India and France have signed their largest defense deal, marking the first-ever export order of the naval variant of the French fighter jet, the Rafale-M (Marine).
Unlike the previous deal for the Indian Air Force (IAF), the contract also paves the way for local manufacturing of the aircraft’s fuselage and the setting up of Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul facilities for aircraft engines and sensors. But the biggest win of all has been the clause allowing the integration of indigenous Indian weapons.
This could pave the way for a larger order for Rafales from the IAF. The IAF already operates 36 Rafales. According to reports, the IAF, in particular, has been driving a hard bargain with the French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation to get the ability to integrate indigenous weapons on the aircraft.
Previously, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh has underscored the benefits of the Jaguar model, which has allowed a series of upgrades on the aircraft and the integration of indigenous weapons with the British-origin fighter jet.
To replicate this on Rafales, India would need access to the source code.
The statement from the Indian Ministry of Defense suggests that the two countries may be heading towards an understanding regarding this matter.
“The Governments of India and France have signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for the procurement of 26 Rafale Aircraft (22 Single-Seater and four Twin-Seater) for the Indian Navy. It includes Training, Simulator, Associated Equipment, Weapons, and Performance-Based Logistics. It also includes additional equipment for the existing Rafale fleet of the IAF,” the Indian Ministry of Defense’s statement read after the USD 7.5 billion deal with India for 26 Rafale M fighter jets.
The statement adds: “In line with the Government’s thrust on Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the agreement includes Transfer of Technology for integration of indigenous weapons in India. It also includes setting up of production facilities for Rafale Fuselage as well as Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facilities for aircraft engine, sensors, and weapons in India.”
The Transfer of Technology will enable the integration of the Indian-made beyond visual range missile, Astra, with Rafales. Dassault Aviation has already begun setting up a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Uttar Pradesh as part of the offset obligations for the Rafales purchased by the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Source code is important from the perspective of the IAF, which aims to modernize without compromising its quest for self-reliance. Jaguar’s transfer of technology gave the Indian aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) the capability to not only manufacture the airframe of the fighter jet but also to upgrade the avionics of the aircraft at regular intervals.
This helps in keeping the aircraft operationally relevant for a longer duration. In the case of the Mirage-2000, the IAF’s earlier purchase from Dassault Aviation has resulted in challenges related to spare supplies and servicing due to the off-the-shelf acquisition of the fighter jets, rather than manufacturing them domestically under license.
The IAF had purchased 51 Mirage 2000s between 1982 and 1985 in fly-away condition. Unlike the Jaguars and the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI, the Indian aircraft industry never produced the Mirage aircraft under licensed manufacturing.
India has on several occasions attempted to purchase additional Mirage fighter jets. For instance, after the Kargil War in 1999, India sought to procure more Mirage fighters from France. However, by then, Dassault Aviation had ceased production of the aircraft, which later resulted in problems with spare parts. The IAF had to resort to purchasing second-hand Mirages to cannibalise them for spare parts.
In 2011, India signed a deal with French firm Thales for the upgradation of its Mirage 2000-H fleet to the 2000-5 standard. The price tag for the upgrade was a whopping USD 2.1-2.2 billion. Two aircraft were to be upgraded in France, and the remaining were to be upgraded by HAL.
The upgrades included avionics, the integration of advanced electronic warfare suites, a navigation system, a glass cockpit, and enhancements to the weapon system. However, even after a decade, the mid-life upgrade was ongoing.
The Rafales were then inducted into the IAF after its already volatile ties with Pakistan further deteriorated in 2019. The Rafale was the first aircraft inducted into the IAF since the Russian Sukhoi Su-30 MKI entered the force’s fleet in 2002. It was purchased through a government-to-government deal.
With its sanctioned strength depleting significantly below its authorized strength of 42 squadrons of fighter jets, the IAF is keen on acquiring more Rafales. This would save its fleet from unnecessary diversification as it awaits the indigenous LCA Mk2 and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) to take to the skies.
The Rafales in the IAF fleet are of the F3R standard; it is only logical that the IAF would upgrade to the F4 and eventually the F5 standard, should Dassault Aviation agree to India’s demands.
‘Gust Of Wind’ For The Indian Navy
Dassault Aviation’s Rafale-M (Marine) edged out Boeing’s F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets. The Indian Navy has opted for Rafales based on interoperability with the IAF’s fleet.
The interoperability will bolster both services – the IAF and the Indian Navy, as the aircraft come equipped with the ‘buddy-buddy’ aerial refueling system. It allows one jet, equipped with a refuelling pod, to act as a fuel tanker for another, which allows the fighters to stay airborne longer.
The IAF operates the single-seat Rafale C, and the Navy’s single-seat Rafale M features maximum airframe and equipment commonality, and very similar mission capabilities.
Both the aircraft, the Super Hornets and Rafales, were able to meet the requirements stipulated by the Indian Navy during their shore-based demonstration in Goa. However, the F-18 is a heavier aircraft, whereas the Rafale M is lighter. So, when it comes to arrested landing on the aircraft carrier, Rafale has more flexibility.
The Indian Navy has ordered four twin-seater variants of the aircraft for training purposes. The twin-seater Rafales are not compatible with aircraft carriers. The Rafale M is expected to be delivered by 2030.
Indian aircraft carriers use a ski-jump to launch aircraft and arrestor cables to recover aircraft that use a tail hook. The lifts onboard Indian carriers were built for the Russian MiG-29K jets, which are currently in service with the Indian Air Force.
Due to these minor modifications, the Rafale M would require adjustments to make it compatible with the lifts onboard Indian carriers.
The Rafale M will be equipped with Safran Group’s reinforced landing gear and features such as folding wings, a reinforced undercarriage to withstand harsh conditions, deck landing, and tailhooks.
The 26 fighters that the Indian Navy is buying are only a stopgap until the country develops its own twin-engine deck-based fighter (TEDBF). The Navy is preparing a draft cabinet note for the design and development of the TEDBF, which India plans to operate from its aircraft carriers.
According to the timeline, the first prototype of TEDBF is expected to be ready around 2026, and its production is likely to begin by 2032.
The Navy is working with the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Aeronautical Development Agency on the TEDBF project. However, the project has not yet been sanctioned and is currently in the preliminary design stage. Based on the DRDO’s assurance, the Indian Navy had scaled down its requirement from 57 fighter jets to 26.
