IAF chief BS Dhanoa at Ambala air base for Tuesday's event

IAF chief BS Dhanoa at Ambala air base for Tuesday's event

NEW DELHI: The IAF on Tuesday resurrected its 17 `Golden Arrows’ Squadron at Ambala ahead of the first Rafale fighter jet to be formally handed over to India in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh in France early next month.But the first four of the 36 multi-role Rafale jets, which were ordered under the Rs 59,000 crore deal inked in September 2016, will actually touch down in Ambala only in May next year after training of the “main” induction team of around 10 pilots, 10 flight engineers and 40 technicians in France.“The first Rafale was to be handed over this month but the date is now set to be October 8, which is IAF Day as well as Dusshera, due to scheduling issues. The ceremony in France will include the defence ministers from the two countries, along with top defence officials,” said an officer.The first 16 Rafales will be inducted into the 17 Squadron, which was commanded by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa during the Kargil conflict in 1999 and “number-plated” after its old MiG-21s retired in 2011, for the western front with Pakistan. The next 16 jets will be based at Hasimara (West Bengal) to cater for China, all of which are slated to be delivered in batches by April 2022, as was earlier reported by TOI.Senior IAF officers have repeatedly stressed – even during the political slugfest between Congress and BJP over the fighter deal in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections- that the Rafale fighter would prove to be a “gamechanger” in air combat capabilities in the region because it could outgun any combat jet that China or Pakistan could deploy against India.The 13 India-Specific Enhancements (ISEs) or upgrade on the 36 jets will, however, become fully operational only by September-October 2022 because they will require another six months to undergo “software certification” after all of them have arrived in India.These ISEs, which have cost India around Euro 1.3 billion for their “non-recurring” design and development cost, range from radar enhancements, Israeli helmet-mounted displays and low-band jammers to towed decoy systems, and the engine capability for "cold start" from high-altitude regions.India has already paid over Rs 34,000 crore to France in “milestone-linked instalments” under the 2016 contract. Down to just 30 fighter squadrons when at least 42 are required to tackle the “collusive threat” from Pakistan and China, the IAF of course remains keen to order 36 more Rafales.