Five Rafale jets to land in Ambala today, security tightened around air base

first batch of five Rafale jets are scheduled to land at Ambala air base here on Wednesday afteron with police tightening security around air force station. squron of Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala air base in Haryana. jets took off from Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday and will arrive here after covering a distance of 7,000 km with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in United Arab Emirates.

fleet of five jets comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft. Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders near Ambala Air Force Station, banning shooting of videos and photography. Ambala district ministration has also prohibited people from flying private drones within three-km rius of air base, officials said earlier.

Section 144, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, has been imposed in vills joining air base, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora. Ambala deputy commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma said shooting of videos or taking photographs of boundary wall of air base and its joining areas will remain strictly prohibited during imposition of prohibitory orders.

Meanwhile, Haryana Police has set up several check barrices and police officers were seen patrolling residential localities near air base, making anuncements over loudspeakers warning people t to stand on rooftop of ir houses to pictures or shoot videos. Violators would face punishment as per law, y warned.

At many places here, hoardings have been erected to welcome arrival of fighter jets with some of se mentioning that ir induction will furr boost IAF's capabilities. Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said people of Ambala are very enthusiastic about arrival of jets.

“This is a very proud and a historic moment for us that Rafale jets will be stationed in Ambala Cantonment area. Rafales are IAF's 'Sikandar', which will significantly boost our combat capabilities,” he said. 

He said h re t been threat of coronavirus pandemic, thousands would have gared in streets to welcome jets. Nearly four years ago, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to purchase 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000-crore deal to boost IAF's combat capabilities. five Rafales are scheduled to be inducted into Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday, though a formal induction ceremony would be held later.

jets will be inducted into IAF as part of its 17 Squron, also kwn as 'Golden Arrows'. aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be mainstay of weapons pack of Rafale jets. Of 36 jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers.

trainer jets will be twin-seater and y will have almost all features of fighter jets. IAF has undertaken major infrastructure upgres at Ambala base for deployment of first Rafale squron. Built in 1948, air base is located on east side of Ambala and is used for military and government flights. air base has two squrons of Jaguar combat aircraft and one squron of MIG-21 'Bison'. Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh was first commander of base. Mir fighters that were used for air strike in Balakot in Pakistan in February 2019 after Pulwama terror attack h taken off from here.

(Im Credits: Twitter/@Indian_Embassy)