Meet IAF Rafale, India's most advanced fighter jet that terrifies Pakistan: IN PICS

Indian Air Force recently inducted the French-made Dassault Rafale fighter jet in an aim to modernize its fleet. The Rafale joins the likes of Sukhoi Su-30MKI, Mirage and India-made Tejas LCA to further strengthen IAF's arsenal. 

The first squadron of the Rafale jets is stationed at Ambala airbase due to its strategic location in North India and proxitimity to Pakistan, while the second one will be based at Hasimara base in West Bengal, due to its proximity to China. 

The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on July 29, 2020, nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore. The second batch of three Rafale jets arrived in India on November 3.

The Rafale jets are capable of carrying a range of potent weapons including European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets. 

The Rafale is the 4.5 gen fighter jet, making it among the deadliest in the world and was procured after a lengthy scrutiny by Indian Air Force, outperforming SAAB Gripen, MiG 35, Typhoon, F-16 among others. 

The twin-engine omnirole fighter jet is known for air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship and nuclear deterrence fighter aircraft, equipped with a wide range of weapons.

The aircraft's first unit is 17 Squadron, the 'Golden Arrows', which was resurrected on September 10, 2019. The Squadron was originally raised at Air Force Station in Ambala on October 1, 1951, and in 1955, it was equipped with the first jet fighter, the legendary De Havilland Vampire. 

The Rafale is available in three variants and all three variants share a common airframe and a common mission system:

Rafale C single-seater operated from land bases, Rafale M single-seater for carrier operations, Rafale B two-seater flown from land bases.