Five Rafale fighter jets operated by Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots took off from Merignac in France on Monday morning for India in a big boost to country’s air power at a time of military stand-off with China.
These five jets include three single seater and two twin seater aircraft.
The aircraft are likely to arrive at Air Force Station, Ambala, on Wednesday subject to weather.
The Rafale aircraft will cover a distance of nearly 7000 kms from France to India with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop en route in UAE.
These flights are being undertaken by the IAF pilots who have undergone comprehensive training on the aircraft. The air to air refuelling planned during the first leg of the ferry will be undertaken by these pilots with dedicated tanker support from the French Air Force.
