India needs 200 to 250 more Rafale fighter jets to maintain a “combat edge” over its adversaries, Indian Air Force chief Arup Raha said on Wednesday. Raha also spoke about the need for a parallel Tejas production line, reported PTI.
“Over the next 10 years, we must have 200-250 aircraft. It has to be balanced out. In the heavy weight spectrum, we have enough. But in the medium weight category, we need to have more,” he said.
The Air Force chief said the Rafale aircraft is excellent. “It is tremendously capable in all its roles. It can prove its worth in any situation,” Raha said, adding that India had ordered only 36 new aircraft though the force needs many more.
He said the government has sanctioned 42 fighter squadrons “which was a numerical value”. He said what is needed “is also a capability mix”. IAF has 33 fighter squadrons at present.
India signed the Rafale deal with France September 23. The agreement was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Paris visit in April 2015. The aircraft will be delivered between September 2019 and April 2022.
The air force chief called the militant attack on the Pathankot air base and the AN-32 crash that left 29 people dead “the worst memories of my career”. He will retire on December 31.
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