wish you fair winds. Happy hunting. Over&out https://t.co/WlEyiZTtg5— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020
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.
In view of Rafale fighter jets landing in the city, Section 144 has been imposed in four villages close to Ambala airbase.
Munish Sehgal, DSP Traffic, Ambala, said the administration is on a high alert and the gathering of people on roofs and photography during landing has been strictly prohibited.
The administration has prohibited pictures of Air Force Station from places such as Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjokhara.
In a long-awaited development, five Rafale fighter aircraft took off on Monday for India from an airbase in France.
The fighter jets were flagged off by the Indian Ambassador to France from an airbase in Merignac, France where he interacted with the India crew flying it to India. The five aircraft flying to India include seven Indian pilots with the commanding officer of the 17 Golden Arrows squadron.
All the pilots have been trained on the aircraft by the French Dassault Aviation company as per the agreement signed for the biggest-ever defence deal signed by India in 2016 for acquiring 36 Rafale jets for over Rs 60,000 crore.
