114 more Rafale jets to bolster air power post-Op Sindoor

After Indian Air Force’s precision strikes on Pakistan during the Operation Sindoor, the acquisition of 114 more Rafale fighter jets is being processed at the Ministry of Defence.

Opting for Rafale jets indicates: First, ability of the Air Force to deliver long-range strikes is part of the future offensive; Second, Dassault Aviation, the plane maker, has made a strong make in India push and that tilted the scales in its favour; Third, already existing fleet of the jet makes future inductions and maintenance easier and less expensive.

Despite the acquisition, indigenous fighter jet manufacturing programmes for the Tejas and the fifth-generation advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) will run parallel and not be impacted.

Prowess of air power

On May 7, the government launched Operation Sindoor and nine terror camps in Pakistan were targeted. The Indian Army used precision strike ‘Excalibur’ artillery rounds fired from the M-777 ultra-light howitzer. The IAF unleashed its fighter jet fleet, including the Rafales carrying long-range missile, Scalp and the guided bomb the ‘hammer’ that went through multiple floors of a building to destroy it. The Scalp deep-strike cruise missile with a range of 550 km was used on Bahawalpur that is 100 km west from India. It meant the Rafales could be flying over Punjab when the pilot released the ‘Scalp’ to hit Bahawalpur. The Pak Airbases were hit on May 10 by a mix of Brahmos launched from Sukhoi-30-MKI jets and the Rafale.

Why the choice of Rafale

The IAF already flies 36 Rafale jets while the Navy ordered 26 of the marine variant. The IAF has the capacity - the space, spares, tooling and trained manpower - to immediately take-in two squadrons (some 36-38 planes).

In the past few years, the avionics, weapons and missiles on the Rafale have been upgraded since the IAF ordered its fleet of 36 in 2015. The IAF flies what is the ‘F3R’ version of the plane, same as the French Air Force. Dassault Aviation has already introduced the ‘F4’ version – an upgrade and India would be eyeing the immediate additions that being referred to as the ‘F4.1’ version.

Also the decision tilted towards Rafale, as the Tejas Mark 2 jet - a significant upgrade over the under-production Tejas Mark-1A - is expected to come by 2030. But by then, international plane makers would have added much greater capabilities than what the Tejas Mark 2 would have.

Adding more Rafale would reduce maintenance costs. A maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility is functioning at the IAF base in Ambala. French company Safran’s M-88 engines power the jet and an MRO hub for engines was announced at Hyderabad.

The new technology

The Dassault Aviation’s ‘F4.1’ upgrade includes next generation of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for longer detection range and improved resilience to electronic warfare. It is to have a better self-protection system to detect and counter new and emerging threats. Capabilities would include better long-range detection and identification of enemy threats backed by missiles with longer ranges. It is to mated with better satellite links and even have artificial intelligence algorithms to assist the pilot with improved situational awareness and decision-making.

Speed needed for inductions

Rafale was in the bid for 114 jet tender for the multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) in 2019. Almost seven years prior to that, the plane had emerged as the ‘best bidder’ in trials conducted for buying 126 jets. The bid was never carried forward. However, using it as a benchmark, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 okayed a Government-to- Government deal to procure 36 Rafale jets.

Going for the Rafale reduces timelines of the tendering process that could take years. The jets will be under a Make in India scheme. Some 10 days ago, Dassault increased its shareholding in Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) from 49% to 51%, making the joint venture a majority-owned subsidiary of the French company. Anil Ambani-led Reliance Infrastructure is the partner in DRAL.

The IAF needs to quickly induct more jets. Once the two squadrons of MiG 21 retire on September 26, the IAF will be down to 29 squadrons, its lowest combat strength in the past six decades.

As per a decision of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the IAF needs 42 squadrons of jets for a two-front collusive war with Pakistan and China.