The Indian Air Force has initiated a major infrastructure upgrade at its frontline base here for the deployment of the first squadron of Rafale jets, which will start arriving in September 2019.
The government has sanctioned ₹220 crore to set up 14 shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the 78-year-old base for the fighter jets, a senior IAF official said.
The Rafales will give India greater “potency” to fight Pakistan as they can carry nuclear and other missiles. The strategically located Ambala base is just 220 km from the border.
“We are creating facilities keeping in mind the infrastructure requirement for the Rafale jets for the next 40 to 50 years,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Currently, the base has two fighter squadrons of Jaguar and and one of the MiG-21 Bison.
Several teams from Dassault Aviation, the French manufacturer of Rafale, have visited the base and finalised the requirement for the first squadron.
The IAF is carrying out an infrastructure upgrade at its Hasimara base in West Bengal, which will house the second squadron, the official said.
In September last year, India signed a €7.87-billion (approx ₹59,000- crore) deal with the French government for buying 36 Rafale jets in flyaway condition. Half of them will go to Ambala and the rest to Hasimara.
“We are planning to put in place all required infrastructure for Rafale squadron by the end of next year,” the IAF official said.
Training under way
The two bases will have simulator-based training facilities for the air crew. The IAF has selected a batch of pilots to fly the jets and they are being trained by Dassault Aviation in France.
The Rafale squadron to be deployed in Ambala will be known as Golden Arrows, which was originally based in Bhatinda and disbanded two years ago.