Know Your 'Rafale'

WolfPack86

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Rafale Class ” reference Confirms IAF still looking for 114 jets from Dassault

Air Force Chief reference of ” Rafale Class ” contradicts what Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat said in an interview in New Delhi that IAF is willing to go for LCA-Tejas instead of 114 jets under a tender for foreign fighter jet manufactures specific reference to the Dassault Rafale under Make in India initiate also confirms that Rafale is still the front runner and IAF is not willing to substitute Rafale purchase with locally developed LCA-Tejas Mk1A and Mk2 platforms.

Earlier this year, the French aircraft manufacturer Dassault was in talks to buy out the stake of its partner Reliance in their joint-venture Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL). Reliance Infrastructure which holds the majority shares of 51:49 in JV and Dassault wanted to buy 100 percent ownership of DRAL, as is permissible under Indian regulations.


It looked like Dassault was preparing grounds to manufacture Rafale fighter jets locally before the Chinese virus situation emerged in the country. IAF chief just confirmed that the Chinese virus and economic situations in the country have not dented IAF’s plan for procuring 114 jets from a foreign vendor.
 

BON PLAN

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Rafale Class ” reference Confirms IAF still looking for 114 jets from Dassault

Air Force Chief reference of ” Rafale Class ” contradicts what Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat said in an interview in New Delhi that IAF is willing to go for LCA-Tejas instead of 114 jets under a tender for foreign fighter jet manufactures specific reference to the Dassault Rafale under Make in India initiate also confirms that Rafale is still the front runner and IAF is not willing to substitute Rafale purchase with locally developed LCA-Tejas Mk1A and Mk2 platforms.

Earlier this year, the French aircraft manufacturer Dassault was in talks to buy out the stake of its partner Reliance in their joint-venture Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL). Reliance Infrastructure which holds the majority shares of 51:49 in JV and Dassault wanted to buy 100 percent ownership of DRAL, as is permissible under Indian regulations.


It looked like Dassault was preparing grounds to manufacture Rafale fighter jets locally before the Chinese virus situation emerged in the country. IAF chief just confirmed that the Chinese virus and economic situations in the country have not dented IAF’s plan for procuring 114 jets from a foreign vendor.
Rafale is seen in french air force, after nearly 15 years of front line use, as potent as two to four Mirage 2000.
Tejas has not all the assets of M2000, so Tejas and Rafale aren't in competition, but complementary.

It's all but natural that India want to boost its own product. But this product is a low end fighter, so unable to realise deep strikes, where Rafale excel.

So there is space for the two (more Tejas than Rafale, of course)
 

Tactical Frog

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Dassault had to sign guarantee for the availability rate of 90%
The Rafale deal includes a `Performance based logistics` package with a serviceability of 75 %. Cost : 350 million euros.

Source : http://www.indiandefencereview.com/news/deconstructing-the-rafale-ambiguity/

 

Maniac@666

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The Rafale deal includes a `Performance based logistics` package with a serviceability of 75 %. Cost : 350 million euros.

Source : http://www.indiandefencereview.com/news/deconstructing-the-rafale-ambiguity/

Thanks for correcting me.that's why I said I'm not sure.five-year support package guaranteeing an operational rate of 75%.
 

WolfPack86

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Rafale fighters to IAF will not be delayed, France assures India
New Delhi: There will be no delay in delivery of 36 Rafale jets to India as the timeline finalised for the supply of the fighter jets will be strictly respected, French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain has said.
India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September 2016 for the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore.


"The contractual delivery schedule of the Rafale jets has been perfectly respected till now, and, in fact, a new aircraft was handed over to the Indian Air Force in end-April in France, in keeping with the contract," Lenain told PTI.


Defence Minister Rajnath Singh received the first Rafale jet at an airbase in France on October 8.



"We are helping the Indian Air Force in arranging for the ferry flight of their first four Rafales from France to India as soon as possible. So there's no reason today to speculate that the schedule will not be maintained," the envoy said.


France is reeling under swelling cases of coronavirus and has emerged as one of the worst-hit in Europe. Over 1,45,000 people were infected by the virus while the death toll stood at 28,330.

