India, France Set to Negotiate Rafale Marine Jet Deal

May 29, 2024

India has started talking to France about buying 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets, which is expected to be a deal worth Rs 50,000 crore. The Indian government gave its approval for these advanced fighter jets from France to be sent to the country’s aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.

Rationale Behind Choosing Rafale Marine

After a lot of tests at a facility on land in Goa, India, the Rafale Marine, which is also called the Rafale M, was chosen over the American F/A-18 Super Hornets. The fact that the Rafale M can work with the Indian Air Force’s current Rafale fleet is a big plus for it. This interoperability means that about 80% of the spare parts and maintenance parts for both versions can be used on the other. This should save a lot of money. The Rafale M also has reinforced parts, like the nose and landing wheels, that are made to handle the rough conditions of operating an aircraft carrier.

Specifications of Rafale Marine

The Rafale M is a single-seat multi-role fighter plane made by Dassault Aviation. It is 15.30 meters long, 10.90 meters wide, and 5.30 meters high, and it can take off with a weight of up to 24.5 tonnes. The plane has a top speed of 750 knots (1,389 kmph) and can fly at up to 50,000 feet. It can take up to 9.5 tonnes of cargo on the outside.

Operational Capabilities

As well as air defence, nuclear deterrence, intelligence, and deep strike operations, the Rafale Marine can do many other things. Meteor and MICA missiles, SCALP, HAMMER, AM39 EXOCET missiles, and laser-guided bombs are just some of the weapons that can be used with it. It also has an internal cannon that fires 2,500 shots per minute. The Rafale is what Dassault Aviation calls a “omnirole aircraft” because it can be used in a lot of different types of warfare.

Proven Track Record

The Rafale has been an important part of the French military since it was first used in 2004. The Standard F1 version is designed for air-to-air fighting. As its operational skills grew, the Standard F3 variant came out in 2008, which could do a wide range of air-to-ground missions. The French military has been getting the newest Rafale fighters in the Standard F4 version since the beginning of 2023. This shows that the fighters are getting better and better at their job.

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