World’s Best Combat Plane Gets Best Fighter Pilots: M S Dhoni Praises IAF, Rafale Jets After Induction

Former India Cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Thursday (10 September) said that with the final induction ceremony of the Rafale jets into the Indian Air Force (IAF), the world’s best combat proven 4.5 generation fighter plane has got the world’s best fighter pilots.

Dhoni, who last month announced his retirement from international cricket, holds the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army unit of the Parachute Regiment (106 Para TA battalion).

Earlier in the day, the IAF hosted a ceremony at the Ambala Air Base in Haryana to formally induct the first five Rafale fighter jets. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, his French counterpart Florence Parly and India’s top military brass attended the ceremony.

Rafale is an omni-role aircraft which means it can carry out at least four missions in one sortie. The fighter aircraft have HAMMER missiles. It will also be armed with beyond visual range missiles like Meteor, SCALP and MICA, increasing their capability to take on incoming targets from a distance.

(With inputs from IANS)