The pack is complete, says IAF as last of 36 Rafale jets land in India

According to sources, the 36th Rafael fighter jet will soon become a part of the Air Force’s Squadron. Among the India-specific enhancements, the jets included helmet-mounted sight, radar warning receivers, flight data recorders with enough storage for 10 hours, infra-red search and track systems, and towed decoys to lure incoming missiles away and missile approach warning system.

Recently, the Air Force had successfully tested long-range Meteor missile and Scalp air-to-ground missile from Rafale. A HAMMER missile has also been added to Rafael’s arsenal. This missile is capable of accurate attack in short range, the official added.

The IAF shared the update along with the picture of the world’s most advanced fighter jet. India had received the first batch of five Rafale jets at the Air Force Station Ambala in July 2020. These jets were a part of the 17 Squadron.

The last Rafel landed in India on a day when the IAF was conducting an exercise near the India-China border. This exercise of the Indian Air Force will continue up to December 16 in the Eastern Sector of the country. Air bases in Assam’s Tezpur, Chabua, Jorhat and West Bengal’s Hasimara are likely to be activated in the exercise.

As per the official, “The Eastern Air Command of Indian Air Force shall be conducting a pre-planned routine exercise in its AOR on December 15-16. This exercise was planned well in advance to the recent developments in Tawang, and is not associated with these events. The exercise shall be conducted towards training of the IAF crew”.