-Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh also conducted a sortie in a separate aircraft
New Delhi, 29 October (H.S.): President Droupadi Murmu, the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, made history on Wednesday by flying a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet from the Ambala Air Force Station. Concurrently, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, also took to the skies in a separate aircraft. This marks President Murmu's second flight in a fighter aircraft, having previously flown in a Sukhoi-30 MKI from Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam.
President Murmu arrived at Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana on Wednesday morning, where she was received by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and other senior officials. As the Supreme Commander of the three services, the President was accorded a guard of honour upon her arrival.
Subsequently, she boarded the Rafale aircraft and undertook a flight over the skies of Ambala.The aircraft carrying the President was piloted by Group Captain Amit Gehani, who serves as the Commanding Officer (CO) of the Indian Air Force's No. 17 Squadron, the 'Golden Arrows'.
Previously, on April 8, 2023, President Murmu had flown a sortie in a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter from Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam. With this flight, she becomes the third President and the second female Head of State to fly in a fighter jet. Her predecessors, former Presidents APJ Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil, had also flown sorties in the Sukhoi-30 MKI.
Accompanying the President’s sortie, the Chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, also demonstrated his flying proficiency by piloting another aircraft. The Rafale fighter jet, manufactured by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force at Ambala Air Force Station in September 2020.
The first batch of five Rafale aircraft arrived from France on July 27, 2020, and was integrated into the 17 Squadron, 'Golden Arrows'. This jet is a critical component of the Air Force's strength. The Rafale jet was utilized in Operation Sindoor, where it showcased its capabilities on May 7 by neutralizing several terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan-controlled territories.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