There were apprehensions that the delivery of Rafale jets could be delayed due to the pandemic. However, Lenain asserted that the original timeline for delivery of the jets will be adhered to.



The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.


Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.


Besides the missile systems, the Rafale jets will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems.

The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft.


The first squadron of the aircraft will be stationed at Ambala air force station, considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF. The Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from there.


The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal.


The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases.


Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater with almost all the features of the fighter jets.

The Congress raised questions about the deal, including on rates of the aircraft, and alleged corruption, but the government has rejected the charges.
 

WolfPack86

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France Will Ensure Timely Delivery Of Rafale Fighter Aircraft Despite Covid: Rajnath Singh
Even as France is badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that it will ensure timely delivery of the Rafale fighter aircraft to India. Taking to Twitter, the Defence Minister informed that he had a telephonic conversation with French Minister of Armed Forces Florence Parly. He said that while the French minister has ensured timely delivery of Rafale aircraft despite the challenges during Covid-19 pandemic, both countries have also agreed to strengthen the Bilateral Defence Cooperation between them.


"Had a telephonic conversation with French Minister of Armed Forces, Ms Florence Parly today. We discussed matters of mutual concern including COVID-19 situation, regional security and agreed to strengthen the Bilateral Defence Cooperation between India and France. We also appreciated the efforts made by Armed Forces of India and France in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. France has affirmed its commitment to ensure timely delivery of Rafale Aircraft despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic," Defence Minister tweeted.

Earlier, French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain had said that there will be no delay in delivery of 36 Rafale jets to India as the timeline finalised for the supply of the fighter jets will be strictly respected. "The contractual delivery schedule of the Rafale jets has been perfectly respected till now, and, in fact, a new aircraft was handed over to the Indian Air Force in end-April in France, in keeping with the contract," Lenain had told PTI.


Defence Minister Rajnath Singh received the first Rafale jet at an airbase in France on October 8, 2019. The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft. The first squadron of the aircraft will be stationed at Ambala air force station, considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF. The Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from there. The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal. The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases. Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater with almost all the features of the fighter jets.

The Rafale deal

The government of India signed a deal with the French government and Dassault Aviation to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets to bolster India’s urgent requirement on the eastern and western borders in September 2016. It costs more than 7.8 billion euros. The opposition parties led by the Congress-led a frontal attack on this deal. Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi had demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe various allegations like the escalation of procurement price and undue benefits to a private Indian company. On November 14, 2019, the Supreme Court rejected a bunch of pleas seeking a review of its December 14, 2018 judgement, which had dismissed the petitions against the Rafale deal.

Advantages of Rafale

Being a Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), the Rafale jet is known for its speed, weapon holding capacity and attack capability. The Rafale is powered by two SNECMA M88 engines, which helps it attain a high speed of 1,912 km per hour and a range of more than 3,700 km. It also has a Martin-Baker Mark 16F ‘zero-zero’ ejection seat, capable of operating at zero speed and altitude. Equipped with the AESA radar, SPECTRA Electronic Warfare System and IRST system, Rafale is categorized as a 4.5 generation aircraft. This is invaluable as the IAF currently has only third and fourth generation fighter jets. However, its biggest advantage is its capability of delivering nuclear weapons.


Additionally, the Meteor is a game-changing missile on-board. This implies that an Indian Rafale jet will be able to shoot down an enemy aircraft over 100 km away without even crossing the air space. Weighing 1,300 kg, another key element is the Scalp long-range air-to-ground stand-off cruise missile, that can strike 600 km into the enemy territory. Some of the other India-specific modifications include radar warning receivers, low band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems.
 

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France Will Ensure Timely Delivery Of Rafale Fighter Aircraft Despite Covid: Rajnath Singh
Even as France is badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that it will ensure timely delivery of the Rafale fighter aircraft to India. Taking to Twitter, the Defence Minister informed that he had a telephonic conversation with French Minister of Armed Forces Florence Parly. He said that while the French minister has ensured timely delivery of Rafale aircraft despite the challenges during Covid-19 pandemic, both countries have also agreed to strengthen the Bilateral Defence Cooperation between them.


