5 Rafales Today at Ambala Air Base to Join Air Force: 10 Key Things You Should Know

At 10:00 am in Ambala airbase in Haryana, at a time when India is engaged in an escalating border row with China in eastern Ladakh, the first group of five Rafale multirole fighter jets will be formally inducted into the Indian Airforce. The ceremony will be attended by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, his French counterpart Florence Parly, General Manager of Defense Staff Bipin Rawat and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and Secretary of Defense Ajay Kumar.' The program will include the ceremonial unveiling of the Rafale plane, an IAF spokeswoman, described the event as a 'significant milestone' in the Indian Air Force history, as a traditional Sarva dharma puja, an air display of the Rafale and Tejas plane, and also the Sarang air force.

Ten things to know about 5 Rafale jets in their first batch are: 

1. Built by French aeronautical major Dassault Aviation, the Rafale Jets are known for their air supremacy and accurate effect on ground targets that make them truly multi-role jets. 
2. The plane's component will be 17 Squadron, the Golden Arrow. The Rafale jets are India's first major purchase of fighter airplanes in over two decades, "tweeted Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, at 10 a.m. tomorrow night." The aircraft will formally be inducted into@IAF MCC at the Air Force Station in Ambala.
3. Before its formal presentation to the 17 Squadron, IAF Spokesman, Wing Commander Indranil Nandi, would like to give a traditional water cannon salute to the Rafale Fleet. 
4. On 29 July, almost four years after India concluded an Inter-Governmental Agreement with France to purchase 36 jets for €59,000, the Rafale Jets arrived in India for its first batch. 
5. The ceremony will include the French delegation, Emmanuel Lenain, Air General Eric Autellet, French Air Force Vice Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier, and MBDA CEO Eric Beranger.       
6. Following the ceremony, Rajnath Singh and the French Defence Minister will hold talks in Ambala about ways to further enhance bilateral cooperation in defense and security. 10 jets were shipped to India so far and five of them remained in France for IAF pilot training. It is expected that all 36 aircraft will be delivered until late 2021. 
7. By November, there is likely to be the second batch of 4 Rafale Jets in India.
8. The Rafales can hold a number of powerful weapons. Air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the core component of the Rafale jet weapons system by European missile manufacturing company MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range (BVR). To combat common threats to the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Sweden, MBDA produced a Meteor. 
9. Of the 36 Rafale jets, there will be 30 fighters and six buses. The aircraft are twin-seater and have almost all the characteristics of the airlines. The second is based in Hasimara, West Bengal, while the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be based in the Ambala airbase.
10. In September last year, the 17 IAF Squadron resurrected. In October 1951 it was set up at Air Force Station in Ambala. The 17 Squadron was credited with many initials; the legendary De Havilland Vampire was the first jet fighter in 1955.