India could buy up to 189 French Rafale fighter jets: sources

[DARKY]

120 mig-27s have been upgraded by 2009-2010.

There was also an AESA radar designed to be used on Mig 27... but now IAF thinks further upgrade to be uneconomical and hence phase out.

 

[帅的一匹]

I don't think FGFA will sure prevail Rafale.

 

[Skull and Bones]

I don't think FGFA will sure prevail Rafale.

You have unilateral rights over your thought process, but one needs logical reasonings to convey your thoughts to others, which is clearly lacking in your rhetorical statements.

 

[Abhishek_]

You have unilateral rights over your thought process, but one needs logical reasonings to convey your thoughts to others, which is clearly lacking in your rhetorical statements.

you're gonna make him run to his ESL teacher.

 

[Skull and Bones]

you're gonna make him run to his ESL teacher.

ee ESL ka hothe babuya?

 

[Abingdonboy]

120 mig-27s have been upgraded by 2009-2010.

A year or two earlier IIRC. But the upgrade wasn't all that intensive ie only a slight avionics and cockpit upgrade nothing major like re-engineing or significant life extension. 7 years (2017) is the maxium they are useful till and they will be retired in 2017 along with the mig-21s that have not been upgraded to Bison standard.

 

[sancho]

Saaar isnt taking out 40 big targets (fighters) much easier than taking out road and rail mobile launchers dispersed throughout the country ?

Most balistic missiles are stationary and will be prime targets for the enemy, while fighters can be used from any airbase, not to mention that such a base won't be in the forwarded border area anyway. But as I said as well, it makes more sense to spread the fighters into all Rafale or MKI squads, instead of keeping them at one base. That makes it harder for the enemy not only to take them out, but to monitor when and from where such an attack would come.

 

[sancho]

Which brings to my initial question - is it practically possible for fighters to traverse the width of China to deliver the bombs on Chinese nerve centers which are mostly along the east coast,, given Chinese vast network of SAMs and a numerically superior PLAAF or it is even necessary in case of Pakistan when any missile in indian inventory reach all of Pakistan's nerve centers which are just across the borders..

Of course not, they are meant for possible targets in close to medium range only and mainly aimed to a possible 2nd strike to Pakistan of course. The only way to get a useful nuclear deterrence against China, are long range balistic missiles and SSBNs and that's why we are pushing hard in these fields in the last years.

If we are going for 189 or 220 Rafes then why did we go for M2k updation? We could have bought more rafes with that cost.

Any news about the M2k upgradation? billion $ deal was signed, did MICAs entered South Asian skies?

Because Rafales are costlier and would need more time to be inducted in Indian forces, not to mention that we already run behind to replace Mig 21s, which makes replacing more types at once even more difficult, especially such a good fighter like the M2K.

 

[Abingdonboy]

I just realised that, if true, this would make India the largest operator of the Rafale on the planet!

 

[Paan Singh]

I feel that french are reluctant for TOT and to release tech,they are demanding to increase the order.
so deal goes more than 25 billion dollars.

 

[Abingdonboy]

I feel that french are reluctant for TOT and to release tech,they are demanding to increase the order.
so deal goes more than 25 billion dollars.

No this news of follow-on orders is not to appease the French and encourage ToT to be more forthcoming as ToT was a requirement with the original 126 so it is not up to the Indian side to "sweeten" the pot in order for the French to honour the orginal terms of the deal that that had agreed upon.

A follow-on order was always a high liklihood.

 

[arp2041]

I just realised that, if true, this would make India the largest operator of the Rafale on the planet!

I think the French Govt. have placed a cap on there AF to operate only 225 ac + 60 or so another by Navy, so no i don't think so since French will operate around 250+ rafales in coming years.

 

[Abingdonboy]

I think the French Govt. have placed a cap on there AF to operate only 225 ac + 60 or so another by Navy, so no i don't think so since French will operate around 250+ rafales in coming years.

I don't know what the eventual fleet size of the FrAf/FrN will be as the numbers keep changing (being scaled down) as of 2012/13 180 Rafales for both the navy and AF are confirmed on order. But consdiering their defence minister said back in dec 2011 that if Dassualt failed to secure orders then the production line would stop at 180 in 2020 then I don't know what future orders will be. I agree though that the projections by the FrAF and FrN are for many more but whether these dreams are realised is unknown.

Given the Rafale is the primary fighter for the French unlike the IAF, then you wouldn't expect the French to operate less than India but let's see what happens.

 

[Rocky rock]

In IAF..Mig-27,,Mig-21,,Sea harrier,,Tejas are just craps,,,

 

[sancho]

I just realised that, if true, this would make India the largest operator of the Rafale on the planet!

Only till the next batch for French forces will be ordered and that will come for sure, the only question is how big it will be at the end.
Anyway, not the total number is important for us, but when they can be operational and that still needs to be seen.

I don't know what the eventual fleet size of the FrAf/FrN will be as the numbers keep changing (being scaled down) as of 2012/13 180 Rafales for both the navy and AF are confirmed on order.

ABOUT THE RAFALE OMNIROLE FIGHTER

1. French operational requirements have been set at 286 Rafales. The Air Force will receive 228 aircraft (in two versions: the single-seater Rafale C and the two-seater Rafale B), while the Navy will operate 58 Rafales M (single-seater).
2. To date, 180 production aircraft have been ordered for both services. Under current plans, production of the aircraft is to continue through 2025.
3. By October 15, 2012, 111 production aircraft have been delivered to the warfighters (36 Rafales M for the French Navy; 37 Rafales C and 38 Rafales B for the French Air Force).

The RAFALE Omnirole Fighter: Pushing Forward on New Air-to-Air Capabilities


The order was never scaled down, but will be done in batches. The next order is expected around 2018 if I'm not wrong and as said above, they will do a follow order for sure, since they have more fighters to replace.