New Delhi, September 20: The tail number of the first Rafale aircraft delivered to India is RB-01. The tail number is named after Indian Air Force Chief designate Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria. RK Bhadauria was appointed as the new chief of India's Air Force on Thursday. Chief of the Air Staff designate Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, will assume office on September 30, 2019, called on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi, on Friday. Selfies on Rafale: French And IAF Pilots Take Pictures While Flying Rafale Jet, Sukhoi 30 MKI During Exercise Garuda 2019.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) received the first multi-role combat aircraft Rafale from its manufacturer Dassault Aviation in France on Thursday, defence sources said on Friday. The jet will be formally handed over to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for induction into the IAF when he visits France on the occasion of Dussehra on October 8. Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria Appointed New IAF Chief, to Takeover From BS Dhanoa on September 30.

Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria will be the new chief of staff of the Indian Air Force (IAF), said the government on Thursday. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO), in consultation with the Defence Ministry, finalised the name of Bhadauria as the next IAF chief. Air Marshal Singh, an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, was commissioned in the fighter stream of IAF on 15 Jun 1980.

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The Air Marshal has held a number of important appointments, which include, Command of a Jaguar Squadron and a premier Air Force Station, Commanding Officer of Flight Test Squadron at Aircraft & System Testing Establishment, Chief Test Pilot and Project Director of National Flight Test Centre on Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project.

Air Marshal Singh, is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, was commissioned in the fighter stream of IAF on 15 Jun 1980. He has over 4250 hours of experience on twenty six types of fighters and transport aircraft with the unique distinction of being an Experimental Test Pilot, a Cat ‘A’ Qualified Flying Instructor and a Pilot Attack Instructor. He completed his Masters in Defence Studies from Command and Staff College, Bangladesh.

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