On the sidelines of the Indo-French joint Air Exercise Garuda-VI, Indian Air Force Vice Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria warned enemies, including Pakistan of deadly combination of Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Rafale MMRCA fighter jets. Speaking to ANI, Bhadauria said in case Pakistan dares a February 27-type attack on India, the neighbouring country will suffer bigger losses than ever.
"Once the Su-30MKI and the Rafale start operating together, it will be a potent combination against our adversaries, be it Pakistan or anybody else. It will be a potent capability. Any adversary would be worried about such a combination," said Bhadauria during the Garuda exercise.
#WATCH France: Indian Air Force Vice Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria takes a sortie on Rafale aircraft at French Air Force’s Mont de Marsan air base. pic.twitter.com/weLdlHrlLJ— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2019
The IAF Vice Chief also performed a sortie in the Rafale jet at the French Air Force base. Bhadauria was the head of the Indian team that negotiated with France for the deal to acquire 36 Rafale jets in 2016. The Indian Air Force and Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) are currenlty participating in a bilateral air exercise Garuda-VI at Mont de Marsan in France.
The exercise, scheduled to take place from July to July 12, 2019, see the most potent fighter aircraft of the two countries going head-to-head to validate the latest defence strategies and fine-tune their waging capabilities.
While the Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent comprises of 120 air-warriors and four Sukhoi Su-30MKI along with an IL-78 flight refuelling aircraft, French Air Force units will comprise the likes of Rafale, Alpha Jet, Mirage 2000, C135, E3F, C130, and Casa.
"For any such (February 27-type) operation by Pakistan, they would have losses much more. We would have larger weapons and we would have better weapons. The attrition that we will inflict would be very very high," Vice Chief added.
IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria: It was a very good experience, we'll have many lessons to take home in terms of how to best utilize Rafale once it is inducted into our Air Force, & how the combination can be with Su-30, another potent & important fleet in our Air Force. pic.twitter.com/DIvp0FlBgh— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2019
The Dassault-made French fighter jet Rafale, which is set to join the IAF’s fleet by September performed a joint friendly exercise with Soviet made IAF’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI, India’s most advanced jets as of now.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said that Rafale could have inflicted more damage on the terror camps had Rafale been in the force. In March, he took on the opposition over the issue of air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan, saying that the entire country is feeling the absence of Rafale fighter jet aircraft.
Speaking at a media event, PM Modi said, "The country is feeling the absence of Rafale. The entire country is saying in one voice today, what all could have happened if we had Rafale. The country has suffered a lot due to selfish interests earlier and now politics over Rafale."
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