‘RB 01’: First Rafale Has Tail Number Named After IAF Chief-Designate Air Marshal R K S Bhadauria 

The first of the 36 Rafale jets that will be formally handed over to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh by its French manufacturer on this Dussehra bears the tail number RB 01.

As per defence sources, 'RB' stands for Air Force chief-designate Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria, who played a key role in negotiations for procuring 36 Rafale jets in the flyaway condition.

Bhadauria is set to take over as the IAF chief on 1 October after the retirement of Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa later this month. Bhadauria is also expected to fly with Rajnath Singh to France to attend the aircraft receiving ceremony on October 8.

Bhadauria is an alumnus of National Defence Academy. He won the coveted 'Sword of Honour' at the NDA for standing first in the order of merit and was commissioned into the IAF's fighter stream in June 1980.

Apart from his proficiency with various aircraft, Bhadauria is also an Experimental Test Pilot, a Cat 'A' Qualified Flying Instructor and a Pilot Attack Instructor. His many command, staff and instructional appointments, include heading a Jaguar Squadron and a key Air Force Station, commanding the Flight Test Squadron at Aircraft & System Testing Establishment, and being the Chief Test Pilot and Project Director of National Flight Test Centre on Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project.

Bhadauria also served as Air Attach in Russia, the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Projects), Commandant of the National Defence Academy, Senior Air Staff Officer at the Central Air Command, the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff and then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Air Command.

(With inputs from IANS)