Rafael deal, still not finalized?

[Tipu7]

Days ago, England based Reuters published a Article, citing some french sources said, India and France ink the Rafale fighter jet deal in ten days, as from years months and soon dates, it's now the new deadline is set as next 10 days, as already two days over. The Rafale deal is not as much as difficult, However IAF insists the Ministry to buy large number of Fighters include local productions, IAF plans to use the Rafale as a test platform too, with the easy modifications in Rafale IAF can test new missiles and Bombs using the Rafale from various altitude, to modify the Rafale IAF needs the Intellectual property rights, thus can be done only by the Transfer of Technology or the Make in India kind of Contract,

The same sources could not revealed what kind of deal it is, as PM modi announced in Paris, that India buy only 36 Rafale as fly away mode or a Government to government deal, The IAF out of words, Since the Indian Nuclear command named Strategic forces Command also insists the IAF to transfers one squadron of Rafale to use Nuclear attack missions, so far it's believed the SFC have One Jaguar and Su 30 MKI squadron for Nuke delivery, while they plans to replace the Jaguars with Rafale Fighters, without IP rights SFC could not use the Nuclear Bomb/Missiles in Rafale, also IAF wants the Astra should be used in the Rafale, since it's was in development and integration stages on Tejas and Su 30 MKI,

Rafale comes with two BVR Missiles one is long range MICA EM and other is Ultra long Range Meteor BVR AAM, how ever if India buys the Rafale in G-G mode, India can use only those missiles, and already certified French made Air to Ground Missiles, However India almost has handful of many kind of Munition projects, from small Guided PGM's to long range Cruise missiles, to integrate those missiles in newer platform India should need the IP rights,

If India signs the 36 only Rafale Deal, India needs to invest very large amount in the Rafale deal only for Munitions, The Rafale is pure multi role, so need of Multiple Air to Air missiles and Ground missiles is much needed, although if IAF forced to give those half a numbers to SFC, then the IAF gets very less Rafale's only,

Although France almost setups a huge infrastructures in India to manufacture the Rafale, the recent Snecma Joint venture with Indian Maz Aerospace is an small Example, So it's expected the deal could be more numbers, as many defense analysts and former Air force officials saying the same the 36 numbers could be increased because of the Air forces Requirement of more than 90 Aircraft's in same category, as recently Indian Government backed Saab Gripen offers the same to IAF, Americans comes with Scorpion and F 16 IN offers, However IAF neglects all such deals and Sticks with the Rafale only for all the above mentioned Aspects,

IAF is in bad need to replace old fleets of Mig21 & Mig27. After long delays in Tejas project and increasing crashes of old Migs, IAF was forced to cannibalize its fleet by simply retiring old ones with out replacing them with new ones. IAF planned to replace entire fleet of Mig 21& Mig 27 with LCA Tejas and Rafales mean while increase its size by raising more squadrons by achieving goal of 272 Su30 MKI. IAF also want to induct Su50 from Russia and develop its own Indian variant as FGFA, This 5thG project is also facing delays.

Rival air force's i.e PLAAF & PAF are successfully modernizing their fleet by replacing old air crafts with new ones. The increasing gap of strength against PLAAF & fast reducing strength gap against PAF can be serious threat in long term future.

 

[doublemaster]

Days ago, England based Reuters published a Article, citing some french sources said, India and France ink the Rafale fighter jet deal in ten days, as from years months and soon dates, it's now the new deadline is set as next 10 days, as already two days over. The Rafale deal is not as much as difficult, However IAF insists the Ministry to buy large number of Fighters include local productions, IAF plans to use the Rafale as a test platform too, with the easy modifications in Rafale IAF can test new missiles and Bombs using the Rafale from various altitude, to modify the Rafale IAF needs the Intellectual property rights, thus can be done only by the Transfer of Technology or the Make in India kind of Contract,

The same sources could not revealed what kind of deal it is, as PM modi announced in Paris, that India buy only 36 Rafale as fly away mode or a Government to government deal, The IAF out of words, Since the Indian Nuclear command named Strategic forces Command also insists the IAF to transfers one squadron of Rafale to use Nuclear attack missions, so far it's believed the SFC have One Jaguar and Su 30 MKI squadron for Nuke delivery, while they plans to replace the Jaguars with Rafale Fighters, without IP rights SFC could not use the Nuclear Bomb/Missiles in Rafale, also IAF wants the Astra should be used in the Rafale, since it's was in development and integration stages on Tejas and Su 30 MKI,

Rafale comes with two BVR Missiles one is long range MICA EM and other is Ultra long Range Meteor BVR AAM, how ever if India buys the Rafale in G-G mode, India can use only those missiles, and already certified French made Air to Ground Missiles, However India almost has handful of many kind of Munition projects, from small Guided PGM's to long range Cruise missiles, to integrate those missiles in newer platform India should need the IP rights,

