In 2011, the Eurofighter consortium published the roadmap for future capabilities and I made the following post, comparing their roadmap, with the capabilities of the Rafale F3+ and the MMRCA requirements, but it's time to take a new look at it and at what has changed in the meantime:
For the Rafale, the changes to the F3R standard clearly went to be a disadvantage for India, Meteor integration or the development of an advanced targeting pod were delayed further back, long range weapons that were suppose to be / could be added like the AASM 1000 or the AASM 125 are still not ordered or funded for integration. The Brimstone ATGM was requested, but too high integration costs removed it from the list as well and the IRST that was available back then, is now only an option, just like the HMS remains to be an option.
The result is, that the Rafale F3+ got worse in 5 categories, while improving only in 1 (SATCOM)!
At the same time the EF, finished it's phase 1 enhancements, is integrating Meteor and cruise missiles, will start Brimstone integration by next year, while AESA, CFTs and SPEAR 3 missiles are under development, but not funded yet.
With the MMRCA timeline slipped and a first delivery is likely only by 2018, these older standards doesn't fit anymore and MoD / IAF have to check what the fighters can provide by the new timeline:
Rafale remains in the lead, but only to a smaller margin (only AASM 250 as a stand off weapon and that only if the production remains, IRST, HMS and CFT optional only with own funding) compared the to difference during the evaluations, while the EF can catch up or even surpass Rafale in certain areas (AESA can be available by then for export customers, CM capability for short ranges, better CAS, IRST and HMS available).
