Guwahati: France will have delivered the 36th and final Rafale fighter jet to India by December 15, completing the delivery of all the aircraft it had contracted for as part of a 2016 agreement for over Rs 60,000 crore.
“In India, the final aircraft will touch down around December 15. The aircraft was used to develop India-specific upgrades for the Indian Air Force’s Rafale fleet” senior defence officials told ANI.
India had signed a deal for 36 of these planes and 35 of them have already arrived and are stationed at Ambala, Haryana and Hashimara in West Bengal.
The 36th aircraft, with RB tail number was reportedly given to the Indian side by France with all of its spare parts and other components replaced because it was being utilised for research and development.
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force has been bringing the aircraft up to the highest standards and outfitting them with all the improvements made specifically for India.
The Rafale is an aircraft from the 4.5 generation that has helped India recover control over the skies over its sub-constitutional territories with its long-range air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, cutting-edge radar, and electronic warfare capabilities.
The aircraft with a serviceability rate of over 75% are also maintained by the French company Dassault Aviation.
The Rafale was quickly recruited into the Indian Air Force and had begun flying over Ladakh within a week of its arrival at the height of the confrontation with China.
The long-range Meteor air-to-air missiles and the Scalp air-to-ground missiles were also soon launched and made operational by the IAF.
The HAMMER missile was also introduced by the IAF to the Rafale’s arsenal since it was necessary for carrying out precise attacks at closer ranges.