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IAF's send-off to ex-chief BS Dhanoa: Rafale fighter jets to fly with his initials

While the two-sweater trainer Rafales will have the tail number initials of present Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria RB, the fighter versions will fly with the tail sign initials of BS

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to honour recently retired Chief Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa in a unique manner. The Rafale fighter jets acquired by the IAF will fly with his initials on the tail sign - B.S.

"While the two-sweater trainer Rafales will have the tail number initials of present Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria RB, the fighter versions will fly with the tail sign initials of BS after the previous chief Dhanoa," IAF officials told news agency ANI.

Every aircraft in the IAF has a unique tail number in a series, branded by the operations branch of the force, which also gives the tail number initials. "In the fleet of one type of combat aircraft, the tail numbers of trainer and fighter aircraft have a separate set of alphabets as initials. Thereafter, numbers are in a series," they said.

When India and France signed the Euro 7.8 billion deal in September 2016, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria was the Deputy Chief of Air Staff heading the contract negotiations for the agreement as to the head of the Indian negotiating team.

At that time, Dhanoa was the Vice Chief of Air Staff looking after the operations of the force. The Indian side has already received three-trainer aircraft from the French side, which is being used for training IAF pilots in France.

The first aircraft is expected to arrive in India by May next year along with 8-10 Meteor air-to-air beyond visual range missiles.

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