A French Rafale fighter jet from the Istres military airbase (GERARD JULIEN/AFP/GettyImages)India Air Force (IAF) chief B S Dhanoa today (25 March) said that when the Rafale fighter jets arrive in India, they will be the best combat aircraft in the Indian sub-continent and once inducted into the airforce, Pakistan will not attempt to come near the Line of Control (LoC) or the international border, reports ANI.
“When the Rafale comes in, it will ensure that the deterrence of our air defence will increase manifold and they (Pakistan) will not come anywhere near our Line of Control or border. That kind of capability we will possess for which presently they (Pakistan) don't have an answer,” said the Air Marshal Dhanoa in an interview with the news agency.
The Rafale jets carry Meteor air-to-air missiles which can shoot down enemy planes at strikes ranges upto 150 kms.
Dhanoa added that Rafale would give the Indian armed forces strike and deterrent capabilities that was superior to what both Pakistan and China currently possess. "We are going to get Rafale in the month of September. Rafale will give a tremendous jump to our capability and it is superior to all the aircraft in the inventory of both our adversaries.”
Inducting Chinooks
IAF is also all set to induct the Chinook heavy-lift transport helicopters into its fleet today. The Boeing-made helicopter is reportedly capable of transporting artillery guns to high altitudes and troops for action.
Also Read: The Anti-Rafale Campaign Would Go Down As One Of The Lowest Points Of Indian Media
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.