The first batch of five Rafale jets include include three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft

Rafale fighter jets that will join the Indian Air Force on Wednesday can integrate a variety of armaments and have been cleared to operate many weapons such as Hammer, Meteor and Mica missiles.

The order for HAMMER missiles, which can destroy targets 60-70 km away, is reportedly being processed under emergency acquisition powers given to the Indian military by the Indian government.

The METEOR missile combined with the Rafale weapon system is a paradigm shift in air-to-air affairs.

New Delhi: The first batch of the Rafale fighter jets will be delivered to India on Wednesday, July 28. Five Rafale jets took off for India from Dassault Aviation's airbase in France to join the Indian Air Force Fleet in Ambala, Haryana and landed at Al Dhafra airbase in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday evening after a sortie of more than seven hours.

The five jets include three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft. On October 8, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh received the first Rafale jet during his visit to France.

The Rafale fighter jets can integrate a variety of armaments and have been cleared to operate many weapons. Check these below:

HAMMER

The HAMMER (Highly Agile and Manoeuvrable Munition Extended Range) modular, rocket-boosted air-to-ground precision-guided weapon series are fitted with INS/GPS or INS/GPS/IIR (imaging infra-red) guidance kits, or with the upcoming INS/GPS/laser guidance.

The Indian Air Force has already ordered HAMMER missiles from France to make Rafale jets more lethal. The French authorities have agreed to supply them at a short notice for our Rafale combat aircraft. The order for the missiles, which can destroy targets 60-70 km away, is reportedly being processed under emergency acquisition powers given to the Indian military by the Indian government.

METEOR

The METEOR very long-range rocket and ram-jet powered air-to-air EM (Active Radar Homing) missile combined with the Rafale weapon system is a paradigm shift in air-to-air affairs.

MICA

The MICA air-to-air “Beyond Visual Range” (BVR) interception, combat and self-defence missiles can be used within visual range and beyond visual range in their (heat-seeking) and EM (active radar homing).