NEWS 29-07-2020. THE FIRST BATCH OF 5 RAFALE FIGHTER JETS HAVE REACHED IAF's AMBALA AIRBASE. After flying for around 7,000 km, from Merignac airbase in southern France's Bordeaux and halting for refueling at Al Dhafra airbase in the UAE, the beasts, Rafale have landed at the Ambala Air Force Base. At Ambala, they were received by the Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. Five French-made fighter jets, which have been considered as game-changer for Indian Air Force will be inducted in the No.17 Squadron, ‘Golden Arrows’. Three Rafale fighter jets are single-seater and two are twin-seater. These five aircrafts are the first tranche of the 36 planes bought by India from France in a Rs 59,000-crore inter-governmental deal in 2016. The delivery of all 36 aircrafts will be completed by the end of 2021. 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. The IAF has spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at Ambala and Hasimara airbase. The first Rafale jet was handed over to the IAF in October last year during a visit to France by the defence minister. These 5 jets will be a formally inducted in the IAF in mid-August. Rafale fighter jets are manufactured by France's Dassault Aviation aerospace company. SPECIFICATIONS TO FOLLOW SOON.. HAPPY HUNTING !! < < Back