The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday, i.e. July 28, operationalised the second Rafale squadron after “Golden Arrows”. The IAF formally inducted Rafale aircraft into No. 101 Squadron at Air Force Station Hasimara in Eastern Air Command (EAC). Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria attended the induction ceremony. On arrival, The CAS was received by Air Marshal Amit Dev , Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command. The event also included a fly-past heralding the arrival of Rafale aircraft to Hasimara followed by a traditional water cannon salute. Here Features And Specifications of Dassault Aviation’s ‘Omnirole’ Aircraft.
Addressing the personnel during the induction ceremony, CAS said that the induction of Rafale had been carefully planned at Hasimara; keeping in mind the importance of strengthening IAF’s capability in the Eastern Sector. Recalling the glorious history of 101 Squadron which bestowed upon them the title of ‘Falcons of Chamb and Akhnoor’, CAS urged the personnel to combine their zeal and commitment with the unmatched potential of the newly inducted platform. He said that he had no doubt that the Squadron would dominate whenever and wherever required and ensure that the adversary would always be intimidated by their sheer presence. First Batch of Five Rafale Jets Arrive in India; Dassault Aviation’s Aircraft To be Part of ‘Golden Arrows’.
Tweet By IAF:
The 101 Squadron is the second IAF Squadron to be equipped with Rafale aircraft. The Squadron was formed on May 1, 1949 at Palam and has operated Harvard, Spitfire, Vampire, Su-7 and MiG-21M aircraft in the past. The glorious history of this Squadron includes active participation in 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars. From Rafale Jets to Sukhoi Su-30 MKI, Here Are Aircraft That Bolster IAF’s Capabilities.
Glimpses of Induction Ceremony:
Notably, Till now, India has received 26 Rafale Jets out of 36 aircraft that the country has ordered from Dassault Aviation. The first squadron of Rafale Jets is “Golden Arrows”, which is already operational Ambala air force station in Haryana. It is also known as No. 17 Squadron. In 2016, India signed a deal with the France government to procure 36 Rafale jets in a “ready to fly” condition. The entire deal was worth Rs 59,000 crore. According to the deal, 75 percent Rafale fleet will always remain operational.
(Article Source: PIB)
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