NEW DELHI: The first batch of five Rafale aircraft that took off from France on July 27 would be arriving at Haryana's Ambala this afternoon. The weather conditions are looking good and they are expected to reach Ambala air base by 2 pm today.

Air Force Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria would be visiting Ambala today to receive the batch of first five Rafale aircraft. The distance covered by first five of a batch of French Rafale fighter jets is close to 7,000 kms.

India had bought 36 twin-engine fighter planes from Dassault Rafale at an estimated Rs 59,000 crore and the deal was signed on September 23, 2016. All the five jets are not same, the jets are a mix of single-seater and two-seater planes. They will officially be inducted into the "Gloden Arrows" squadron of the IAF.

The jets on their way to India are also a mix of both.The initials of Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria 'RB' are displayed on the twin-seater planes as he played a key role in negotiating the deal. The initials of the last chief of Air Force, retired Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa are present on the single-seater aircraft. Twelve IAF pilots and engineering crew members are fully trained on the Rafale fighter jets.

Security was tightened near the airbase, some 200 km from the Pakistan border and imposed prohibitory orders near Ambala Air Force Station. Photography and shooting of videos has been banned. Section 144, which prohibts the assembly of four or more people, has been enforced in the villages adjacent to the air base, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora.

BJP's Ambala City MLA Aseem Goyal urged people to light candles in their homes between 7 to 7:30 pm on Wednesday to welcome the Rafale jets.

The jets made a stopover in Al Dhafra in the UAE. The French Air Force A330 MRTT aircraft is on its way to deliver 50 Osiris-3 ventilators, 70 Yuwell 830 ventilators, 50k IgG/IgM test kits, 50k nose & throat swabs.