Rafale jets, which are expected to be delivered to the Indian Air Force by end of the month could be put into action against China, straight away. Rafale aircraft are 4++ generation jets and New Delhi is set to receive a total of 36 Rafale jets under a contract worth Rs 60,000 crore.
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The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft equipped with a wide range of weapons, the Rafale is intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions.
According to Indian News Agency – ANI, top IAF (Indian Air Force) commanders will meet this week to discuss the situation on the LAC with China in Eastern Ladakh and speedy operational deployment of the Rafale jets arriving later this month.
One of the main agenda during the conference headed by Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria would be about the situation on the borders with China and the forward deployments done by the force in the Eastern Ladakh and northern borders, sources said.
The Indian Air Force has stationed its entire fleet of modern fighters like Mirage 2000, Sukhoi-30MKI, and the MiG-29 fighters all along with the advanced and forward bases from where they have been carrying out both day and night operations.
The advanced Apache attack helicopter has also been deployed in forward bases along the China border and are carrying out frequent sorties over the Eastern Ladakh even during night time. The IAF officials will also discuss the rapid deployment and operationalisation of the Rafale fighter jets arriving in the country by end of this month from France.
Earlier, as EurAsian Times reported, acting on a “special request” by the Indian Air Force to fasten the deliveries of Rafale fighter jets, France is reworking the calendar for providing the aircraft to India at a faster pace, according to sources quoted by Indian media.
Six Rafale fighter jets are likely to land at their home base in Ambala on July 27 — instead of four that were originally planned to be delivered in the first batch — as France accelerates efforts to meet the demand of Indian Air Force.
India ordered 36 Rafale jets from France in a deal worth Rs 60,000 crore in September 2016 as an emergency purchase to check the depleting squadrons of jets for a possible two-front war with Pakistan and China.
