Know how the Rafale fighter jets will be a booster to IAF

New Delhi, July 29: The first batch of five Rafale fighter aircraft will arrive today that took off on Monday. These fighter jets will be joining the Indian Air Force fleet in Ambala airbase on June 29 (Wednesday). These 5 aircraft include 3 single-seater and 2 twin-seater aircraft.

 

 

 

1) The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft that is able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The fuel efficiency of a twinjet is better than that of aircraft with more engines.

 

2) The manufacturers describe it as a fully versatile aircraft that can carry out all combat aviation missions to achieve air superiority and air defence, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes, and nuclear deterrence.

 

3) Equipped with a wide range of weapons which can including the Mirage 2000 and the Su-30 MkI, the Rafale is intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions

 

4) The two weapons - the Meteor BVRAAM and SCALP cruise missile give the IAF an unprecedented standoff air-to-air and air-to-surface capability in conflicts on either front with Pakistan and China.

 

5) Rafale is capable of performing several actions at the same time, such as firing air-to-air missiles during a very low altitude penetration phase: a clear demonstration of the true “OMNIROLE” capability and outstanding survivability of the RAFALE.

 

6) India had signed an agreement in September 2016 for the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France worth about Rs 60,000 crore. Out of the 36 Rafale aircraft, 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.

 

7) The Rafale jets will be a crucial enhancement to India’s Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft fleet.

 

8) Though these jets are being manufactured by France, there are few Indian modifications to it. It includes Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low-band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and cold engine start capability to operate from high-altitude bases and towed decoys to lure incoming missiles away.

 

9) They will be the first imported fighter jet to be inducted into the IAF in 22 years after the Russian Sukhoi-30 fighters. The first Su-30 entered IAF service in June 1997.

 

10) These jets will be a part of the IAF’s No 17 Squadron, which is also known as the “Golden Arrows”. The first squadron of the aircraft will be stationed at Ambala air force station, considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF. The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

 

11) India will be the fourth country, after France, Egypt, and Qatar, to induct the Rafale.

 

12) As rightly said former Air Chief Marshal B. S Dhanoa, the Rafale fighter jet cannot be compared with the J-20 (an indigenously developed fifth-generation aircraft of China).