NEW DELHI – On September 10, 2019, the Rafale fighter got its new home withthe Indian Air Force after Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoaresurrected the No.17 ‘Golden Arrows’ Squadron at Haryana’s Ambala airbase.The Golden Arrows Squadron has been put on Indian Air Force’s active Orderof Battle following the resurrection.
“It gives me immense pleasure to handover the Squadron insignia toCommanding Officer Designate Group Captain Harkirat Singh. The GoldenArrows has been an epitome of professional excellence and dedication. Theassociation of Number 17 Squadron with Ambala has been from its veryinception when it was formed here in 1951. It has come back to Ambala,”said the IAF Chief on the ocassion. He also inaugurated a Golden ArrowsSquadron museum at the air base.
The ‘Golden Arrows’ was raised on October 1, 1951, at Ambala with theHarvard IIB trainer aircraft and later got its first jet fighter deHavilland Vampire. Later British Hawker Hunters and Russian MiG-21s werepart of its fleet. ACM Dhanoa had commanded the ‘Golden Arrows’ during the1999 Kargil War and even flew several sorties to bomb the Pakistaniintruders perched on the mountains.
With the IAF retiring MiG-21 variants, the Golden Arrows was number plated(decommissioned) in 2006. But now the squadron will fly the latest fighterin IAF’s arsenal – the 4++ Generation French Rafale combat aircraft.
IAF will officially induct the Rafale on October 8, 2019, in the presenceof Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. A government source told ANI news agencythat October 8 is auspicious Dusshera and Air Force Day will be celebratedon the same day.
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[image: IAF No.17 Golden Arrows Squadron]
A batch of 24 IAF fighter pilots are being trained on the Rafale in batchesand the first plane will land in India only in May 2020 after all theIndia-specific enhancements to make it more lethal have been carried out onthe fighter.
While one squadron of Rafales will be based in Amala to tackle Pakistan,the second squadron of 18 jets will be at Hashimara in West Bengal to dealwith China.
