Second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal
According to sources the first batch of five Rafale jets took off from france for india on monday, July 27. The first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala air base. Meanwhile the Indian Ambassador to france Jawed Ashraf interacted with the indian air Force (IAF) pilots before they took off from France. Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionize air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, germany, italy, france, spain and Sweden. The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official.
Besides the missile systems, the Rafale jets will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low-band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems, among others. The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft.
Moreover the second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal. The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop the required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases. Out of the 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.