NEW DELHI – India to deploy the Rafael Fighter Jets near border withPakistan, it has been revealed.
The first squadron will be based out of Ambala Air Force Station in Punjab,the second such squadron will be located at the Hasimara Air Force Stationin North Bengal.
Previously it was planned that one squadron of the Rafale would be basedout of the Sarsawa Air Force Station in Uttar Pradesh. However, issuesrelating to land acquisition eventually led to the selection of the AmbalaAir Force Station to prepare itself for a two-front war in the northernside from Pakistan and China.
On the eastern frontier, Hasimara was selected as the base to house thesecond squadron. Hasimara earlier had a MiG-27 squadron which is beingreplaced by Rafales. The Hasimara Air Force Station has no squadronpresently.
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A senior Air Force official reveals that the jets will start arriving fromFrance in 2019 and a budget of Rs.400 crores has been allocated for thesetwo Air Force Stations – Ambala and Hasimara to build facilities, developshelters, hangers and maintenance facilities at the two bases.
“As far as the hangar is concerned, we are building in a way so that it canaccommodate both the Rafales and Sukhoi MKIs. Because we cannot buildhangers and keep changing it. When we build a facility, we have to do in amanner so that it serves the Indian Air Force for the next 40-50 years.Engineers and staff of the technical teams of Dassault Aviation from Franceare working at the Air Force Station on war footing,” said a senior AirForce official.
