New Delhi: The much awaited fighter aircraft Rafales are on its way to India from France. The first five batch of Rafales landed safely at Al Dhafra after a seven-hour flight from France on Monday evening.
The IAF Rafales will reach Ambala Air Force Station tomorrow in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, pictures showing aircraft being re-fuelled mid-air from a French Air Force tanker at a height of 30,000 feet were posted on Twitter by the Indian embassy in France.
Few shots from 30,000 feet! Mid air refuelling of #RafaleJets on their way to #India@IAF_MCC @French_Gov @FranceinIndia @MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy @DDNewslive @ANI @DefenceMinIndia @Armee_de_lair @JawedAshraf5 pic.twitter.com/VE7lJUcZe7
— India in France (@IndiaembFrance) July 28, 2020
As per an official statement, the delivery of 10 aircraft has been completed as slated and five will stay back in France for training missions. All the 36 aircraft (30 fighter and six trainers) will be reportedly delivered by the end of 2021.
Ambala district administration today imposed Section 144 around the airbase with immediate effect and banned any kind of photography there in view of tomorrow’s arrival of Rafale fighter jets.
Apart from prohibiting the gathering of more than four people, the district administration also announced that any drone activity within 3-km of the Ambala Air Force Station will be strictly prohibited until further orders.