News Analysis India

Tag: Rafale fighters

  • IAF set to raise second Rafale squadron at Hasimara Air force Base

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: To boost combat capability, the Indian Air force is in the process of raising the second squadron of the advanced multi-role Rafale Fighters.

    The IAF sources said, “The second Rafale Squadron will be raised at the next Main Operating Base (MOB) Hasimara in mid-April this year”. The Hasimara Air force Base is in West Bengal.

    The conversion training of the Rafale fighter pilots has been going on in France and the IAF would be moving the fighters to Hasimara in May as by that time the fresh set of pilots will complete their training.

    The set of the first five Rafale fighters were inducted into the Air force by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Ambala Air Base on September 10, 2020, as part of 17 Squadron named as “Golden Arrows”.

    At present, IAF has 11 Rafale Fighters.  An Air Force squadron generally has fighters numbering between 16 to 18 jets.

    In 2016, India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France for 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000 crore deal. The fighters have been built and designed by Dassault Aviation.

  • R-Day flypast: Rafale aircraft, first woman fighter pilot to debut

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth will be a part of the Republic Day parade this year to become the first woman fighter pilot to take part in the ceremonial event on January 26

    “I had been watching the Republic Day Parade on television and now now I am going to be a part of it. It is a matter of pride for me,” said Bhawana.

    Bhawana was part of the first batch of three women fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force in 2016. Hailing from Bihar, Bhawana joined the fighter squadron in November 2017 and became operational in March 2018 after her solo flying in a MiG 21 Bison.

    Two of the newly inducted Rafale fighter aircraft will feature in the Republic Day flypast. Each Rafale fighter will be flying in Eklavya Formation and Brahmastra Formation. In Eklavya formation, it will be flanked with two Jaguars and two MiG 29s.

    A total of 42 aircraft (IAF and Army) will be participating in Republic Day flypast this year. There will be 15 fighters, 5 transport aircraft, 17 helicopters, one vintage aircraft, and four Army Aviation helicopters. 

    The flypast will culminate with Rafale fighters carrying out the ‘Vertical Charlie’ formation, the IAF said. 

    In the ‘Vertical Charlie’ formation, the aircraft flies at low altitude pulls up vertically, and conducts rolls before stabilising at higher altitude.

    ALSO READ | Flt Lt Bhawana Kanth becomes first IAF woman pilot to undertake combat missions

    The Bangladesh Army Contingent is participating in the Republic Day Parade as a special invitee to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the 1971 war. The IAF’s vintage Dakota aircraft, flanked with two MI 17 1V helicopters will be flying past in Rudra Formation at the time when the Bangladesh Contingent will be Marching past the President Ram Nath Kovind’s saluting dais.

    The Air Force Marching contingent of 100 personnel will be let by Flt Lt Tanik Sharma. There will be total of four officers and 96 other ranks.

    The IAF Tableaux will display the model of LCA Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter, Rohini Radar, Akash Missile, and Sukhoi 30MKI.

    Rafale multirole fighters were officially inducted into the IAF in September 2020 and eight of the 36 purchased at Rs 59,000cr in 2016 have joined the IAF till now. All Rafale fighters will join the IAF by 2022.

  • Rafale fighters to participate in Republic Day 2021 celebration

    By Express News Service
    The newly acquired modern multi role Rafale fighters of the Indian Air force will be flying over Rajpath as part of the flypast on the 72nd Republic Day.

    Confirming the information, a source said that the numbers of band contingents and the numbers of tableau will be the maximum this year. “Rafale fighters will be the part of Republic Day air display this year, but the motorcycle team Daredevil will not be participating.”

    There will be a total of 32 tableaux this year with 17 from states and Union territories and the rest will be from the Central Ministries and Departments, Armed forces (Army, Nay and Air force).

    There will two tableaux for the Defence research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

    Also, two special tableaux, one from the Ministry of Culture depicting the 75 years of independence and the other from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting about the New India.

    In the 2020 RD Parade there were a total of 22 tableaux. 

    There will be 23 band contingents this year.

    Due to Covid-19 restrictions, both children for Bravery Award and Gallantry Award winners above 60 years will not be participating.

    About the fleet

    The first five aircraft arrived in India in July 2020 and were officially inducted into the IAF as part of its No 17 Squadron, also known as the ‘Golden Arrows’. Later in November three more aircraft joined the Squadron.

    IAF will now have eight Rafale jets in service. The contract for 36 of these fighters was signed in an inter-governmental agreement with France in 2016 at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

    COVID-19 restrictions have led to the absence of few important attendees this year.

    Captain Bana Singh, PVC will be absent from parade as he is over 60 years of age.

    Another significant absentee from the parade will be the Daredevil Motorcycle stunt team.

    As reported earlier by TNIE, the Republic Day celebrations in many ways will be scaled down amidst the COVID-19 restrictions. The Parade marching distance has been cut short to 3.5 kilometer from the initial 8.5 km and the number of soldiers in each Marching contingent has been reduced to only 96 marchers, 12 rows and 8 columns.

    The spectator strength has also been drastically cut down from 1,25000 to 25,000 this year.