IAF to induct Rafale aircraft into 17 squadron 'Golden Arrows': Here's the event schedule

formal induction ceremony of Rafale fighter jets will take place at Ambala Air Force Station on September 10, Thursday. five Rafale jets, three single-seat and two twin-seater trainers, landed at Ambala airbase on July 29 nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and French Defence Minister Florence Parly will attend induction ceremony. An official source confirmed that next batch of 4 Rafale jets is expected to arrive in India in October.

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Schedule for Rafale induction ceremony 

As informed by official sources, main entry for Rafale induction ceremony at IAF Ambala will begin at 8 am. ceremony will take place at around 10 am to 11:45 am followed by a press brief by Rajnath Singh between 12 pm to 1 pm. Rafale induction ceremony will be attended by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhauria, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, DRDO Chairman Dr G Saesh Reddy. Senior officers of Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces will also be present at induction ceremony. 

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Here's what you should kw about Rafale Jet

5 Rafale fighters are fully operational, with first 18 jets to be stationed in Ambala and next 18 fighters to be based in Hashimara airbase near Bhutan border once complement is completed. se Rafales are equipped with programmable signal processors (PSP) and also has  capacity to change signal frequencies in times of conflict.

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Rafale jet will be able to use terrain in Tibet to its vant, destroy enemy air defence and incapacitate surface-to-air missiles, former IAF Chief BS Dhaa h said. In case of beyond visual range combat, Rafale is superior to China's much-touted but untested F-35 kckoff J-20 jet, he said ding that Rafales will play a key role in Tibet for information dominance.

Rafale is powered by two SNECMA M88 engines, which helps it attain a range of more than 3,700 km. Having a top speed of 2223 km, it is equipped with laser-guided bombs weighing 900 kg. 2500 rounds per minute can be fired from its internal cann. Rafale is considered as a 4.5 generation aircraft and will w le IAF's fighter jets. Also, Rafale maintenance time per flight hour is 2.25 hours against 6-8 hrs for or fighters.  

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