- The first batch of five Rafale jets from France will formally be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) at the Ambala air base today at 10:00 am.
- The IAF is expected to deploy the Rafale jets in Ladakh the strengthen their arsenal amid the ongoing border tensions with China.
- The Rafale fighter jet will be the most advanced fighter aircraft in the IAF’s fleet.
Two months after the first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on July 29, they will officially be inducted into the Indian Air Force's (IAF) arsenal at the Ambala air base at 10:00 am today.
The IAF is expected to deploy Rafales in Ladakh in a bid to strengthen its combat capabilities in the sector amid the ongoing border tensions with China. In fact, it was one of the topics discussed during the recently-concluded Air Force commanders' conference.
The Rafale fighter jet will be the most advanced fighter aircraft in the IAF’s fleet. Compared to the SU 30 MKI — currently the best aircraft in the IAF — the Rafale jet is faster, has a wider range and more capabilities.
It's a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft. It is designed and manufactured by a French company called Dassault Aviation. Dassault’s ‘omnirole’ aircraft comes with a host of weapons and can perform a variety of functions — like aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence — according to the company.
Here’s everything you need to know about Rafale fighter jets: