In Pics: Five Rafale jets enters Indian airspace, flanked by 30 MKIs

New Delhi, July 29: The first batch of five Rafale combat jets on Wednesday entered the Indian air space on its way to Ambala airbase at around 2 PM today (29 July), established contact with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata situated in the Western Arabian Sea.

Soon after entering the Indian airspace, the incoming Rafales jets exchanged greetings with the Indian Naval warship INS Kolkata situated in the Western Arabian Sea.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweets first visuals of Rafalt fighter jets:

Five Rafale aircraft entering Indian airspace

The Defence Minister put out a tweet with "five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space".

Five Rafale aircraft to land in Ambala at 2.45 pm

Chief of Air Staff RKS Bhadauria will be at the strategically key Ambala air base to receive the Rafale jets, India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in over two decades. A Rs 59,000-crore deal was signed on September 23, 2016 for 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation.

The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The fully versatile Rafale is able to carry out all combat aviation missions: air superiority and air defense, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

Rafale entered service with the French Navy in 2004

The Rafale entered service with the French Navy in 2004 and with the French Air Force in 2006. With more than 30,000 flight hours in operations, the Rafale has proven its worth in combat in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria.

Rafale twin-jet fighter aircraft

The aircraft is available in three main variants: Rafale C single-seat land-based version, Rafale B twin-seat land-based version, and Rafale M single-seat carrier-based version.

The birds have come: Rafale touchdown at Ambala

The first batch of five Rafale fighters have landed at the Ambala airbase. The fighter jets earlier entered the Indian airspace at about 1.30 pm and were greeted by an Indian Navy warship, INS Kolkata, deployed in the western Arabian Sea.