The Indian Air Force (IAF) operationalised its second Rafale fighter squadron by formally inducting jets into the No. 101 Squadron at Air Force Station Hasimara in West Bengal.
The IAF has so far inducted 26 Rafale jets in eights batches; the previous batch was inducted on July 21.
The squadron, bestowed with the title ‘Falcons of Chamb and Akhnoor’, was formed on May 1, 1949 at Palam.
It has operated the Harvard, Spitfire, Vampire, Su-7 and MiG-21M aircraft in the past.
The squadron saw active participation in 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars.
The first Rafale squadron, the No.17 Golden Arrows, is based at Ambala.