The IAF has decided to put tail numbers in 30 Rafale jets with the ‘BS’ initials to honour former Chief B S Dhanoa. He had backed the Rs 59,000 crore deal for 36 Rafale jets to be procured from France under a Government to Government deal during his tenure. Dhanoa retired from service in September.
Six Rafale trainer aircraft will carry 'RB' series tail numbers which stand for Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, the current Chief of Air Staff who played a key role as lead negotiator for the mega deal.
The political controversy relating to purchase of 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation peaked during Dhanoa's tenure as chief of the air staff and he had stoutly defended the deal.
"All the Rafale fighter jets barring the trainer ones will carry 'BS' in the tail number. This is our way of thanking the former IAF Chief for the role he played to get us the jets," a senior IAF official said.
Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets. Dhanoa strongly maintained that the deal was clean and that the force needed the jets to significantly enhance its combat capabilities.
The Rafale jets will have the most advanced weapons package comprising
Meteor and Scalp missiles which will provide the IAF deep strike capability and air dominance in the region.
Three Rafale jets have already been handed over to India and they are being used to train IAF pilots and technicians in France.