"Had a telephonic conversation with French Minister of Armed Forces, Ms Florence Parly today. We discussed matters of mutual concern including COVID-19 situation, regional security and agreed to strengthen the Bilateral Defence Cooperation between India and France. We also appreciated the efforts made by Armed Forces of India and France in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. France has affirmed its commitment to ensure timely delivery of Rafale Aircraft despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic," Defence Minister tweeted.

Earlier, French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain had said that there will be no delay in delivery of 36 Rafale jets to India as the timeline finalised for the supply of the fighter jets will be strictly respected. "The contractual delivery schedule of the Rafale jets has been perfectly respected till now, and, in fact, a new aircraft was handed over to the Indian Air Force in end-April in France, in keeping with the contract," Lenain had told PTI.


Defence Minister Rajnath Singh received the first Rafale jet at an airbase in France on October 8, 2019. The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft. The first squadron of the aircraft will be stationed at Ambala air force station, considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF. The Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from there. The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal. The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases. Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater with almost all the features of the fighter jets.

The Rafale deal

The government of India signed a deal with the French government and Dassault Aviation to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets to bolster India’s urgent requirement on the eastern and western borders in September 2016. It costs more than 7.8 billion euros. The opposition parties led by the Congress-led a frontal attack on this deal. Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi had demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe various allegations like the escalation of procurement price and undue benefits to a private Indian company. On November 14, 2019, the Supreme Court rejected a bunch of pleas seeking a review of its December 14, 2018 judgement, which had dismissed the petitions against the Rafale deal.

Advantages of Rafale

Being a Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), the Rafale jet is known for its speed, weapon holding capacity and attack capability. The Rafale is powered by two SNECMA M88 engines, which helps it attain a high speed of 1,912 km per hour and a range of more than 3,700 km. It also has a Martin-Baker Mark 16F ‘zero-zero’ ejection seat, capable of operating at zero speed and altitude. Equipped with the AESA radar, SPECTRA Electronic Warfare System and IRST system, Rafale is categorized as a 4.5 generation aircraft. This is invaluable as the IAF currently has only third and fourth generation fighter jets. However, its biggest advantage is its capability of delivering nuclear weapons.


Additionally, the Meteor is a game-changing missile on-board. This implies that an Indian Rafale jet will be able to shoot down an enemy aircraft over 100 km away without even crossing the air space. Weighing 1,300 kg, another key element is the Scalp long-range air-to-ground stand-off cruise missile, that can strike 600 km into the enemy territory. Some of the other India-specific modifications include radar warning receivers, low band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems.
SCALP is a 600km range.
Exported version, I don't know. More 250km according to some international export rules. But do India agree to these rules? I don't know.
 

WolfPack86

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France to ensure timely delivery of Rafale despite COVID-19 challenges: Rajnath Singh
France has affirmed commitment to ensure timely delivery of Rafale aircraft despite challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday after holding a telephonic conversation with French Minister of Armed Forces, Florence Parly.

During the telephonic conversation, the two leaders discussed matters of "mutual concern" including the COVID-19 situation and regional security.

"Had a telephonic conversation with French Minister of Armed Forces, Ms Florence Parly today. We discussed matters of mutual concern including COVID-19 situation, regional security and agreed to strengthen the Bilateral Defence Cooperation between India and France," said Rajnath Singh in a tweet.


"We also appreciated the efforts made by Armed Forces of India and France in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. France has affirmed its commitment to ensure timely delivery of Rafale Aircraft despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic," the Defence Minister said in another tweet.

The first four Rafale fighter aircraft would start arriving in India by July-end this year from France. The delivery of the aircraft was earlier supposed to have been done by May end but this was postponed by two months in view of the COVID-19 situation in both India and France.

India had signed a deal worth over Rs 60,000 crore with France in September 2016 for 36 Rafales to meet the emergency requirements of the Indian Air Force. Armed with the long-range Meteor air to air missiles and SCALP, the Rafales would give India an edge over both Pakistan and China in terms of air strike capability.
 

