Former India skipper hailed the Rafael jets on the occasion of the on the occasion of the formal induction of Rafale in the Indian Air Force (IAF). Today the five Rafale fighter jets being formally inducted into the 17 Squadron of the IAF at a glittering ceremony at the Ambala airbase.
Dhoni took to twitter to write, “With the Final Induction Ceremony, the world’s best combat-proven 4.5Gen fighter plane gets the world’s best fighter pilots. In the hands of our pilots and the mix of different aircraft with the IAF, the potent bird’s lethality will only increase.”
With the Final Induction Ceremony the world’s best combat proven 4.5Gen fighter plane gets the world’s best fighter pilots. In the hands of our pilots and the mix of different aircrafts with the IAF the potent bird’s lethality will only increase.
— Mahendra Singh Dhoni (@msdhoni) September 10, 2020
He further added that Rafael beats the service record of the Mirage 2000 which is serving in Indian Air Force since 1985 but Sukhoi Su-30MKI his favourite aircraft.
The Mirage-2000 is undoubtedly one of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) most versatile and deadliest aircraft and it was first commissioned in 1985. The Mirage-2000 played a decisive role in the 1999 war of Kargil and turned it in India’s favour.
In another tweet, he added, “Wishing The Glorious 17 Squadron(Golden Arrows) all the very best and for all of us hope the Rafale beats the service record of the Mirage 2000 but Su30MKI remains my fav and the boys get a new target to dogfight with and wait for BVR engagement till their upgrade to Super Sukhoi.”
Wishing The Glorious 17 Squadron(Golden Arrows) all the very best and for all of us hope the Rafale beats the service record of the Mirage 2000 but Su30MKI remains my fav and the boys get new target to dogfight with and wait for BVR engagement till their upgrade to Super Sukhoi
— Mahendra Singh Dhoni (@msdhoni) September 10, 2020
Dhoni holds the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army unit of the Parachute Regiment (106 Para TA battalion). In 2015, four years after he was awarded the honorary rank in the Indian Territorial Army, he became a qualified paratrooper after completing five parachute training jumps from Indian Army aircraft in the Agra training camp.