If India signs the 36 only Rafale Deal, India needs to invest very large amount in the Rafale deal only for Munitions, The Rafale is pure multi role, so need of Multiple Air to Air missiles and Ground missiles is much needed, although if IAF forced to give those half a numbers to SFC, then the IAF gets very less Rafale's only,

Although France almost setups a huge infrastructures in India to manufacture the Rafale, the recent Snecma Joint venture with Indian Maz Aerospace is an small Example, So it's expected the deal could be more numbers, as many defense analysts and former Air force officials saying the same the 36 numbers could be increased because of the Air forces Requirement of more than 90 Aircraft's in same category, as recently Indian Government backed Saab Gripen offers the same to IAF, Americans comes with Scorpion and F 16 IN offers, However IAF neglects all such deals and Sticks with the Rafale only for all the above mentioned Aspects,

IAF is in bad need to replace old fleets of Mig21 & Mig27. After long delays in Tejas project and increasing crashes of old Migs, IAF was forced to cannibalize its fleet by simply retiring old ones with out replacing them with new ones. IAF planned to replace entire fleet of Mig 21& Mig 27 with LCA Tejas and Rafales mean while increase its size by raising more squadrons by achieving goal of 272 Su30 MKI. IAF also want to induct Su50 from Russia and develop its own Indian variant as FGFA, This 5thG project is also facing delays.

Rival air force's i.e PLAAF & PAF are successfully modernizing their fleet by replacing old air crafts with new ones. The increasing gap of strength against PLAAF & fast reducing strength gap against PAF can be serious threat in long term future.

Deal for France’s Rafale Fighter Jets Still Stuck in Negotiations - India West: India

New Delhi: Five months after India announced a deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets "off the shelf" from France, much of the expectations from the big-ticket deal appears to have evaporated due to protracted negotiations.

While voices from both sides say there is hope for the deal being concluded by December, on the French side there is some frustration at the long-winded nature of the negotiations.


The deal for purchase of the 36 Rafale jets, made by Dassault Aviation, was announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Paris in April. India decided to purchase 36 jets from Paris in a flyaway condition in a government-to-government agreement. The Indian Air Force, which badly needs to replace its aging fleet of Soviet MIG aircraft, was looking forward to the new planes.

However, the offsets clause that requires 50 percent of indigenous content in big-ticket defense contracts is believed to be a stumbling block, as also the pricing. The deal is estimated at $8 billion. While India and France are still involved in the sticky negotiations, Egypt already welcomed three Rafale jets into the country in July – five months after inking a deal for 24 of the French jets.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi inked the contract for 24 Rafales in Cairo in February, in an estimated $5.6 billion deal. Qatar also inked a deal in March this year for purchase of 24 Rafale jets.

According to reports, three twin-seat variant of the jet were delivered in Cairo on July 21. Egypt inked a deal to acquire 16 two-seaters and eight single-seater Rafale fighters. France is also training Egyptian pilots to fly the Rafale.

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian visited Cairo a few days after France delivered the jets. He was to visit India on Aug. 31 during which the deal was expected to be inked. But the Indian defense ministry refused to confirm his visit.

According to French envoy Francois Richier, the defense minister had to fly to Europe to attend a EU defense ministers meeting. Richier said France is hopeful of concluding the negotiations soon.

The progress of the negotiations was reviewed by the Defense Acquisition Council, the top acquisition body of the defense ministry, chaired by minister Manohar Parrikar on Sept. 1. Sources said the progress in talks between both sides was "satisfactory".

"The negotiations are on the right track. The DAC was briefed about it, and they gave the go ahead," an official told IANS, not wanting to be identified.

According to informed sources, France is reported to be unhappy over the offset clause that requires it to invest 50 percent of the value of the contract in India. This clause was present in the original deal for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft Rafale ajets.

According to sources, the French may be given a "concession" in the clause and talks are on. However, a final decision is yet to be taken. Another factor is that India has asked for two air bases for the 36 jets, which France is reported to be unhappy about as it would lead to cost escalation, sources said.

The French side is believed to be of the view that the Rafale should not be cheaper priced for India, as compared to the deals inked with Egypt and Qatar. The Indian Air Force is expected to be down to 32 squadrons by the end of this year – 576 fighter jets short of the 750-strong fleet required as per the IAF vision document, in case of a two-front war with Pakistan and China.

At least three squadrons of the vintage Soviet Union-origin MiG-21 and MiG-27 single engine aircraft are scheduled to be phased out by year-end. The IAF currently has 33 combat squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 39.5, which is sought to be raised to 42.

 

[HongWu002]

India thought they could outsmart the French but they were stunned when France told them to take a hike. Now India is desperate for anything and willing to pay whatever the French ask for.