Indian Air Force get 3 more Rafales

• A fourth batch of three Rafale fighter jets landed in India on Wednesday evening after flying non-stop from France, this will further boost the strength of Indian Air Force

• The fighters will head to the Golden Arrows Squadron in Ambala, thus taking the number of the Rafale fighters in the Squadron to 14. Typically a squadron comprises around 18 aircraft and two as standby.

• The jets were provided mid-air refuelling by air force tankers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

• The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on July 29

• A second batch of three Rafale jets arrived in India on November 3

• A third batch of another three jets joined the IAF on January 27

• The first Rafale squadron is based in Ambala air force station

• The Indian Air Force is set to raise the second squadron of the Rafale combat jets in mid-April and it will be based in Hasimara air base in West Bengal, according to military officials

• The Rafale jets are capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

• By 2022, all the 36 fighter aircraft will be in India.

• The IAF is also in the process of buying a new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range). This will be integrated in the fighters.

• What is Hammer? Developed by French major Safran is a precision-guided missile, which was originally meant for the French Air Force and the Navy.