WolfPack86

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First Rafale fighters to join Golden Arrows Squadron of IAF; Four fighters to be ferried by July end
Despite the global lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, the French Dassault Aviation’s `Rafale’ is expected to arrive by July end. These aircraft as per the original schedule were expected to arrive May end equipped with India specific systems on board. However, due to the shutting down of the Dassault Aviation facility in Mérignac, the manufacturing of these aircraft had to be put on hold. Post lockdown, with stringent COVID-19 protocols in place, the work has restarted and also the training of the pilots and men. On Tuesday Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had a telephonic conversation with his French counterpart Florence Parly during which she conveyed that the Rafale jets will be delivered to India as scheduled.

In a statement released by the Ministry of Defence, it states “The two ministers also discussed further strengthening of defence cooperation between India and France. Both also agreed to work together to fulfil the India-France joint strategic vision on the Indian Ocean Region.”

The IAF IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria in an interaction with Financial Express Online had said that though the deliveries are on track in France, however, the ferrying of the Rafale, fighters will be delayed towards the end of July.

These aircraft can easily integrate with the existing fleets in the IAF and will enhance the overall combat potential and deterrence value.

As has been reported by the Financial Express Online earlier, the first four out of the 36 fighters that India had ordered will fly to the Ambala Airbase by July end and these will include three twin-seat and one single-seater. And the first Rafale is expected to be commanded by the Commanding Officer (CO) of the 17 Golden Arrows’ squadron who will be accompanied by a French pilot while ferrying the aircraft to India. On the way, the aircraft is likely to be fuelled by a French Air Force Tanker and the Russian IL-78.

The Indo-Pak border is almost 220 km from the Ambala base. The second squadron of the Rafale will be in Hashimara Airbase in west Bengal.

The deal for 36 French fighters was inked at 7.8 billion euros with the French government in September 2016. These aircraft are expected to boost the IAF’s power in the Eastern and western borders.

What is coming with the aircraft in July?

These aircraft are known for its speed, weapon holding capacity and attack capability.

It is powered by two SNECMA M88 engines. These engines will help it to attain a high speed of 1,912 km per hour and has a range of more than 3,700 km.

These fighters are equipped with the AESA radar, SPECTRA Electronic Warfare System and IRST system. And has been categorized as 4.5 generation fighter.

It also has the capability to deliver nuclear weapons.

For India, the aircraft will also have Meteor, which can shoot down an enemy aircraft over 100 km away without crossing the airspace.

Also, there is a 1,300 kg, Scalp long-range air-to-ground stand-off cruise missile. It has the capability to strike almost 600 km into enemy territory.

Other India specific enhancements include radar warning receivers, low band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems.

The defence minister had received the first Rafale when he had visited the Dassault Aviation facility in Mérignac.
 

patriots

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Till now no Indian rifle fired meteor
Neither scalp ......
Iaf was asked to ....
Then how Rafale will come in July end ....
Without any weapon trials
 

Tactical Frog

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Till now no Indian rifle fired meteor
Neither scalp ......
Iaf was asked to ....
Then how Rafale will come in July end ....
Without any weapon trials
Why on Earth would anyone want to do weapon trials like this ? Meteor has been already thoroughly tested by French Airforce. And Scalp EG is combat proven. Used in Syria lately in defended airspace (Operation Hamilton)
 

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Till now no Indian rifle fired meteor
Neither scalp ......
Iaf was asked to ....
Then how Rafale will come in July end ....
Without any weapon trials
No need.
They are true Rafale F3R, a fully FOC standard. All the tests have already been made in France for months or years.

At the end of the specific indian specifications developpment, in 2022, and before to be retrofited to the whole fleet, some no regression tests will be made, as some releases of SPICE (and ASTRA ?) for exemple. But until 2022, they are fully F3R birds, perfectly operationnal and tested with the french range of weapons : Mica EM & IR, Meteor, SCALP, AASM (not ordered), GBUs, Exocet...

But I will not be surprised to see a Meteor trial, in India, very soon after the first delivery so as to send a clear message to Pak and China....
 

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