scorecardresearch
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Support Our Journalism
HomeDefenceIAF set to raise second squadron of Rafale jets in West Bengal's...

IAF set to raise second squadron of Rafale jets in West Bengal’s Hasimara in April

The first squadron of the Rafale jets is stationed at Ambala Air Force station. India is expected to get more Rafale jets from France in the next couple of months.

Follow Us :
Text Size:

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force is set to raise a second squadron of the Rafale combat aircraft in mid-April and it will be based in Hasimara air base in West Bengal, official sources said on Thursday.

The first squadron of the Rafale jets is stationed at Ambala Air Force station. The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on July 29 last, nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

The formal induction ceremony of the fleet had taken place at Ambala on September 10 last.

A second batch of three Rafale jets arrived in India on November 3, while a third batch of three more jets joined the IAF on January 27.

The sources said the second Rafale squadron is being raised at the next main operating base (MOB) at Hasimara in mid-April this year. India is expected to get more Rafale jets from France in the next couple of months.

A squadron comprises around 18 aircraft.

The Rafale jets are India’s first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 years after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.

The Rafale jets are capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA’s Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

The IAF is also procuring a new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets.

Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran.

The missile was originally designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy.

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.


Also read: Faced with budget crunch, Navy could relook at long-term modernisation plans, lease vessels


 

Subscribe to our channels on YouTube, Telegram & WhatsApp

Support Our Journalism

India needs fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. ThePrint – with exceptional reporters, columnists and editors – is doing just that.

Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.

Whether you live in India or overseas, you can take a paid subscription by clicking here.

Support Our Journalism

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular