Rafale: An Important Element of India's Nuclear Deterrent

[arp2041]

While the IAF plays coy about the Rafale's role as an element of India's nuclear deterrent, the French are upfront about it, as is clear from the display board placed next to the Rafale on static display at Aero India 2013.

The display board says the Rafale is capable of performing air-to-air, air-to-ground, attack at sea, recce and deterrence missions.

Sure, the type of deterrence is not specified. The French are frank, not foolish!

Currently, part of India's Mirage and (possibly) Su-30 fleet are equipped and tasked with retaliatory nuclear strikes, and comprise India's airborne nuclear deterrent.

Jaguars too have the circuitry to carry, arm and deliver nuclear weapons.

The Mirage 2000H aircraft that equip three IAF squadrons aren't dedicated nuclear bombers, like the Mirage 2000N that serve the French Air Force. It is likely some of the IAF Mirages were upgraded to serve as nuclear bombers.

It is widely believed the burden of India's nuclear deterrent is currently largely shouldered by the IAF, with our long range missiles yet to become fully operational.

Ironically, the IAF's ability to deliver nuclear weapons accurately is suspect since it lacks a nuclear capable air launched missile. Toss bombing, the interim solution, is grossly inaccurate.

French AF Rafales comprise the airborne element of the triad that serves as the country's nuclear deterrent.

Rafale would be the first dedicated nuclear bomber to be acquired by the IAF and the contract being negotiated reportedly obliges the French to supply all weapon system that the IAF needs along with the Rafale. Would that include nuclear capable stand off missile? It would be bizarre if it didn't.

It is interesting to note that none of the other MMRCA competitors - F-18E/F, Eurofighter, Gripen and Mig-35 - were as readily nuclear capable as the Rafale.

Rafale: An Important Element of India's Nuclear Deterrent

 

[sancho]

Buddy please post Rafale related news in the MMRCA thread. Thanks!

 

[Skull and Bones]

Nothing special here, i feel any aircraft that can carry a single payload of exceeding 400 kg in one of it's hardpoint can drop nuclear bombs.

 

[arp2041]

@sancho, i know, but i wanted a discussion on IAF's nuclear strike capability so opened a new thread

 

[The Deterrent]

Nothing special here, i feel any aircraft that can carry a single payload of exceeding 400 kg in one of it's hardpoint can drop nuclear bombs.

Yes, any aircraft fulfilling those characteristics can, but each nuclear capable aircraft needs to be configured for safe authorization, arming and delivery of a nuclear weapon.
Primary authorization codes are fed in by the pilot before flight or/and before weapon release. Then additional equipment needs to be installed to provide separate and secure data-links for inputting secondary arming codes after the weapon release, specially in case of a nuclear cruise missile.

 

[dbc]

The OP is wrong deterrence mission is undertaken to 'deter' an enemy action. Combat air patrol is one example of a deterrence mission, since the presence of the patrol may influence the enemy to scrub the attack or choose a softer target.

 

[janon]

The OP is wrong deterrence mission is undertaken to 'deter' an enemy action. Combat air patrol is one example of a deterrence mission, since the presence of the patrol may influence the enemy to scrub the attack or choose a softer target.

As the article states, that depends on what sort of deterrence is being talked about. Sure, combat air patrols can deter the enmy from trying to attack that target. But nuclear deterrence is about nuclear capable platforms looming discreetly with nuclear weapons - the presence of these platforms known to the enemy, the location unknown.

During the height of the cold war, the US used to fly B-52s on nuclear deterrence missions 24/7/365. That is, nuclear armed B-52s would be airborne all the time just out of reach of USSR's missile coverage, but ready to fly in on command. (The priviledge of being the richest nation on earth). Today that role is undertaken by SSBNs - their patrols are called nuclear deterrence missions in NATO terminology.

Undersea warfare - The strategic deterrence mission

Global Strike commander: Nuclear deterrence fundamental to national security

The Aviationist » U-2 reconnaissance flights and B-52 nuclear deterrence missions during the Cuban Missile Crisis

So if Rafales are used for nuclear deterrence, that would mean several of them armed with nuclear weapons circling within Indian airspace, ready to fly into enemy territory any moment. That would deter the enemy from nuking us, since immediate retaliation is assured.

Of course, deterrence could also mean simple CAPs. But as the article says, the French have conveniently omitted to specify what sort of deterrence they mean.

 

[dbc]

As the article states, that depends on what sort of deterrence is being talked about. Sure, combat air patrols can deter the enmy from trying to attack that target. But nuclear deterrence is about nuclear capable platforms looming discreetly with nuclear weapons - the presence of these platforms known to the enemy, the location unknown.

During the height of the cold war, the US used to fly B-52s on nuclear deterrence missions 24/7/365. That is, nuclear armed B-52s would be airborne every time just out of reach of USSR's missile coverage, but ready to fly in on command. (The priviledge of being the richest nation on earth). Today that role is undertaken by SSBNs - their patrols are called nuclear deterrence missions in NATO terminology.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:Zz3ePsElt2EJ:www.public.navy.mil/subfor/underseawarfaremagazine/Issues/Archives/issue_48/USW_SPRING%252012_FINAL.pdf+&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESg-88tVcTfU53249Q4H6dDRcpOvv6_Ck2SsPBx9O02JEqL39AduIucjSjkMLO5L7YbuE3HGpsUxwkWrSfI8zLZqnJ9S_c51rOBuU2xV2asrEzLvbHT09WYyItwh2sQCp0NUnC2R&sig=AHIEtbQiiuZ2kJW8FEtlW9L1w5j3l3c7EA

Global Strike commander: Nuclear deterrence fundamental to national security

The Aviationist » U-2 reconnaissance flights and B-52 nuclear deterrence missions during the Cuban Missile Crisis

So if Rafales are used for nuclear deterrence, that would mean several of them armed with nuclear weapons circling within Indian airspace, ready to fly into enemy territory any moment. That would deter the enemy from nuking us, since immediate retaliation is assured.

Of course, deterrence could also mean simple CAPs. But as the article says, the French have conveniently omitted to specify what sort of deterrence they mean.

The use of air assets in the manner you suggest is not practical.The author seems to be reading too much into the use of the word deterrence.

 

[janon]

The use of air assets in the manner you suggest is not practical.The author seems to be reading too much into the use of the word deterrence.

It was done by the US during peacetime. (If the cold war can be called that.)

But today we have the Arihant, so I suppose it doesn't make sense to use air assets like that anymore.

But if word can be put out that many of our rafales are nuke capable, that itself can be a deterrant factor. Or maybe the author is reading too much into it, and wetting Indians' appetites. Speculative thread.

 

[dbc]

It was done by the US during peacetime. (If the cold war can be called that.)

But today we have the Arihant, so I suppose it doesn't make sense to use air assets like that anymore.

But if word can be put out that many of our rafales are nuke capable, that itself can be a deterrant factor. Or maybe the author is reading too much into it, and wetting Indians' appetites. Speculative thread.

The issue isn't the aircrafts ability to carry, loiter, penetrate and deliver nuclear munitions. Although crew fatigue and aircraft wear and tear are important factors, the issue is the nuclear device itself and the number of people that will need to transport, handle and load the device and security and safety implications around such an endevour.

 

[Abingdonboy]

When the IAF gets the Rafale I don't think India's nuclear deterrent will rise all that much. The biggest single factor for an increase in India's deterrence in the recent past have been the Agni V test and the launch of the Arihant-class SSBNs.

Yes the triad as a whole will be strenghted with the arrival of the Rafale's- but not disproportionately.



I do wonder though what a/c will be chosen for the SFC's open requirement for 40 dedicated fighter-bombers for nuclear strike.

Whichever a/c fills this requirement or is earmarked as the SFC's nuclear strike fighter will certainly be a consideration for any of India's foes.

 

[sancho]

Nothing special here, i feel any aircraft that can carry a single payload of exceeding 400 kg in one of it's hardpoint can drop nuclear bombs.

But not every fighter is developed to penetrate enemy airspace undetected, to carry specific avionics, the best available EW systems...
These fighters might look like the rest, but are developed specially to do a special role. Interesting article:

WHAT

@sancho, i know, but i wanted a discussion on IAF's nuclear strike capability so opened a new thread

Then you could have used the IAF discussion thread. We simply have too many double, or single postings that would be better in such threads.

 

[DrSomnath999]

Rafale would be one of the key platform for india's future air borne nuclear detterent .


1) Ability to carry 3 strategic cruise missiles like Scalp/ even nirbhay in future

2)Ability to penetrate hostile enemy air defence's thanks to Spectra EW suite.

3)Very long range fighter bomber range excess of 3700 km

4)True omni role fighter always carry atleast 4 mica missiles for self protection with exceptional turn rate ,avionics & sensor suite
for future aerial warfare & selfdefence

5) in future it would integrate with Neuron UCAVS & pilots could command them to fire Nuclear bombs ( plz note for indian case it
may be a different ucav platform)

 

[DrSomnath999]

Nothing special here, i feel any aircraft that can carry a single payload of exceeding 400 kg in one of it's hardpoint can drop nuclear bombs.

haa.haaa

i wonder why Mig 21 wouldnt be the real nuclear detterent then

 

[Skull and Bones]

haa.haaa

i wonder why Mig 21 wouldnt be the real nuclear detterent then

And can Mig-21 carry payload exceeding 400 kg on a single pylon?

And yes, there were many Mig-21s capable of delivering nuclear payload, under the designation of Mig-21N.

Also known as MiG-21SN, this was a variation of the MiG-21S capable of delivering one RN-25 tactical nuclear weapon.

And the yield was found to be around 1 kT and around.

RN-25 nuclear gravity Bomb.

@DrSomnath999, babumoshay, my views were correct re.