Rafale jets will give Indian Air Force more teeth to fight grave threats, says Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa

Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa on Wednesday said that no country in the world is facing the kind of grave threat that India is confronted with and by providing the Rafale jets and S-400 the government is strengthening the Indian Air Force to counter the short falls of our depleting numbers. Speaking days after vice-chief of the Indian Air Force Air Marshal SB Deo gave a strong endorsement to  the Rafale fighter jets, saying it will give India an ‘unprecedented’ combat advantage, Dhanoa said intentions of adversaries can change overnight and the Air Force needs to match their force level. The air chief also said that India’s neighbours are not sitting idle and countries like China are modernising its air force significantly. Speaking at a seminar on ‘IAF’s force structure, 2035’, the air chief said the government is procuring Rafale fighter jets and S-400 missile systems to enhance IAF’s capability. He also justified procurement of only two Rafale jet squadrons, saying there were example of similar purchases. Deo had described Rafale as a ‘ beautiful' aircraf t. The vice-chief had said those criticising the deal must understand the procurement norms. [caption id=“attachment_5167591” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Photo of Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa. ANI[/caption] Deo had said “all discussions on the deal” were taking place as people do not have adequate information about the procurement procedure. “We are waiting for the aircraft to come. It is a beautiful aircraft. It is a very capable aircraft. It is a capability that we need quickly,” he said on the sidelines of an event when asked about the controversy surrounding the Rafale deal. In the midst of a political  firestorm over the Rafale jet deal, the Indian Air Force is quietly making preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft, official sources said to PTI. They said the IAF is sending a batch of pilots by the end of this year to France for training on Rafale jets. A number of IAF teams have already visited France to help Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale, incorporate India-specific enhancements on-board the fighter aircraft. India had inked an inter-governmental agreement with France in September, 2016, for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore. The delivery of the jets — capable of carrying a range of potent weapons and missiles — is scheduled to begin from September next year. In July last year, Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa, during his visit to France, flew a Rafale jet at the Saint-Dizier airbase to gain a first-hand experience of the aircraft. With inputs from PTI