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The information of this deal was first revealed during PM Modi’s visit to France in 2023.
India and France will sign the largest defense deal for 26 Rafael Marine Fighter Jets on 28 April. The deal will be signed in the presence of French Defense Minister Sebastian Lakeornu. According to defense sources, senior officials will represent both sides while signing the deal of more than 64 thousand crore rupees.
The event is also planned to be organized outside the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense in South Block. The French minister has a schedule to reach India on the evening of 27 April and return the next day.
It is worth noting that India approved the deal for 26 Rafael-Marin fighter jets with France in a cabinet meeting chaired by PM Modi on 9 April under the Government-to-Government Deal.
The deal will include 22 single-seater, 4 twin-seater jets. Along with this, the fleet will also include maintenance, logistic support, personal training and indigenous manufacturing package.
All these 26 Marines will operate from Rafael Jet INS Vikrant and support the current MiG-29K fleet. With this deal, the number of Rafale jets will increase to 62.
The first round was discussed in June 2024
The first round discussion on the 26 Rafale-Am fighter jet buying the deal started in June 2024. Then the French government and officials of Dassao company discussed with the contract negotiation committee of the Ministry of Defense. France will provide weapons, simulators, training and logistic support for Rafael-M jet when the deal is final.
These weapons include weapons air-to-air missiles, Indian Specific Intented Landing Equipments and Essential Equipments in Jet to operate from aircraft career.
France has performed Rafael Jet’s landing and take-off skills from Indian aircraft Carriers during trials, but will have to use some more equipment for real time operation.
Indian Air Force already has 36 Rafale
The Indian Air Force already has a fleet of 36 aircraft acquired under a separate deal in 2016. IAF Rafael Jets operate from Ambala and Hashinara. Rafale-M jet and 4 double trainer seats being purchased for the Navy will be deployed in the Indian Ocean. The Indian Navy will deploy these aircraft as its home base at INS Dga in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Navy double engine jets are commonly more expensive than aircraft being used by Air Force around the world, as their operation in the sea requires additional capabilities. These include landing gears used for arresting landing.
What are Rafael Marine Fighter Jet’s specialties …
- Rafael Marine is advanced from Rafael fighter jets present in India. Its engine is more powerful, so this fighter jet can jump with INS Vikrant.
- It can also land in very little space. It is called ‘short take off but ate arester landing’.
- About 85% of components in both Rafale variants are the same. This means that there will never be any deficiency or problem related to spare parts.
- This is 15.27 m. Long, 10.80 m Wide, 5.34 m Is elevated. It weighs 10,600 kg.
- Its speed is 1,912 kmph. It has a range of 3700 km. It flies up to 50 thousand feet height.
- It is considered the best for the antithesis strike. It is also designed from an attack on the nuclear plant.
The first batch may take 2-3 years, it took 7 years to arrive for the Air Force. INS Vikrant trials have started. His deck is yet to be tested fighter operations. The formalities related to technical and cost will be completed for at least one year of sealing the deal.
According to the expert, Rafael is also correct for the Navy, because the Air Force has prepared the infrastructure related to Rafael’s maintenance. This will also be useful for the Navy. This will save a lot of money.
Sources say that the first batch of Rafael-M may take 2-3 years to arrive. The 36 Rafale deal for the Air Force was in 2016 and it took 7 years to complete the delivery.
When the Navy had MiG-29, why did Rafael-M need?
- INS Vikrant’s Aviation Facility Complex, AFC, was designed for the MiG-29 fighter plane. MiG is fighter planes made in Russia, which have been in discussion about their crash in recent years. Therefore, the Indian Navy is going to completely remove MiG aircraft from its fleet in the next few years.
- Due to the problems faced by MiG, the Navy realized that he needed to bring either Rafael-M or F-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft instead of MiG.
- The Navy stated in 2022 that Vikrant was designed for MiG-29, but is looking for a better deck-based fighter plane instead.
- For this, talks are also going on for the purchase of France’s Rafael-M and Boeing F-18 of America ‘Super Hornet’ fighter plane, but now the Navy has agreed to purchase Rafael-M of France.
- In fact, the Navy first tested the French Rafael-M and American F-18 Super Hornet aircraft in Goa. After testing, the Navy told the Ministry of Defense that Rafael-M is the best for its needs. In this way, Rafael-M won the testing and the Navy proceeded to its deal.
- In the coming years, the Navy plans to deploy the naval version of Tejas Light Combat Aircraft on Vikrant. Tejas is a twin-engine deck-based fighter plane being built in the country.
- However, Tejas being made by DRDO will take 5-6 years to get ready. It is likely to get the Navy by 2030-2032.
- China is now testing its third aircraft career Fujian. It is weighing more than 80 thousand tonnes. Earlier, he has also included 60,000 tonnes of Liaoning and 66,000 tonnes weighing Shandong in the China Navy. In such a situation, India is also increasing the strength of its Navy to compete with China.
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