First five Rafales just two days away, India’s wait for the gamechanging squadron is finally over

New Delhi: Two days from now, India’s air defence capabilities will acquire a lethal, new edge. The first five Rafale fighters, arriving in India by July 29, are expected to engineer an instant reset in the aerial power equation along both the LoC and the LAC, two of Asia’s perennial battlegrounds.

To be flown in by pilots of the 17 Golden Arrows, the French fighter jets will be inducted at Air Force Station Ambala on the day of arrival itself.

The delivery of the aircraft was earlier supposed to have been done by May end but this was postponed by two months in view of the COVID-19 situation in both India and France.

The trainers will have the tail numbers of the RB series in honour of the Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria who played a pivotal role in finalising India’s largest-ever defence deal for 36 Rafale combat aircraft.

The aircraft on their way from France to India would be refuelled by a French Air Force tanker aircraft in the air around Israel or Greece before they make a stopover in the Middle East.India had signed a deal worth over Rs 60,000 crore with France in September 2016 for 36 Rafales  to meet the emergency requirements of the Indian Air Force.

They said the first batch of Rafale jets is likely to be deployed in the Ladakh sector by the second half of next month. The Meteor, Scalp and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the Rafale jets.

The Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.

The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official. The Scalp is a deep-strike cruise missile known for having pinpoint terminal accuracy through its highly accurate seeker and target recognition system. The Rafales will also be equipped with MICA weapon system which is integrated into IAF’s Mirage 2000 aircraft.

Besides the missile systems, the Rafale jets will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low-band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems among others. The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft.

The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal. The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangers and maintenance facilities at the two bases.

Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.